Google did not announce any new devices last month at Google I/O. Instead, it announced a special edition of the Samsung Galaxy S4 that would run a stock version of Android (version Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean to be precise) and would be sold through Google Play like Nexus devices already are. The news was quickly followed by an announcement that a similar special edition HTC One would be offered as well. Well, today is the day that both went on sale – as long as you’re in the US.
The Google Play Edition Samsung Galaxy S4 comes with 16GB of onboard storage and support for microSD cards while the Google Play Edition HTC One comes with 32GB and no microSD card support. Other specifications are the same as those of the regular models. Both are compatible with AT&T’s and T-Mobile’s LTE networks.
The Google Play Edition Samsung Galaxy S4 is selling for US$649 and the Google Play Edition HTC One for US$599.
There is no word yet on whether these Google Play Edition smartphones will be made available outside of the US at some future point.
Sources : Google Play (HTC One) // Google Play (Samsung Galaxy S4)