Google Play edition device kernel sources now available for download

Sources required to be available under the GPL are now ready for devs to take a look at

Right on time, the full kernel sources for both the HTC One and Galaxy S4 Google Play edition devices are ready for download courtesy of links from JBQ on the Android Building Group. For the enterprising developers that want (or need) it to work with for a deeper understanding of these two devices, the kernel source is a big resource to have available. This isn't at all unexpected, however, as the terms of the GPL require that it be made freely available.
It should also be noted that the availability of the kernel source for these devices doesn't mean that we have a full ROM or any proprietary binaries available. Things in this area are understandably still a little murky, and while we surely hope that those additional files that would give users a complete working ROM will be offered, nothing is guaranteed.
If you are someone who has a need for the kernel source and want to get right into it, you can grab a direct download for both devices from the "download" links below. HTCdev is also hosting an independent download from its own site for the HTC One.

Google Play Edition HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S 4 Available on Google Play Store

The Google Play editions of the HTC One and the Samsung Galaxy S 4 are available for purchase though the Google Play Store today. The Google Play editions of these flagship smartphones take the manufacturer software out of the devices, stripping away Samsung’s TouchWiz and HTC’s Sense UIs to deliver a pure Google experience. Both devices run on Android Jelly Bean, and will be among the first to receive important updates and Google goodies.

The handsets will come unlocked, allowing owners to choose a month-to-month contract or a pre-paid service option as they please.The device is not being sold outside of the U.S. however, so international customers will have to wait.

Both devices can be purchased through the Google Play Store, and will be shipped to customers starting on July 9th. The Samsung Galaxy S 4 comes with a price tag of $649 for the 16GB version, and the HTC One comes with 32GB of storage and is a little cheaper than the S 4, coming in at $599. So head on over to the Google Play Store if you’ve got your eyes on one of these powerful, pure Google experience touting  devices.

Google’s Sundar Pichai Announces HTC One Google Edition, Available June 26 For $599

Google will make another mobile phone available with stock Android soon. Sundar Pichai, SVP of Android, Chrome, and Apps, announced at the D11 Conference that the company will sell the HTC One Google Edition for $599 on the Google Play store, beginning June 26.

Google has previously announced the availability of the Samsung Galaxy S4 with stock Android through the Play Store, which will retail for $649. That device was announced during I/O, with availability also set for June 26.

“We’re developing a user experience that scales across the world[...],” Pichai said, explaining why the Google Edition devices are now a priority for the company. “We’re making Android the operating system that is consistent across all of these devices.”

“The challenge is related to what is great about Android [...] The scale and scope of Android is pretty breathtaking,” Pichai explained further. “From a Google perspective, we care about how users use Android and the user experience.”

HTC has already offered a similar device through its own online retail store, the HTC One Developer Edition. The Developer Edition is a $649.99 device that has 64GB of onboard storage, plus an unlocked bootloader. The new Google Play version of the One will differ in that it will also offer stock Android, and updates that arrive in time with those issued for Nexus devices and the Play version of the Galaxy S4. The Developer Edition also ships with Jelly Bean 4.1, but the HTC One Google Edition will ship with Jelly Bean 4.2.2. Also, the Google version will carry 32GB of internal storage instead of the 64 from the dev model. The Google HTC One works with GSM cellular networks.

HTC says it will continue to offer the Developer Edition direct from its own website, but the $599 Google Edition, with its GSM network support and initial U.S.-only availability, is probably the better buy for developers looking to not only try out the hardware but also stay up-to-date on the very latest from Google’s OS.

The HTC One has already been well-received by critics, and offering it with a stock Android experience is sure to be a hit with a specific audience. It’s also impressive that it will cost $50 less than the competition from Samsung. But now that Google is clearly interested in expanding the so-called “Nexus Experience” beyond its own line of co-branded devices like the Nexus 4 from manufacturer LG, it’ll be interesting to see what role those “blessed” handsets will have in the future, or whether “Nexus” becomes more of a designation than a specific device line.