The HTC One M8, one of the the small group of smartphones competing for the title of Andoid King, now has access to Android 4.4.3 on carrier networks. Last week the update to the Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) operating system was made available to versions of the phone that were unlocked, or sold as developer models. The update comes on the back of rumors that HTC Corp (TPE:2498) is preparing a version of the One M8 that will run Windows Phone.
From its metal body to its amazing screen, everything about the HTC One M8 seems premium. The company has avoided the mistakes of its past in skinning Android for use on its flagship smartphone, but updates are still restricted by the company in order to make sure the next OS version works with the hardware exactly as it would like.
Updated Android comes to HTC One M8
Android fans awaiting a security update will be pleased with today’s announcement. According to Mo Versi vice president, product management at HTC, the security updates of Android version 4.4.4, the latest version, have been included in the update to the HTC One M8. The update that hit the US last week only targeted phones that didn’t rely on a carrier network to deliver updates, but a more holistic approach has begun.
According to Android Central an Over-The-Air update for the HTC One M8 has begun on some carriers in Europe, with Nordic countries apparently the first to receive the new version of Android. Depending on country and carrier there is a wide range of expected delivery times for the software update, but the promise that it has started should be enough to get some Android fans excited.
The update clocks in at more than 600 MB and includes the new version of Android, the 4.4.4 security fixes as well as a selection of other software updates. The attached improvements include updates to the Camera,Gallery and Settings applications as well as small updates to HTC sense features including Boomsound, Extreme Power Saving Mode, Motion Launch, and Quick Setting.
HTC One M8 may get Windows Phone
With Android fans welcoming their shiny OS upgrade, Windows Phone fans may finally be getting some good news. According to rumor HTC is preparing a version of the One M8 that will run on the Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) mobile operating system. The rumors suggest that the company will release a version of the HTC One M8 running Windows Phone 8.1.
A tweet from Tom Warren of The Verge said in a tweet that the premium smartphone would appear later on in 2014. No exact release date was attached to the phone, however, meaning that it might be the kind of vaporware that has taunted fans of Windows Phone 8 since its release. ‘
Nokia still makes great phones, but a multitude of designs appeals to a multitude of people. If Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) really wants to push Windows Phone it needs to convince manufacturers to put it on their devices. A Windows HTC One M8 could be just the solution to the company’s third-party support problems.
