HTC device owners have been eagerly anticipating the release of Android KitKat (4.4) for their beloved phones, and now owners of the HTC One and Droid DNA have something to cheer about: a release date. In a spate of tweets HTC USA has confirmed that KitKat will come to the HTC One by the end of January, followed by its arrival on the Droid DNA by end of Q1 2014.
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HTC USA also addressed concerns that HTC One owners on US-based service provider Verizon had about updating to Android 4.3 — saying that the update would be a “two-step process”, first an update coming out this week for compatibility, followed by the proper Android update in December.
Delivering 4.3 on VZW will be a two-step process. First update for compatibility happening this week, followed by Android OS update in Dec
— HTC USA (@HTCUSA) November 20, 2013
Sensing that HTC One Verizon customers expected that the 4.3 update delay would in turn impact the KitKat update, HTC USA clarified with a follow-up tweet assuring those users that the KitKat update was still be on track for an end of January 2014 delivery. Another tweet confirmed that the KitKat update would be accompanied by an update of HTC’s UI, Sense — from 5.0 to 5.5. Sense 5.5 is a minor update, but it will allow users extra functionality such as being able to hide content feeder BlinkFeed on the home screen.
HTC One VZW customers: delay with 4.3 update does not impact delivery of 4.4 by end of January – still on track.
— HTC USA (@HTCUSA) November 20, 2013
@newmoney401 In North America, we plan to deliver Kit Kat (including Sense 5.5) to HTC One customers by the end of January.
— HTC USA (@HTCUSA) November 20, 2013
In response to a worried DNA owner, HTC confirmed that the 4.4 upgrade would be coming to the Droid DNA by the end of Q1, “pending certification from your carrier.”
@ayymiPAPITO We’re planning to upgrade the Droid DNA to 4.4 by the end of Q1, pending certification from your carrier.
— HTC USA (@HTCUSA) November 20, 2013
Now that KitKat has been available to developers and hardware manufacturers for a few weeks, we can guess that HTC is confident that it can abide by this update schedule.
