Android 4.3 HTC One Update: September Release For U.S. Handsets Confirmed By HTC President?

HTC One handsets across carriers may be getting the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean treatment by the end of September, if HTC president Jason Mackenzie has anything to say about it.

The 2013 HTC flagship smartphone released in March natively ran Android 4.1 Jelly Bean to the confusion of many, since a number of competing devices were releasing with Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean around the same time. Even so, the HTC One has held its own as a customer favorite. Now with Android 4.2.2 updates rolling out for HTC One handsets overseas, customers want answers and more importantly, updates.

Additional confusion comes from the recent announcement that the Verizon HTC One running Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean will release Thursday. The long awaited HTC One model is the first standard U.S. model to feature an updated version of Android Jelly Bean.

A frustrated HTC One Developer Edition owner recently questioned Mackenzie via Twitter as to why the Verizon HTC One will release with Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean when the HTC One Developer Edition remains at Android 4.1. The HTC president said the Taiwanese manufacturer has its eyes set on an Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update for the HTC One Developer Edition and likely other U.S. models of the device as well.

According to Mackenzie, HTC has decided that Android 4.2.2 is a “minor update” with “limited customer benefit,” and has plans to have all U.S. models updated before the end of September. Seeing as Android 4.3 is a particularly minor update in itself; the update would not only bring Android 4.3 enhancements to the HTC One but also improvements from Android 4.2.2.

Other manufacturers such as Samsung also appear to have plans to update several devices directly from Android 4.1 to Android 4.3. Additionally, Sony has confirmed that among its roster of devices set to update to Android 4.3, some have been running Android 4.1 with no update since their releases.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances such as issues with certifications, we may see Android 4.3 release onto HTC One models for AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint and many other U.S. carriers in the near future. The Google Edition HTC One received the stock version update shortly after Android 4.3 was unveiled in late July.

Do you believe the news from HTC president Jason Mackenzie that the HTC One will soon update to Android 4.3 in the U.S.? Let us know in the comments below.

Follow me on Twitter @FionnaatIBT.