Android 4.4 KitKat is here for the Google Play edition HTC One, and as usual it's slowly rolling out to certain handsets via an over-the-air update. But as tends to be the case with some OTAs, not all devices are receiving the update right away. Fortunately there's a relatively easy way to manually load the update onto your device — we've got a step-by-step guide after the break, and the process is actually a bit easier than the usual method of "sideloading" updates. The entire process can be done on the device itself, without connecting it to a computer.
Check past the jump to get started.
A few prerequisites...
- You'll need a Google Play edition HTC One running 100 percent stock Android 4.3 firmware — build JWR66Y.H1 — check under Settings > About phone > Build number.
- This won't work on the HTC One with HTC Sense UI, so don't try it on that device.
- Make sure you have a reasonable amount of battery charge remaining — at least 50 percent.
- Although this is easier than the usual sideloading method it's still worth exercising some caution, and remember that you proceed at your own risk.
Ready to go? Here's what you need to do.
- From your phone, click the link below to download the over-the-air update package directly from Google.
- When it's done, shut down your phone and disconnect any cables.
- Hold your volume down and power keys until the bootloader starts up. (You should see colored text on a black screen.)
- Using the volume keys, navigate down to RECOVERY and press power.
- Wait until the icon has stopped spinning and you see the android with the red exclamation mark above it.
- First hold volume up, then (with volume up held down) press power to enter the main recovery menu.
- Navigate down to "apply from phone storage" and press power to select
- Navigate down to "0/", then "Download/", then select the file you downloaded in step 1 (the one starting "545beb")
- Let the updater do its thing — it may take a few minutes — then when you see the message "Neet (sic) to Reboot to flash firmware.zip", select "Reboot system now" from the menu and press the power button.
- Wait for the update to finalize and enjoy Android 4.4 KitKat on your Google Play edition HTC One!
