The HTC One Google Play Edition.
Samsung's Galaxy S4 and HTC's One are two of the best smartphones you can buy today , and if you love Android, they're the only two phones you should consider buying.
But they've changed again. For the better.
This summer, Google partnered with HTC and Samsung to make new "Google Play Editions" of those two flagship phones. The hardware and design on each is exactly the same, but instead of running Samsung/HTC's customized versions of Android, these phones run a "clean" version of the operating system that comes directly from Google.
You can buy both phones unlocked from Google. The HTC One costs $599 and the Galaxy S4 costs $649. (More on those hefty prices in a bit.)
There are a bunch of advantages to the Google Play Edition phones. Like Google's Nexus phones, the Google Play Editions of the HTC One and Galaxy S4 will receive software updates shortly after Google releases a new version of Android. Historically, both HTC and Samsung have been pretty bad at getting new software updates out to customers because it takes a lot of time for them to modify Android. Often, Samsung and HTC stop updating the software on their phones, even if they've only been out for just a year.
And overall, Google's clean version of Android is a lot better than the modifications you normally get from HTC and Samsung. There aren't any preinstalled apps from HTC, Samsung, or your carrier. There aren't any gimmicky features like Samsung's eye-tracking or HTC's Blinkfeed home screen.
It's just Android the way Google meant for you to experience it. It's nearly perfect.
So why are these phones so expensive?
Instead of selling them through a wireless carrier, Google is selling the One and Galaxy S4 at full price, unsubsidized. Carriers are usually able to sell you phones for just $200 because they subsidize the other ~$400 through baked-in fees in your wireless plan over your two-year contract. In those situations, you're still paying the full ~$600 cost over the phone over two years.
Google's approach is to sell you the device at full price up front. The phones are unlocked, meaning all you have to do is pop in a SIM card from your carrier and you're good to go. Unlocked phones are also great options for international travelers who want to buy pre-paid SIM cards.
There's another caveat: In the U.S., these phones will only work on T-Mobile or AT&T. Verizon and Sprint customers are out of luck.
So, you have a decision to make. You're paying a lot for these two phones up front, but you still have the freedom of not worrying about your carrier's contract and upgrade cycles. The phone is yours to do what you want with it. Plus you're getting the guarantee of timely software updates (which is rare for just about every Android phone) and the best overall Android experience, straight from Google.