Standard HTC One takes a step closer to full GPE conversion

Ever since in the announcement of the Google Play Edition HTC One, many original purchasers of HTC’s flagship handset have been wondering whether or not they’ll also be able to receive the official Google treatment, after all the handsets are exactly the same in terms of hardware.

Not too long ago we heard that famed Android developer Paul O’Brien was working on a method to would allow users to quickly switch between AOSP Android to Sense 5, the project is known as Switch. But now another big leap forward has been made, the official Google Play Edition bootloader and recovery functions have been flashed on an original HTC One.

This is a particularly important development in the conversion process as using the same bootloader as a “real” GPE HTC One will allow for updates to be applied to a converted device as soon as they are released. So rather than having to wait for a custom ROM, standard HTC One owners will be able convert and receive Android updates as soon as they arrive.

It seems like a lot of teamwork went into pulling all the required files, but everything you need to start flashing is now available courtesy of XDA. However, the actual official GPE ROM is still missing, so you won’t be able to turn your standard HTC One into a Google Play Edition handset just yet. Don’t fret though, a ROM will most certainly make its way online in due time, but it is probably worth waiting until then before messing around with your bootloader.

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