HTC is not being greedy with its new version of BlinkFeed home screen introduced in HTC One (M8), and has decided it will allow other Android devices to install it via the Google Play store. It has not detailed an exact timeline for this release however, with this week's Play Store listing of the app still showing as incompatible, and without a list of supported devices.
The Taiwanese manufacturer made the announcement in a statement, saying, "Following its popularity with HTC users, HTC will now make HTC BlinkFeed available to other Android devices, launching on the Google Play store soon." The company did not detail the availability of the other Sense-based apps that recently made their way to the Google Play store.
The roll-out via the Google Play store would give HTC a chance to spread the feature to a larger number of users and would allow the firm give away more frequent updates to HTC smartphones as standalone apps. Earlier, the firm updated its BlinkFeed and native Sense apps via system update roll-outs, which can be a cumbersome process with other disadvantages.
The new BlinkFeed version has been introduced in the freshly announced HTC One (M8) alongside the new Sense 6.0 user interface. It features a revamped free-scrolling gesture along with larger images and the option to remove the top weather clock if not set on the default home location. New content managerial options and some UI tweaks are also available.
Details of the BlinkFeed app, such as size and the Android version compatibility, are not yet known. App permissions have been listed, but do not hint at anything significant. The full functionality of the app, and how different it is from the implementation on the One (M8), can only be experienced when HTC makes the app available for download.
Other apps such as HTC Service Pack, HTC SenseTV, HTC Guide and HTC Gallery also made their way to the Play Store ahead of the HTC One (M8)'s launch on Tuesday.
Update: HTC confirmed to The Verge it would be bringing its Zoe storytelling 'highlight reel' app to other Android devices, later this year. When introducing the HTC One (M8), the company had said Zoe will become a cloud-based service in 2014, where users can upload Zoe Videos for all to see.
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