Regular, non-GPE (Google Play Edition) variants of the HTC One M8 (2014) and M7 (2013) may have to wait for a while to get Google's newest Android OS update, interchangeably known as Android L, Android Lollipop or Android 5.0. But the wait will soon be over for GPE HTC One M8 and M7 smartphones.

For owners of the Google Play Edition HTC One M8 (or M7) smartphones, the Android L update is reportedly going to release over the air (OTA) starting this Friday. That's according to a recent tweet by VP of Product Management for HTC, Mo Versi, via GSMArena.

Not that GPE HTC One owners will be pleased with this development. Android 5.0 Lollipop's release date for HTC's GPE devices was supposed to be earlier this week, but the launch was delayed by bugs and other unforeseen technical issues.

The GPE HTC One M8 and M7 are getting Android Lollipop much sooner than other HTC One devices because Google Play Edition handsets run on a pure, unaltered Android operating system, making the process of tailoring a new Android update to the devices much faster.

Android 5.0 enthusiasts are still eagerly anticipating an Android L release date for standard HTC One M8 and HTC One M7 smartphones.

But even though HTC promised to work at full speed to roll out Lollipop to those devices within 90 days of Google's release of the full Android 5.0 source code, both devices are still in the first stages of work on the update.

The wait will continue for HTC One smartphones -- as well as HTC One mini and HTC One mini 2 devices, which are also slated to get Android L.

That's because with every Android update, especially one as significant as Android 5.0, HTC needs to not only tailor the new OS to each device model and wireless provider, but it must also update its custom Android user interface (UI), Sense, to work -- both technically and aesthetically -- with Android L's brand-new Material Design philosophy.

The same goes for Google OEMs LG and Samsung, both of which are promising to rush Android 5.0 to their respective flagship smartphones as soon as possible.

If you bought a new premium smartphone in the last year, the Android L update releases are all in motion. Now the waiting game begins.

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