Nexus 5 vs. HTC One: Which Is Better?
Nexus 5 with Android 4.4 KitKat only shows that Android manufacturers offer better experience to consumers. Between Nexus 5 and HTC One, there are a number of reasons the latter seems better.
1. Service integration: Pure Android focuses on Google experience while Samsung, Motorola and HTC offer a richer experience like a gallery where you can access photos on Facebook, Dropbox, Google and more. The HTC Notes and S Note apps both sync to Evernote and many other areas where service integration outside Google can be very useful.
2. Exchange email application: HTC has an Exchange client that has always been superb. The Nexus Exchange app looks like the Gmail app and does not even support conversation view. HTC One has favorite and conversations views along with sync schedule control.
3. Camera UI and application: The Android camera UI is basic and a bit frustrating if you check out the options. The Nexus 5 camera takes long to focus and constantly moving subjects like animals and kids always appear blurry. HTC has many settings and options in the camera UI.
4. Phone/contacts application: HTC One has contact photos tied to other services so each contact has a nice image. On Nexus 5, if a contact doesn't have a Google account, there would be no photo. The favorite view and latest status view updates also make HTC One more powerful and useful.
5. Nexus 5 has two grille openings at the bottom but there is only one speaker which is not even very good. HTC has two stereo speakers and the sound is tough to outdo.
6. Infrared port: IR Support is now part of Android 4.4 but there is no IR port. Travelers and those who have several TVs at home will find a remote on the phone useful, though.
7. HTC keeps improving the BlinkFeed while Nexus 5's Google Now panel offers a few information.
Nexus 5 has its own advantages over the HTC One. It is convenient to fling your device down on a Qi charging pad and the Google Wallet is cut out of the carrier control on Nexus 5. So you can pay any carrier on your phone with a tap. HTC One will have Android 4.4 soon and while this may be the last update for a long while, Nexus 5 gets a lot of updates much more than that.