Questions answered about the HTC One N.U.E.

Nexus
User
Experience

Yup, it's a new 'techblogger' term we've added to our lexicon since I/O'13.  For those of you who aren't sure what that means, basically throw a Nexus 4 and an HTC One in a room, and in short time they'll have a baby.  An HTC One that has entirely the stock 'Nexus' feel.

It's not a Nexus per se, as in my opinion the software isn't perfectly matching hardware.  So what is the difference?  What bits are missing?  Thankfully Android Police was able to reach out to their contacts and get some answers for us who are REALLY chomping at the bit to know more about this device.
If you missed it, I really REALLY loved the HTC One.  +Tom Gray picked himself up one, and I'm still so waiting to pull the pin on getting one myself.

Well, with the announcement of a Nexus User Experience version, I'm torn.  I do want the phone, but now I have an option.  One of the things I'd miss on a Sense version is the ability for fast updates, ... but the Sense customization does add to the feel.

Especially, there's an IR blaster (not supported in AOSP), Boom Sound, and the Ultra Pixels (pickels, as Tom says).  With stock Android, do we lose those features?

Will the stock Android camera experience replace the HTC camera app (and thus all the HTC features)?The HTC One Special Edition contains the stock Android camera experience. It doesn't contain HTC features such as Zoe, etc... It will not be the Sense camera experience, but the camera will still produce comparable high quality pictures.

Will the IR blaster be functional?The IR blaster will be disabled out of the box since this is a stock Android device.

Will the Beats Audio mode software switch be present in the stock version (Hugo Barra has seemed to indicate it will)?It features the hardware benefits of Beats Audio, but it does not have the software indicator in the status bar.

Will the HTC logo on the front be remapped (as it's an inactive button area) as the recent apps button, or will the old double-tap on home gesture still be used?
Button configuration will be the same as the original HTC One.

Thanks to Android Police for getting the 'official say-so' on some of these burning questions.

Now, some have taken to hearing about the NUE devices as Google's departure from the Nexus program (it's only 2 devices thus far)... but +Sundar Pichai has reassured us that that isn't the case in his interview during All Things D.

Now, we just have to find out WHEN Canada will get it!

Source:  http://www.androidpolice.com/2013/05/30/htc-one-nexus-experience-clarifications-ir-blaster-disabled-no-htc-camera-features-and-no-beats-audio-switch/