Forget iOS 7, Android 4.4 is where it's at. Richard takes a look at what's new
Android KitKat 4.4 is now out in the wild, admittedly in a limited capacity at this stage.
While then new version might not be a massive overhaul in terms of functionality, it's a signficiant face-lift on the UI design front, with a noticably lighter and brighter interface freed from this heavy, dark bar elements at the top and bottom.
Icons are also bigger, while Google Now has been fully integrated into the launcher. The general idea is to make Android nicer to look at and easier to use.
Read on to find out all the details about Google's latest chocolate flavoured OS.
[Scroll down for Android 4.4 update schedule]
Android 4.4 is a pretty significant update, one that sees both UX changes and plenty of new features added. A lot has also gone under the hood, but anyone using a stock version of theplatform will immediately notice subtle differences in the design, layout, look and feel of the platform.
Icons are bigger, the app tray has been re-designed and Google Now is a lot more influential inside the OS. Android 4.4 is currently only available on Google’s Nexus devices –– specifically, the Nexus 5, Nexus 7 (both versions), Nexus 4 and Nexus 10. Unfortunately there is no support for the Samsung-built Galaxy Nexus S.
Below is everything you need to know about Google’s brand-spanking new iteration of Android complete with update news, features, reviews and tips and tricks. Take a break, have a KitKat, and enjoy…
Moto G begins receiving Android 4.4 KitKat in US
Google and Motorola informed us a while back that its Moto G handset would be receiving the latest Android update, 4.4.2 KitKat, early in 2014. That’s now been pushed forward and Moto G handsets will begin receiving the update from today. Motorola announced the news on its blog saying, “When we launched Moto G last month, we committed to delivering Android, KitKat, to devices by early 2014. We are thrilled to start delivering on that promise early.”
Phones bought on Motorola.com or Amazon.com in the US will receive the update starting today. The roll out will then continue to other regions soon but no news on any official dates just yet.
The blog continued, “This update continues our effort to get our users the latest Android software as fast as humanly possible. We began by pushing KitKat out to Moto X users on Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile, just weeks after Google announced the new OS.”
With the update comes all the features below:
Android™ 4.4, KitKat® Android 4.4.2, KitKat, is the latest release of the Android platform. KitKat includes enhancements such as restyled status and navigation bars, a new full-screen mode, color emoji support, improved closed captioning support, stronger security, smarter power use, and more tools and capabilities for better app development.
Phone dialer Improved the phone app with the ability to look up contacts directly from the dial pad, see and tap frequent contacts, and search your corporate directory easily.
Camera - Focus and exposure Enhanced the "touch to focus" option with a new circular, on screen control that can be dragged by your finger around the viewfinder to adjust a photo's focus and exposure.
Gallery - Photo editing Added new photo editing options to the Gallery app including new filter effects, draw on your photos, advanced cropping, and adjustments to color, exposure, contrast and more.
Printing documents and pictures Added support for printing photos, Google Docs, GMail messages, and other content via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and hosted services like Google Cloud Print and HP ePrinters.
Hangouts -SMS/MMS support Incorporated a new version of Google Hangouts that supports integrated SMS/MMS messaging. Hangouts can be set as the default SMS app under Settings > Wireless > Default SMS app.
Accessory support Added support for Square credit card reader.
It could still be a wait until 2014 before the UK sees the Moto G update but at least the update has started now. US readers will soon be receiving that KitKatty goodness
Galaxy S4 and Note 3 getting KitKat in late January
A mobile phone carrier has announced when Samsung’s Galaxy S4 and Note 3 will be getting the Android 4.4 KitKat update.
French carrier SFR sent out a statement saying the S4 and Note 3 will receive the update from the end of January. The S4 will receive it before January is over and the Note 3 will be updated at the beginning of February. SFR has said exact rollout dates will come later when it knows more.
Although it’s up to each networks discretion, it’s likely the rollout will happen around the globe in a similar time frame. Some may receive the update before France but SFR has so far been the only company to make any announcement regarding the KitKat update. Hopefully Samsung users will be receiving some tasty Nestle goodness to kick the new year off.
Sony Xperia Z Ultra Google Play edition gets 4.4.2
The Google Play edition of the Sony Xperia Z Ulta is receiving an update to Android 4.4.2. Other Google Play edition devices such as the HTC One, Samsung Galaxy S4 and LG G Pad 8.3 have already received the update.
The update brings a solution for a bug which stopped users being able to install apps. Other bugs which have been sorted include security settings, a clear data problem and another that affected the performance of Google Now voice comands. It does come at a price though, the update is 448MB.
The Sony Xperia Z Ultra was released as a Google Play Edition last week but is only available in the US. It’ll cost $649 but has that beautiful 6.4-inch display and is powered by no less than a Snapdragon 800 chipset. It’s one of the most powerful Sony devices on the market with the processor clocked at 2.2 GHz.
LG Optimus G receives Android 4.4 in Estonia
LG Optimus G Pro MWC 2013
Android 4.4 KitKat has started rolling out on the LG Optimus G, but only in Estonia. The update is only available for those on a certain network, Elisa, the second biggest in the country. LG’s G2, a much higher specced phone, is still on Android 4.2.2 in most regions.
LG have not commented when the update will be available in other countries. It also has not confirmed when other LG handsets will receive the update either. It’s a strange handset to update and a strange way of doing it. Most major OEMs have confirmed Android 4.4 updates for January 2014.
And because Android 4.4 can run on 512MB of RAM, handset makers have very little excuses now for not getting a good deal of their devices up and running on the latest build of Android.
Google takes away popular Gallery app
Android 4.4 KitKat brought about an upgraded, powerful photo editor to the Nexus 5. The app was called Gallery but it has since been removed from the newly launched Google Play edition devices. The LG G pad 8.3 and the Sony Xperia Z Ultra no longer come with the Gallery app installed.
Users have to use the Google+ Photos app which was available on previous devices. The photos app does offer editing as well but many believe it to be inferior to the Gallery app. For example, Gallery lets you create mirror images of pictures, straighten photos, rotate them and crop them. Google+ Photo’s only offers the options to crop and rotate images. Google haven’t confirmed that the Gallery app has gone for good.
Why would Google install a better app and get rid of it a couple of months down the line? Could there be a susbstantial update coming to the Google+ Photos app? If there is it’s likely to use everything Google learned from the Gallery app and apply the social elements from the Photos app. Only time will tell.
Nestle ensure competition winners receive Nexus 7 2013
As reported earlier this week, Nestle’s Nexus 7 competition backfired in India as winners received the older version of the tablet. Nestle ran a competition to promote Android 4.4 KitKat in partnership with Google in which 1000 winners around the world would receive a Nexus 7 2013.
Throughout the campaign an image of the Nexus 7 2013 was used for promotion, so a number of winners in India complained as they received 2012's Nexus 7. Nestle has now apologised and promised to supply all winners with the 2013 edition. Nestle took to Kit Kat’s Facebook page to say this,
"We are delighted to announce that winners of ‘Android Kit Kat promotion’ will receive the new 2013 Nexus 7 tablet. If you have received an earlier version of the device, we will contact you separately to get it replaced. The delivery schedule for the new dispatches as well as the procedure to be followed for replacement will be communicated shortly."
Post by Kit Kat
Android 4.4.2 coming to Nexus devices
It wasn’t long ago that the 4.4.1 update hit Nexus devices but Google users will soon be receiving the 4.4.2 update. The new update focuses on fixing a number of bugs, while 4.4.1 focussed on fuxing the Nexus 5's below par camera.
Google hasn’t stated the official changes yet, but according to Sprint, the changes involve a fix for clearing the VM indicator, a fix for delivery of the VM indicator, security enhancements and various additional software fixes.
The update is coming to the Nexus 5, Nexus 4, Nexus 7 and the Nexus 10. Users who didn’t receive 4.4.1 can update directly to 4.4.2 version as soon as it’s made available.
Nestle competition winners promised Nexus 7 (2013), get Nexus 7 (2012) sans 4.4 instead
To help getting the buzz going around Android 4.4 KitKat, Nestle and Google teamed up for a genius competition which would see 1000 winners around the world getting a brand new Nexus 7 2013 running Android 4.4. At least that's what the competition winnders thought. Nestle handled the competition internationally, apart from the US which fell to Hershey, and the winners have now started to receive their Nexus 7 tablets.
Throughout the advertising campaign the image of the 2013 Nexus 7 tablet was used, but in India winners have been receiving the 2012 version. That version of the Nexus 7 doesn’t have the 2013’s improved display or chipset and doesn’t feature Android 4.4 KitKat.
The Terms and Conditions – the thing no one ever reads – of the competition do state, “The pictures of the prizes depicted on the press ads/posters/TVC’c/pack shots etc. are only representative and the actual prize may vary from the depiction.”
The friendly competition has backfired on Nestle and KitKat, and punters in India are not very happy at all...
We hear you’re unhappy. Winners got the Nexus7 tabs available in India in Sept (contest date). The new version launched only in Nov.
— Kit Kat India (@KitKatIndia)December 7, 2013
KitKat could come to older mid-range Samsung devices
Samsung are looking into updating some older handsets to Android 4.4 KitKat. A leaked internal document has shown a bunch of handsets being investigated by Samsung. These include the Galaxy S4 mini, Galaxy SIII mini, Galaxy S Advance, Galaxy Ace 3, Galaxy Ace 2, Galaxy Core, Galaxy Frame and the Galaxy Fresh are involved. The shot below shows that there is the potential for a load more handsets further down the list.
These handsets have an enormous spread all over the world, it would make a lot of people really happy to get a KitKat update. Don’t expect it to be coming out very soon though, it seems like this is all still in the planning stages.
How to manually update the Nexus 5
Pining for Android 4.4.1 on your Nexus 5? Well someone has worked out how to do it manually and has posted a helpful user guide. It’s understandable that you may want to update considering that fixed camera feature is prescent on 4.4.1 KitKat. If you’re well experienced in using commands then you should get stuck in but if not just wait for the OTA as this is going to get complicated.
Tom Dawson at Android Headlines explains,
“Rename the downloaded .ZIP to something easier to type, we’ll use “android441.zip”
Reboot your Nexus 5 into the bootloader by holding Power+Vol Down and then hit Vol Up to get to Recovery, press the Power button to boot into recovery
When in recovery mode, use the volume keys to navigate to “Apply Update from ADB” and hit the power button
Connect your Nexus 5 to your PC/Laptop
Open a command prompt or terminal in the same folder as the OTA file (Windows users can hit “Ctrl+Shift+Right Click”) and type “adb devices” to check if your Nexus 5 is seen.
Once there, just type “adb sideload android441.zip”
Your Nexus 5 should take a little while to reboot and then you’ll be running Android 4.4.1, which you can check from the settings. Remember, if you’ve adjusted anything in the /system partition, the update will fail.”
It’s complicated so only get involved if you trust yourself. If you do decide to get stuck in, however, the link for the download file from Google is here
Android 4.4 KitKat causing problems with Nexus 4
Nexus 4 owners are reporting a number of problems since updating to Android 4.4 KitKat. The update was available for Nexus 4 and has been causing some users issues. Problems reported include the phone dialler not working, the lock-screen...locking up and becoming unusable and the home button stopping altogether. Other problems include faster battery drain, lag in the phones performance and the device shutting down unexpectedly.
One Twitter user advises returning to Android 4.3 Jelly Bean whilst Google irons out the problems.
Yikes. Anyone else experiencing issues?
Android KitKat now up and running on 1.1% of Droids
Google has released its monthly Android distribution figures which now include version 4.4 of its mobile OS. According to the data, Android 4.4 KitKat is now up and running on 1.1% of Droids. But that's hardly surprising given it is currently only available on Nexus handsets.
Android Jelly Bean 4.3 jumped significantly from 2.3% in October to 4.2% in the latest figures. Both 4.1 increased by 0.1% to 37.4% of installs and 4.2 increased 0.4% to 12.9%.
In the meantime Android 2.2 Froyo, 2.3 Gingerbread and 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwhich continued to drop as more and more Android users update to Jelly Bean. Android 3.2 Honeycomb is still included in the list with 0.1% share.
LG G2 will get Android 4.4 update in Q1 2014
The LG G2 will receive an OTA update to Android 4.4 in Q1 2014, according to LG Canada’s Court Elliot. The LG Rep said the update would begin rolling out in late-Q1, “or towards the end of March”, according to Mobile Syrup.
Android 4.4 will be seeded to networks around the same time but unlocked handsets will likely get access to the update first. Prior to Elliot’s omission, reports suggested the G2 might get its 4.4 update as early as December.
Was Elliot just referring to Canadian G2 handsets only? It’s possible. But whether this means the original rumours of a December release for 4.4 are true is another thing entirely. LG is remaining rather tight-lipped about its update plans, meaning we have very little concrete evidence to go on – other than Elliot's Q1 2014.
As it stands, the LG G2 – at least in Canada – will be getting Android 4.4 before the end of March 2014. We’ve reached out to LG for comment on its UK plans for the LG G2 and will update as soon as we know more.
DoubleTwist redesigned for Android 4.4: The best media solution for Android just got a lot better
DoubleTwist has redesigned its smartphone and tablet application for Android 4.4, implementing a cleaner UX with a focus on images and album artwork.
Support for wireless streaming to Apple TV, Xbox 360, PS3 and other AirPlay DLNA compatible devices is also still present, creating one of the most robust media solutions available on Google’s Android platform.
If you’re not familiar with DoubleTwist, the app is essentially an iTunes conduit for Android that lets users sync iTunes libraries with an Android device. In the beginning that was all it did, but over the years DoubleTwist has added in a raft of features, making the app one of the best-loved media propositions inside Google Play.
The company has also developed an open-source version of Apple's AirPlay technology for wireless streaming, making streaming even easier between compatible devices. So if you don’t already have it installed on your Droids, perhaps it’s time to head on over to Google Play and get this sucker downloaded?
Android KitKat 4.4 was optimised on a Nexus 4 with 512MB of RAM
It appears Android KitKat might be the most optimisied build to date as reports indicate Google's engineers were forced to streamline the software on specially setup Nexus 4 handsets with 512MB of RAM onboard.
ReadWrite's Dan Rowinski, interviewd Google's head of engineering, Dave Burke, who explained the approach to further optimising Android KitKat.
The move followed Google's development of Project Butter in Android Jelly Bean, a series of UI latency optimisations to make things run as smoothly as possible. The new project for KitKat, codenamed Project Svelte, aimed to build on this further.
"The goal of Project Svelte was basically to reduce the memory footprint to fit into 512 megs. The way we did it, by the way ... was to take a Nexus 4 and adapt it to run at 512 megs," said Burke.
Burke also outlined the goals of the project:
Reduce the footprint of the system.
Reduce the footprint (memory usage) of the apps that run on a Google Experience (Nexus) device.
Fix how apps react and crash during bad memory situations.
Provide better measurement and instrumentation of how apps are running in Android so developers can see how memory-conscious their apps are.
"We adapted the resolution to qHD that is 960-by-540 because that is kind of the sweet spot for entry level smartphones,” he added.
“We reduced it from four CPUs to two CPUs. We reduced the clock frequency and whatnot. And literally a bunch of us just used that as our default phone. It was painful and it was broken to start with."
Android 4.4 KitKat: Some Tasty Tips & Tricks
If you’ve already picked up a Nexus 5 –– Congrats! –– it’s an awesome phone, perhaps even one of the best Android handsets of the year. The specs are great, the hardware is plentiful, it runs the latest build of Android (4.4) and it costs just £299 off contract. What’s not to like?
So what about Android 4.4 KitKat? Below are some handy tips and tricks that’ll ensure you get the most out of your new handset. We’ll be adding more as and when we discover them. But for now here’s our current pick.
Get “Okay, Google” working in UK
Google’s always-on Google Now feature –– the one where you say, “Okay, Google” –– for some reason does not work when you have your handset’s language settings on English UK.
Why this is the case is unclear. Fortunately, there’s a work a round. All you have to do is go into Google Now –– swipe left from the Home screen –– go into Settings (three dots in the bottom right corner), then Voice and Select Language and reset it to English US. “Okay, Google” will now work from inside Google Now and from any of the Nexus 5’s homescreen.
Save Battery with Smarter Location settings
More and more applications want to know where you are and what you’re doing. All of this location pinpointing requires GPS, and that in turn warrants juice from your Nexus 5’s battery. Google knows this and has attempted something of a workaround inside Android 4.4 called Battery Saving GPS Mode.
Battery Saving GPS Mode essentially minimises the number of reference points used to derive your exact location and thus saves you unnecessary battery wastage. To enable this go to: Settings > Location > Mode, and enable Battery Saving.
For pinpoint accuracy, as and when you need it, go back into the Settings and select High Accuracy.
Turn off NFC
Not using NFC? Turn it off.
Check out Google’s Android KitKat animation
Hidden away inside Android 4.4’s menu settings is a little KitKat animation. It doesn’t do anything other than let you spin the KitKat logo but it is quite cool, especially for bragging rights –– no one will have KitKat for quite some time unless they have a Nexus.
To locate this little animation, head to Settings > About Phone > and then triple tap on Android Version. The KitKat animation boots up shortly thereafter. To get back to the Home screen just tap the Home button.
Sony reveals Android 4.4. KitKat update roadmap
Sony has revealed its plans to introduce Android 4.4 KitKat to existing Xperia devices.
In a post on the company's SonyMobile blog, Sony said, "We've seen lots of questions on our Android upgrade roadmap and equally, we have lots to tell you, so here's a note on just that..."
Sony clarified that several of its existing Xperia handsets would be making the jump to Android 4.3 Jelly Bean shortly.
"We're pleased to tell you that well start rolling Android 4.3 for Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia ZR, Xperia Tablet Z, Xperia SP, Xperia Z Ultra and Xperia Z1 from next month."
The Xperia T, Xperia TX and Xperia V will also be upgraded on the same schedule.
Somewhat frustratingly, Sony hasn't specified exactly when its devices will get KitKat 4.4, only revealing that the Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia Tablet Z, Xperia Z Ultra and Xperia Z1 will be making the jump.
Instead of a precise date, or even a vague one, Sony has simply stated that users should "stay tuned to the social newsroom and @SonyMobileNews," where the company will update us with more specific details "as things progress."
Still, at least something is happening.
Android 4.4.1 update already in the works
Evidence has emerged suggesting Google is already hard at work on an Android 4.4.1 update patch for its latest mobile software.
On Monday 4 November a member of the XDA developer forums discovered some code for Android 4.4.1 intended to disable the translucent menu bars for the Nexus 10 tablet as apprently Google is having some trouble implementing this feature on the larger tablet device.
Today, November 7, another bit of info has emerged to add weight to the Android 4.4.1 idea as tech blog Myce reports that an "inattentive Google employee" has revealed the build under development. Myce spotted the KOT31B build in Google's Chromium issue tracker.
"The issue was first marked with the Google-Restrict-View label which makes it only readable to Google employees but the label was later removed," Myce reports, "The build is only a week old and could be the sign we’ll see a 4.4.1 version."
The "K" aligns with the version name for KitKat or Key Lime Pie (KitKat's earlier development name, Jelly Bean builds had a "J"), while the T31 indicates the build is from October 31.
Android 4.4’s Advanced Photo Editor detailed
Android 4.4 features an advanced photo-editing suite that Google has optimised for use on both smartphones and tablets. Google software engineer Nicolas Roard took to YouTube to detail the application aboard a Nexus 7 slate.
With KitKat’s Photo Editor you can apply predefined looks, alter the geometry, saturation and applied filters. But perhaps best of all – Photo Editor is non-destructive. Which means no matter what you do to an image you can always revert back to the original one.
“The editor is pretty powerful, works on tablet and phones, handles full-size image processing, zooming, re-edit, image exports, user presets, etc. This new version also adds more powerful specialized tools (graduated filters, per-channel saturation controls, local adjustments, etc.),” wrote Roard in a Google+ post.
You can also export an image from Photo Editor in different sizes and file formats. Photo Editor is now shipping inside ASOP, according to Google.
Check out the demonstration below:
What else is new inside Android 4.4 KitKat?
Android 4.4 is officially here alongside and inside the Google Nexus 5. Ahead of launch there was plenty of speculation about both the handset and Google’s confectionary-baiting software update. So what’s new inside the latest build of Android 4.4? Quite a bit as it goes… Google has reworked the UX, added in better support for low-end hardware, and tweaked many of Android’s core elements.
Here are some of Android 4.4's best bits...
Better Visuals
Applications and games can now use the entirety of the display with 4.4, meaning no more notifications bar and no more battery icon. Just full screen applications and games. Android’s UI now stays hidden whenever you’re interacting with content.
“To make sure that users always have easy, consistent access to system UI from full-screen immersive mode, Android 4.4 supports a new gesture — in immersive mode, an edge swipe from the top or bottom of the screen now reveals the system UI,” said Google.
Sensors
Like Apple’s M7 coprocessor, Android KitKat now wants to know more about what you do and where you are. To enable this Google has enabled hardware sensor batching inside 4.4, a feature that makes sensors far less power hungry.
“Android works with the device hardware to collect and deliver sensor events efficiently in batches, rather than individually as they are detected. This lets the device's application processor remain in a low-power idle state until batches are delivered. You can request batched events from any sensor using a standard event listener, and you can control the interval at which you receive batches.”
Performance
This is the big one –– Android 4.4 will run on handsets with just 512MB of RAM. That’s right, people: KitKat will theoretically run on the HTC Hero, a handset that came out almost three years ago!
KitKat streamlines every major component to reduce memory use and introduces new APIs and tools to help developers create more memory-efficient applications.
“OEMs building the next generation of Android devices can take advantage of targeted recommendations and options to run Android 4.4 efficiently, even on low-memory devices. Dalvik JIT code cache tuning, kernel samepage merging (KSM), swap to zRAM, and other optimizations help manage memory.”
Cloud printing
It’s not a deal breaker by any means but you can now print using Google Cloud Print via your Android 4.4-powered handset and/or tablet. Google has opened up the APIs to developers, so expect support inside most of the big name apps inside Google Play very soon.
“Android 4.4 introduces native platform support for printing, along with APIs for managing printing and adding new types of printer support. The platform provides a print manager that mediates between apps requesting printing and installed print services that handle print requests.”
“The print manager provides shared services and a system UI for printing, giving users consistent control over printing from any app. The print manager also ensures the security of content as it's passed across processes, from an app to a print service.”
Faster Multitasking
Android 4.4 features a raft of back-end tweaks aimed at improving the overall performance and speed with which you handset computes tasks. Google has further optimised memory inside Android 4.4 –– it can now run on just 512MB of RAM –– and touchscreen response is better, too.
The end result is a smoother UX, faster loading applications and a significant bump in multitasking performance. Android was pretty decent at running multiple apps before –– say, Spotify and Chrome and email. With KitKat it'll be even better.
Smart Caller ID
Inside Android you can sync you contacts list with a myriad of social networks and account types, including: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google, Google Mail, Google+. This sync pulls your contacts' details across and links their profile picture to their name in your contacts app, thus giving you a tidy, useful, contacts list complete with profile pictures.
KitKat takes things further. When you receive a call from an unknown number –– like a business or a pizza delivery guy, for instance –– KitKat will scan Google Maps for an appropriate image and, if it can find one, use it for the caller ID. The idea is to give you a better idea of who is calling you.
The “OK Google” command
The Moto X could do it and now so can Android KitKat. Navigate to Settings, turn the feature on and say “Okay Google” and watch Google Now magically appear before your eyes on your handset's display –– no touching required.
You can ask it about the weather, for directions, theatre times, and sports scores. Or, you can get it to play a certain song, text a friend, or make a phone call.
Hangouts is the new SMS
In a bid to bolster its position against the likes of WhatsApp, Viber, and BBM –– now available on Android and iOS –– Google has re-purposed its Hangouts application to feature SMS and MMS messages, as well as IM threads from your Google contacts.
You can even share your location with the new Hangouts and send animated GIFs.
Screen recording
Screen-grabs are one thing but having the ability to capture real-time video of what’s happening on your droid’s display is another thing entirely. With Android KitKat this is now a reality, and all saved content is stored on your device as an MP4 file.
“By default, the utility selects a resolution equal or close to the device's display resolution in the current orientation. When you are done recording, you can share the video directly from your device or pull the MP4 file to your host computer for post-production.”
Built in support for IR blasters
“Android 4.4 introduces platform support for built-in IR blasters, along with a new API and system service that let you create apps to take advantage them.”
That means all new Android handsets, providing they have latent IR functionality, can be used to control a myriad of devices including your HDTV and stereo.
And because the API is open to developers there’s likely to be all kinds of IR Blaster features added to current and upcoming applications and content inside Google Play.
That’s it for now, but we’ll update this piece with more information once we’ve had a play with Android 4.4 properly. In the mean time why not check out all the Nexus 5 details –– it’s a god damn monster!
Android 4.4 KitKat rolls out to Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Play Edition
No sooner has Android KitKat started landing on HTC One Google Play Edition (GPE) handsets and we're hearing news that the same is now true of the GPE Samsung Galaxy S4.
Google's official Android Google+ page announced the rollout and as with the HTC One it should be getting pushed over-the-air.
Although you can expect some UI style changes, as well as added support for stuff like printing, you won't be getting the full Android 4.4 functionality demonstrated on the Nexus 5. The homescreen integrated Google Now experience is still a Nexus 5 exclusive.
Android 4.4 KitKat rolls out to HTC One Google Play Edition
The Android 4.4 KitKat update has been confirmed for the HTC One Google Play Edition for some time, but now it's actually started landing on user handsets.
According to AndroidCentral the 320MB update is available over-the-air to download for some users already, although as these things are usually staggered some users may not yet have the notification. It's also worth doing the old "check for updates" method in case you haven't been notified for some reason but do have access to the download.
Failing all of the above, there is a download link for the update which you can sideload onto your handset, found here:
Android 4.4 KitKat for HTC One GPE
"As is the case with other non-Nexus 5 devices, the update includes the older stock Android launcher as opposed to the new one with Google Now integrated," reports the site.
It also notes that you can update the device using that file directly on the phone itself.
"Note: On the Google Play edition HTC One you can download the update directly to local storage, then use the "update from phone storage" in the stock recovery to flash your update."
Sony Xperia Z1 found running 4.4.2
A version of the Sony Xperia Z1 has been found running Android 4.4.2 sparking rumours that an update is inbound.
The device is currently running Android 4.2.2 but it’s rumoured to be skipping Android 4.3 and heading directly to the KitKat OS.
An update was spotted on a red device, however, the Xperia Z1 only currently comes in white, black and purple, but don’t expect a red version anytime soon.
The red version of Sony’s flagship phone was created for illustrative purposes by a Vietnamese website.
The more interesting thing is the device is running 4.4.2, newer than any other device on the market.
We'd normally attach this with the photos themselves but the website which uploaded them has asked us not to use the photos.
Sony bringing Android 4.4 KitKat to Xperia SP?
The Xperia SP seems to be the next device in Sony’s roster to get the Android 4.4 KitKat update.
Xperia Blog has been investigating Sony’s support pages which has suggested the Xperia SP is recieiving the update soon and other models are “Under Investigation.”
Models under investigation include the Xperia ZR, Xperia T, Xperia TX and Xperia V.
Of course none of this is confirmation the devices will ever be updated but it seems that Sony is at least looking into whether it’s possible to make the port.
Motorola reveals 10 handsets getting KitKat 4.4
Motorola's ownership by Google appears to be yeilding fruit afterall as the phone-maker has revealed it will be bringing Android KitKat 4.4 to 10 of its existing handsets.
As well as the already revealed Moto X update, which is currently spreading across US carriers. Many of the other devices are also US-only, so this isn't thrilling news for our non-American readers.
Motorla's Electrify M for US Cellular is being boosted, along with the Atrix HD on AT&T but NOT the Atrix HD Developer's Edition, for some reason.
On Verizon, the DROID Ultra, DROID Maxx, DROID Mini, DROID RAZR HD, DROID RAZR Maxx HD and DROID RAZR M will all be getting the choclatey update.
The RAZR HD and RAZR M Developer Editions will also be getting a jump to the new build, but apparently this could be a bit later on - although it's difficult to put that into context considering we don't have dates for any of this stuff.
Right, that's enough capslock. Oh, Motorola, you and your crazy naming conventions.
HTC clarifies HTC One Android 4.4 KitKat schedule for North America
HTC has taken to Twitter to clarify the situation in regard to the Android 4.4 KitKat update for the HTC One in the North American region.
HTC says it will deliver Android 4.4 KitKat and Sense 5.5 to all North American HTC One models by the end of January 2014.
While further specifics have not been detailed, hopefully this also gives us some idea of a schedule for the rest of the HTC One-using world. We can't imagine there'd be a massive gap between the US rollout and over here across the pond.
Android 4.4 KitKat UI features emulated in Nova Launcher 2.3 and Apex Launcher 2.2
Many Android users may understandably be a little bit grumpy about the fact that only a handful of devices have recieved the 4.4 KitKat update so far. Just as annoying, many manufacturers are keeping quiet about when we might see updates arriving on existing handsets.
While we can't bring you news of a way to circumvent this frustrating sitation entirely, we can tell you there are a couple of ways you can get a little bit of your KitKat fix (no, not buying the choccy bar).
Two Android launchers have been updated and now include a complete overhaul to bring many of KitKat's UI design features to whatever Android handset you're currently rocking.
The Beta 1 build of Nova Launcher 2.3 was pushed out earlier in November (yeah, we're a little late to the party on this one).
The main changes include the new icons, white colouration for indicators and buttons, and transparent menu bars.
The transparent components aren't fully functional yet, as you can see from the screenshots as soon as you go into a menu it's all black and grey again, but still, it makes the homescreen look a whole lot better.
It's also worth pointing out that the transparent bits don't work with every phone just yet, but once it's out of beta hopefully it'll be much more fully fledged.
You can opt into the beta on Google Play or you can download the APK file for side-loading via the Nova Launcher site.
Apex 2.2 is also in a beta stage and accessible via the project Google page, though it's understood a Google Play beta program is on the way.
Again, you're mainly getting flashy visual things and transparency effects, though it's worth noting the design extends at least as far as a semi-transparent overlay for the app drawer here.
Not a complete fix, but hopefully this might tide you over until KitKat rolls out more widely.
Android 4.4 update now rolling out to Moto X
Motorola has announced that the Android 4.4 KitKat update is now available for the Moto X. Verizon has now initiated the rollout, which will take place in phases, so if you don't get the update straight away just sit tight –– it's coming.
Motorola’s Senior Vice President Software Engineering Steve Horowitz revealed the news in a blog post on Tuesday. Horowitz said: "Our software team has been hard at work bringing the latest version of Android to our Moto X users more quickly than ever. When it came to KitKat, we couldn’t wait to deliver."
Motorola also revealed some of the changes with KitKat 4.4 including an improved phone dialer which allows you to search for contacts directly from the dial-pad. There are a bunch of new gallery effects such as Posterize, Highlights and Edges as well as a draw feature to annotate photos. There’s a new hangouts app which puts all of your conversations from texts, video calls and other chats into one place.
Another update is Color Emoji, a group of characters to put in your text messages. There’s also a drag to focus and expose feature on the camera app which lets you control focus and exposure with your finger.
Android 4.4 update now rolling out to Nexus 4
It’s been a long time coming – weeks, in fact – but Google’s Android 4.4 update is now seeding to select Nexus 4 handsets around the globe. The update is 238MB in size and is said to contain a raft of bug fixes for Google’s former flagship. If you haven’t received an OTA alert just yet, don’t panic, as it will likely be with you inside the next 24 hours.
The update brings the new Google Hangouts instant chat interface, automatic caller ID for nearby businesses, as well as the new ART runtime – a feature that reduces app start times and improves battery performance. Google reportedly encountered a lot of bugs in the original KRT16S build of Android 4.4. The new build – KRT16O – is now seeding to Nexus 4 handsets and is believed to have addressed these problems.
Expect an OTA update in the next 24 hours or so…
Android 4.4 update schedule: HTC, Samsung, Sony and Motorola
Android 4.4 is here and in the hands of a few users the globe over. Google is slowly adding support for existing Nexus handsets and tablets. But for everybody else inside the Android kingdom – those using HTC, Sony, Samsung or LG devices – the wait for KitKat is likely to be much longer than a matter of weeks.
So when will your Android handset get Android 4.4 KitKat? Good question. Here’s everything we know so far about HTC, Samsung, LG, Sony and Motorola’s plans for updating its existing hardware with Android 4.4.
HTC
HTC will begin rolling out Android 4.4 to its HTC One handset in January, a company exec has now confirmed. The Taiwanese manufacturer will work with UK networks to bring the update to as many One handsets as possible. The Google Edition HTC One will be receiving the update earlier, however, although HTC has yet to divulge any specific details as yet.
There’s no word on the update for the HTC One Max and HTC One Mini or the company’s existing fleet of Android handsets like the HTC One X, One XL and One S.
Sony
Keen to put its reputation for being rubbish at Android updates well behind it, Sony recently confirmed the following: “We’re also happy to tell you about the first raft of Xperia products that we’ll make Android 4.4 Kit Kat available for – they are: Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia Tablet Z, Xperia Z Ultra and Xperia Z1.”
Sony didn’t give any specifics regarding timing and availability, but advices users to keep an eye on @SonyMobileNews for update information and schedules. In the meantime Sony will be updating an absolute boatload of its handsets – Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia ZR, Xperia Tablet Z, Xperia SP, Xperia Z Ultra and Xperia Z1 – to Android 4.3 in the coming month.
Samsung
As usual, Samsung is attempting to be like Apple and is adopting a very secretive approach to its plans for Android 4.4. However, Google has already confirmed that the Galaxy S4 with 4.4 should be coming soon. "Samsung UK will announce rollout plans for Android 4.4 in due course," a spokesperson told ZDNet.
Expect the Note 3, Galaxy S3, Galaxy S4 Mini, Galaxy Mega and perhaps even the Note 2 to get in on the KitKat action.
Motorola
Moto confirmed it would be updating its Moto G handset to Android 4.4 in January. In the US where most of its business now takes place, reports claim the Moto X, Droid Ultra, Droid Maxx, and Droid Mini will all be getting Android 4.4 but neglected to give a specific date.
Basically, if you’re after Android 4.4 on your phone the general consensus for the big four seems to be nothing is happening until at least January. We’ll update this piece as and when we know more. Until then: January is the time to keep in mind.
Android 4.4 KitKat & the “Google Experience”
Google wants to make Android great for everybody, and apparently it’s all going to come together with Android KitKat and the Google Experience…
But that sort of raises more questions than it answers. First off: what the hell is the Google Experience, and secondly: are all Android devices –– old and new –– getting KitKat? Ahead of the launch of KitKat we endeavor to find out.
The idea of all Android handsets –– old and new –– getting updated to the latest version of Android is fairly preposterous. Can you imagine the HTC Desire, with its 1GHz processor and 512MB of RAM, running Android Jelly Bean? Neither can we.
Also, it’s not really in the manufacturers’ best interests to have their ancient hardware fully up to date and running the latest software direct from Google’s Android labs. It’d be nice from a user-perspective but it doesn’t make any sense for those in the business of selling hardware – they’re all about volume.
So what is the Google Experience and what does it have to do with Android KitKat? Firstly, the two things are likely to be separate although they’re likely to be launched at the same time. Android KitKat will of course be an OTA software update, while Google Experience will launch in app form inside the Play store.
“Google Experience will be a form of launcher within Android that will not be tied specifically to version 4.4 KitKat but will rather be an app through the Google Play app store that will be compatible with devices running Android back to version 2.2 Froyo,” reports ReadWrite.
The idea here then seems to be creating a uniform look and, in some respects, experience across all Android handsets whether they’re running Android 2.2 or Android 4.4 And that means if you’re running a crappy Android Gingerbread handset with no hope of an update to a higher version of Google’s OS, then you’ll at least be able to upgrade certain core elements of its software and UX features.
“The Google Experience Launcher is rumored by the blog Android Police to be a widget that lives on the Android homescreen in which Google features like Search and Google Now are heavily integrated, can read the data within the widget and update itself.”
Everything will be run and updated using Google Play as the controller, meaning applications like Google Now and Google+ would update in the background, ensuring a uniform experience – at least with regards to Google apps – across all Android handsets.
Old Android handsets can’t run KitKat
Android is pretty heavy these days and requires quite a bit of hardware to ensure smooth operation. Older handsets would struggle running the OS, resulting in poor user experience. Google is aware of this issue, just as it is fully aware of the millions of users that are currently stuck on older versions of its OS. Google Experience Launcher will go some way to addressing many of the user-experience issues associated with running older iterations of Android.
Source: http://www.knowyourmobile.com/android/android-kitkat/19689/android-44-kitkat-update-news-release-date-reviews-and-features/page/0/1
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