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Android 4.4 KitKat is official |
Tsepz_GP Joined: Dec 27, 2006 Posts: > 500 From: Johannesburg, South Africa PM |
All that we've been hearing about Google's new Android version, 4.4 KitKat, panned out, as the new version is indeed weeded out so it can run on devices with as low as 512 MB of RAM comfortably. This is big news for affordable handsets, which are typically left out of subsequent updates due to the lowly hardware, and will make Android appear on much more devices, too, like smart watch wearables, for instance.
Other backroom improvements are the new sensor batching technology that cuts on sensor power consumption by grouping and prioritizing their requests, something that probably has to do with the keyword-evoked voice search, that Google claims is now 25% more accurate, and asks back for clarification. In addition, we get new wireless printing functionality with Android 4.4 KitKat, which supports HP gear for now.
We get a new lock screen with a camera shortcut and the ability to rearrange homescreens, plus the system is getting a new white/gray color scheme and fonts. The stock keyboard flaunts emoji support, and the People app has received a grand update, too, allowing you to search across contacts, different accounts and even local businesses, despite that you don't have them in the phone book. The Hangouts app is also updated to include threaded conversation that folds your text, IM and MMS messages with a single contact in one.
Last but not least of the big changes are happening with the Google Now voice operated assistant, which can be evoked at any time with a swipe from the new launcher's homescreen, and asked to do a bunch of things in a casual way, with a lot of new cards on the way to make the service even more useful, pitched Google. These include local shopping and attractions, as well as the ability to buy movie tickets via Fandango on the spot.
Android 4.4 KitKat is available right now if you manage to snatch a Nexus 5, and rolling in a few weeks to Nexus 4, 7, 10, Samsung Galaxy S4 and the HTC One Google Play edition. Stay tuned for our full roundup of all the new KitKat features, and enjoy some dev talk explaining them in the meantime in the video below.
PhoneArena
Phone: iPhone 15 Pro Max Black Ti 512GB Tablet: iPad Pro 11” 2020 Space Gray 256GB Watch: Series 3 Nike Edition Space Gray Droid: Huawei Mate 40 Pro 256GB |
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MusaD.Dragon Joined: Jun 23, 2013 Posts: 226 PM |
Nice |
tranced Joined: Jan 19, 2006 Posts: > 500 From: Santo Domingo, wonDeRland PM |
My Galaxy Nexus is not receiving it. They they the GN is +18mo. FU Google!
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Tsepz_GP Joined: Dec 27, 2006 Posts: > 500 From: Johannesburg, South Africa PM |
Yep, Galaxy Nexus is not getting Android4.4 simply due to the 18month update policy being over, how stupid of them :/
Google confirms that the Galaxy Nexus will not get Android 4.4
PhoneArena
Phone: iPhone 15 Pro Max Black Ti 512GB Tablet: iPad Pro 11” 2020 Space Gray 256GB Watch: Series 3 Nike Edition Space Gray Droid: Huawei Mate 40 Pro 256GB |
tranced Joined: Jan 19, 2006 Posts: > 500 From: Santo Domingo, wonDeRland PM |
Do you know what I did? I am even running the stock JB 4.3. But I'll jump to CM when they release a KK version.
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Tsepz_GP Joined: Dec 27, 2006 Posts: > 500 From: Johannesburg, South Africa PM |
That's good then bro, at least there's plenty of dev support
Really crap move by Google though, I hope they reconsider it.
Phone: iPhone 15 Pro Max Black Ti 512GB Tablet: iPad Pro 11” 2020 Space Gray 256GB Watch: Series 3 Nike Edition Space Gray Droid: Huawei Mate 40 Pro 256GB |
Tsepz_GP Joined: Dec 27, 2006 Posts: > 500 From: Johannesburg, South Africa PM |
Now this is a great feature:
Android 4.4 brings support for low-power audio playback
PhoneArena
Phone: iPhone 15 Pro Max Black Ti 512GB Tablet: iPad Pro 11” 2020 Space Gray 256GB Watch: Series 3 Nike Edition Space Gray Droid: Huawei Mate 40 Pro 256GB |
tranced Joined: Jan 19, 2006 Posts: > 500 From: Santo Domingo, wonDeRland PM |
But...
Android 4.4 Being Pushed to AOSP Now, Nexus 5 Factory Image Later Today
On 2013-10-31 22:35:28, Tsepz_GP wrote:
That's good then bro, at least there's plenty of dev support
Really crap move by Google though, I hope they reconsider it.
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Tsepz_GP Joined: Dec 27, 2006 Posts: > 500 From: Johannesburg, South Africa PM |
HTC bringing Android 4.4 to all the HTC One in the US in 90 days
http://is.gd/ivq8tl
Phone: iPhone 15 Pro Max Black Ti 512GB Tablet: iPad Pro 11” 2020 Space Gray 256GB Watch: Series 3 Nike Edition Space Gray Droid: Huawei Mate 40 Pro 256GB |
rikken Joined: Feb 23, 2007 Posts: > 500 From: Norway PM |
Hopefully not long before it will be available on the awesome Note III
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Tsepz_GP Joined: Dec 27, 2006 Posts: > 500 From: Johannesburg, South Africa PM |
I'm betting on a late January release or early Feb release of Android4.4 for our Samsungs, that's unless they are already working on it for GS4 and Note 3.
What I'm wondering is when will manufacturers that have not even released 4.3 for their phones get 4.4 out for them? This is going to be like the whole ICS to JB fiasco that played between late last year and early this year.
EDIT:
I really wish the update fragmentation would stop, it's so ridiculous that while most 2013 flagships are still on 4.1.2 and 4.2.2, with a select few having launched with 4.3 or received the 4.3 update as the 4.4 update arrives. I think it will be better for some OEMs if they skip 4.3 altogether and get 4.4 out, but it seems both LG and Sony are already far too deep in 4.3 development to just drop it and start afresh on 4.4 for their flagships.
[ This Message was edited by: Tsepz_GP on 2013-11-01 18:25 ] Phone: iPhone 15 Pro Max Black Ti 512GB Tablet: iPad Pro 11” 2020 Space Gray 256GB Watch: Series 3 Nike Edition Space Gray Droid: Huawei Mate 40 Pro 256GB |
tranced Joined: Jan 19, 2006 Posts: > 500 From: Santo Domingo, wonDeRland PM |
This:
And this:
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tranced Joined: Jan 19, 2006 Posts: > 500 From: Santo Domingo, wonDeRland PM |
And today I finally managed to get it to my phone. Not OTA though.
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pt020 Joined: Aug 14, 2006 Posts: > 500 From: Amsterdam NL PM |
Kit Kat sucks ... Tablet lags very bad (N7 2012) and Adobe Flash does not work anymore.
Thank you for this "great update",looks like my next Tablet will be iOS....
Anyone knows if I can go back to 4.3? |
tranced Joined: Jan 19, 2006 Posts: > 500 From: Santo Domingo, wonDeRland PM |
I've been happy with it. In case you want to go back to JB, download the images for your N7 and flash it to the tablet.
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