Android 4.4 KitKat is the latest version of Google's OS, creating which the developer had the goal of making it accessible to all gadgets. Taking care of its users, Google has developed a special application that allows you to check how the new version will work on a specific device. This year's new models will have the latest version of the OS, while everyone else can upgrade to Android 4.4 KitKat.
Traditionally, the new version will provide an increase in performance, but the most visible updates affected the interface. The developer also changed the color of the design, inviting users to make their own choice. Another change concerns the use of the display. In addition, the updated version has several additional profiles for Bluetooth. In addition, KitKat allows wireless printing of various documents, and also received a new graphic editor. Along with the release of the next update, qualitatively new ones appeared, presented in all existing genres.
How to update Android to 4.4 on a tablet or phone?
The easiest way is to download Android 4.4 from the developer’s website, and then follow the instructions to download and install the OS update.
You can also install the files manually, using a home PC with fastboot and adb installed and a USB cable to connect these devices to each other. Then you need to do the following:
1. Connect your tablet to your PC and boot it into bootloader mode.
2. On the command line, write fastboot flash recovery specifying the file name.
3. Reboot your device into a new recovery by entering the adb reboot recovery command.
4. Download the archive file with the latest version of SuperSU.
5. Flash the unpacked file via TWRP or Clockworkmod.
6. Reboot your device and use it.
If your tablet has an alternative recovery, you can download and directly install the Android 4.4 KitKat update on your tablet.
1. Download it from the Google website.
2. Download the zip file to the tablet using the adb sideload command without unpacking it.
3. Reboot your device and use it.
When installing an update, do not forget that it does not always end well. In some cases, a new OS version may perform worse than the previous one.
Many people speculated about the release date of Android 4.4 in the fall of 2013. At first she was “assigned” to mid-October. But then the 15th arrived and nothing happened. There was information about October 18, but new information brought everything down to the end of October, in particular to the 31st. And so it happened - the release date of Android 4.4 was set for October 31, 2013.
Google decided to make us happy on Halloween in a special way and it succeeded. It was possible not only to announce the new system, but also the new smartphone Nexus 5 - a 5-inch device, the main feature of which is an excellent screen, a high-performance processor and an affordable price. But we will stop at this towards the end of the article.
Note that the new version 4.4 offers significantly more changes. In general, the last release was mainly aimed at developers. From the point of view of programmers, everything was just fine there: OpenGL ES 3.0, updated APIs with animation support, and so on. In general, programs should become cooler. But Android 4.4 already offers new features aimed at everyday use. There are changes both in the interface and in the built-in basic programs. By the way, there are even more such programs. It’s not for nothing that the code name has finally changed from Jelly Bean to KitKat. But first things first.
Android 4.4 – what's new?
Of course, this is not a new major version of the system from Google - back in May 2013, but instead Android 4.3 was released, and now 4.4. So we don't expect any major changes to the interface. No, they exist, but they are rather cosmetic. Like the white color of the font and icons in the notification bar at the top, which replaced the blue one first introduced in Android 4.0. The panel itself is made translucent. The Roboto font used in the system has also been redesigned. Google's OS has once again been simplified in terms of interface - it is not so intrusive and does not distract from work.
In general, now Android has almost introduced its own Siri. Well, of course, not fully - we are not talking about a complete assistant, like the Apple or Samsung S Voice application. Rather, it's a quick call to voice search. Now, being on the desktop, just say “OK Google” and the Google Now application will open. If someone feels awkward about this, then you can simply “swipe” across the screen from left to right and the same thing will happen.
Overall, Google Now has done a decent job. This application now searches not only the Internet, but also takes into account data from your location, sites visited, and even TV shows watched. Just some kind! The similarity becomes even stronger when you learn that Google Now can direct you not to the browser to this or that page, but to the corresponding application. For example, to reserve a ticket, the necessary program will be launched. Of course, if one is installed.
Google also worked hard on the music player. First of all, the operation of the system was optimized during this process, which does not require significant diversion of computing resources. The company promises up to 60 hours of music playback. Plus, when something is playing or streaming on Chromecast (yes, this is also a new feature), an image of the album the song is included in is displayed in the background on the lock screen. Or it could be a movie cover. In addition, here you can control playback without unlocking the phone.
Remember the Back, Home and context menu buttons that Google decided to remove from the smartphone and move to the screen? Do you remember how she endured them? All this was done so “powerfully” that these buttons “hung” even in games where they could be accidentally pressed! No, no one removed them, but Android 4.4 introduced a special “full-screen” mode where these buttons will not be present. I just want to shout: FINALLY! However, developers must still activate this mode in their applications. That's when there will be happiness. For now, only the desktop background will be distributed under these buttons.
Separately noted is the work on multitasking. Although everything is more modest here. In Android 4.4, they simply optimized the distribution of resources between applications. Now switching between them occurs more smoothly and without unnecessary delays.
By the way, Google generally positions the new Android as a panacea for fragmentation. It seems to be able to work on devices with 512 MB of RAM, for which both the system itself and standard applications were optimized. Although the question is, how will Google force device manufacturers to update all of them to Android 4.4? After all, this is not iOS or Windows Phone, where a notification about the possibility of updating will appear - here everything does not depend on the OS developer, which is a pity. But in any case, we are waiting for even budget smartphones with Android 4.4.
Some Android users are unhappy with the built-in dialer. Moreover, this may be the one that the manufacturer offers in its own shell. To eliminate the need to install a separate application, the standard dialer has been modernized. In fact, yellow pages were built into it - the most frequently called contacts. It has become easier to search by contacts, and not only by them - from the “dialer” you can also search by local companies and people added to your Google Apps domain.
By the way, Android 4.4 number will now be determined not only by your address book. More precisely, it’s not like that - if the caller’s number is not there, the system will try to find data about him somewhere else, for example, in Google Maps. Of course, its location will not be revealed, but if they call from any company whose number is publicly known, then information about it will be shown.
And Google clearly wants to oust WhatsApp. How else to explain such a serious integration of the native Hangouts application into Android 4.4? How serious? Yes, now it is used as the main means for sending SMS, MMS, as well as making voice and video calls. You can even send animated GIFs through it! Of course, you can use a more traditional tool for SMS and MMS, but Hangouts is more versatile and functional. Moreover, Emoji icons have also been added - there is everything from emoticons to flowers with cars. Of course, this applies to changes to the on-screen keyboard, and not to Hangouts - the icons are available to any application.
In June 2012, and then, a year later in September 2013. Now Quickoffice is part of Android 4.4. This office suite has also been integrated with Google Drive - all documents can be directly saved there. They can also be opened from there.
Another notable “office” innovation is printer support. You can send a photo, document, or web page for printing. The main thing here is to take care of connecting the printer. Not by wire, of course, but through an application like Google Cloud Print or HP ePrint, or any other similar plan from the Google Play store. In addition, applications can now add printing capabilities to their functionality.
Google lists other changes almost in one line, since they will be almost invisible to the average user. Although can you say the same about the built-in pedometer? Or about the redesigned application for downloading files? Among other things, we added HDR+ mode to the camera application, redesigned the standard email client, and added the Location item to Quick Settings. We have improved support for infrared ports for controlling consumer electronics, if one is built into a smartphone. Another decent update is the new open architecture for NFC payments. All this is done through Host Card Emulation (HCE) and any application can use it.
Developers were able to use the Chrome browser engine in their applications to display various web components. And in general, all applications will be executed in a special protected environment, Security-Enhanced Linux. Android 4.4 also now includes a remote device search service.
You can speed up your 3D games using RenderScript. The corresponding graph shows a noticeable increase in speed. But again, support must be provided by the developer himself. Continuing the topic of graphics and screens in particular, we’ll add that the Wi-Fi Miracast standard is now supported, allowing you to broadcast images to a TV.
By the way, a very cool feature is the ability to capture the screen to record video. Why this is needed, everyone will decide for themselves (for example, to demonstrate an application, create marketing material, and so on), but in any case, it is a useful thing. The video is recorded in screen resolution or close to it. All this can be configured, as well as the bitrate. The resulting video will be saved as an MP4 file. And yes, no special program is needed - everything is built into Android 4.4!
To summarize, we note that there are noticeably more changes in Android 4.4 KitKat than in Android 4.3, introduced in July 2013. Moreover, these are changes to such basic applications as the dialer and SMS messages. And the system music player has become better, printer support will be useful to someone, as well as the pre-installed Quickoffice. Now we can say for sure that innovations are visible to the “naked eye” and they are really useful. However, we are all waiting for Android 5.0 and all that it has to offer us. And in conclusion, let's talk briefly about the Nexus 5.
Nexus 5
The Nexus 5 smartphone was introduced along with Android 4.4. Actually, this is the first device based on this system. In the summer, let us remind you that the Nexus 7 tablet was updated. And now, in addition to the “tiny” Nexus 4, an older brother has appeared. It's not hard to guess that its main change is a 5-inch screen (4.95-inch to be exact).
The Nexus 5 screen resolution has increased to 1920x1080 (445 ppi), which is exactly in line with the current trend. An IPS matrix is also used. But the processor has become noticeably more powerful - it is a 2.26 GHz 4-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chip. This is considered to be one of the fastest solutions on the smartphone and even tablet market.
2 GB of RAM is installed - like many modern flagships. Built-in memory – 16 or 32 GB. There is also no slot for a microSD card. They save money, you know! But there is an 8 MP camera and a 2300 mAh battery. At the same time, the weight of Nexus 5 is not very large - only 130 grams. Its thickness is 8.6 mm, which is also quite small. Plus, the smartphone supports wireless charging!
The cost of Nexus 5 is set at $349 for the 16 GB version and $399 for the 32 GB version. For the money this is a very good deal!
However, many are interested in the question: when will other smartphones receive Android 4.4? We answer: soon. More precisely, Google promised to provide an update “within weeks.” So in November 2013 the issue will be resolved. We are apparently talking about at least the Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 4, Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 tablets, as well as Developer Edition devices – Galaxy S4 and HTC One with bare Android. And HTC also promised to equip its HTC One with a new system very, very quickly. It would be absolutely wonderful!
But I wonder if Google is so actively promoting Android 4.4 as a super-optimized OS that can easily run on 512 MB of RAM and is perfect for budget devices, does that mean its Nexus One and Nexus S will also receive an update?? Yes, it has a single-core processor and only 512 MB of memory, but these are precisely those “budget” devices by modern standards!
Okay, let's leave it all up to Google. In the meantime, we will wait for the next Android. If only it were Android 5.0! And so we ask you to tell us about your experience with Android 4.4, as soon as it appears, in the comments below. Or just share your opinion about the new OS.
It still seems that Android 4.4 KitKat is the latest version of the system, but let's remember that the four were introduced back in the fall of 2013! Over all this time, several firmware editions of this android have been released, these are 4.4.1, 4.4.2, 4.4.3 and 4.4.4. The biggest changes affected the basic version. There is no point in listing them all; this is a site with firmware, not an information resource for geeks.
One has only to mention the quantitative changes in subversions. This is necessary so that you understand exactly what firmware you need to download, and whether it is worth downloading at all.
Android version 4.4.1 received minimum changes, which is very strange, since usually after the first release many bugs appear that are fixed in the next build.
Update 4.4.2 is useful in that it introduces a useful wireless monitor feature. Thanks to it, it became possible to view photos taken on a mobile gadget on the large screen of a smart TV with Wi-Fi. The most useful firmware version with Android 4.4.3. It received the largest number of changes and additions, comparable to the differences between the basic version and the previous generation. Numerous errors with the operation of the Internet, camera and system programs have been fixed. Well, Android 4.4.4 released only due to fixing glitches with security protocols.
It’s up to you to choose which firmware to download, but we recommend downloading only official assemblies in Russian language and preferably not beta. Alternative and other custom firmware can do more harm than good. Although, if you know how to flash a phone or tablet on Android (for example, with the Odin program), then this will only be an advantage for you.
It would be a good idea to remind you that before installing the firmware you need to make a full backup of the system!
Latest 20 added Android 4.4 KitKat firmware
| date | Smartphone | Android | Link |
| 25-09-2017 | Acer Liquid Jade Z | 4.4.2 | |
| 13-09-2017 | SUPRA M725G | 4.4.2 | |
| 13-09-2017 | SUPRA M847G | 4.4.2 | |
| 13-09-2017 | Acer Iconia Tab B1-A71 | 4.4.1 | |
| 13-09-2017 | Acer Liquid Z410 Duo | 4.4.4 | |
| 05-07-2017 | Digma Plane 1601 3G | 4.4.4 | |
| 17-06-2016 | Lenovo TAB 2 A7-20F | 4.4.4 | |
| 01-05-2016 | DEXP Ixion XL240 Triforce | 4.4.2 | |
| 01-05-2016 | DEXP Ixion XL240 Triforce | 4.4.4 | |
| 24-03-2016 | Digma HIT 3G | 4.4.4 | |
| 24-03-2016 | Digma HIT 3G | 4.4.2 | |
| 24-02-2016 | Qumo QUEST 507 | 4.4.2 | |
| 15-02-2016 | Digma Optima 10.7 | 4.4.4 | |
| 09-02-2016 | Explay Tornado | 4.4.2 | |
| 09-02-2016 | Explay Tornado | 4.4.4 |
Android 4.4.2 is an operating system developed for mobile devices by Google. This version is called KitKat, and it is perhaps the best version of the firmware if we consider all releases of Android 4. The operating system has become very widespread and is now used on many devices, delighting its users. If you wanted to download firmware for Android to update your phone or tablet with a newer version, then this page is for you!
The new update has significantly lowered the OS system requirements, thereby increasing the number of smartphones that can now fully support it. Therefore, today almost every user has access to Android 4.4.2 firmware for free download in Russian, which can be downloaded at Cyclone-Soft! If you've been unable to update your phone for a long time or don't know how to flash your tablet, then the installer package available for download via torrent will be of great help to you. In other words, today almost any device supports Android 4.4.2, so you have an excellent opportunity to quickly update the operating system.
Among other things, the OS has been highly optimized, which can only mean that devices using it get a nice boost in power and performance. Of course, hardware plays a major role here, but often perfectly debugged software performs an equally important task.
Features and innovations of Android 4.4.2 KitKat
Interface options and new features
There is no doubt that the most visible change in a given operating system is in the user interface. It has become even more comfortable and informative, allowing you to conveniently and easily manage desktops and divide installed applications into types and categories. This is an excellent option on how to flash Android, because version 4.4.2 was considered much more successful than previous releases.
Choose the color palette you like, use the convenient notification panel and translucent buttons at the bottom, which have perfectly updated the appearance of the operating system. Android 4.4.2 firmware can be downloaded for free in Russian, which can be found at the end of the page, and has also received updated controls for many elements of the system. For example, the user can hide system elements, unnecessary on-screen buttons, and the notification panel itself.
Sensor support
The new version of Android has interesting updates in terms of processing specialized sensors. The fact is that now KitKat can receive all the information from them in batches and group the data at certain intervals. This solution helped not only to reduce the load on the device’s processor, but also to reduce power consumption, which depends on its operation. The new firmware program has many new functions that allow you to use detection sensors, pedometer and many others in your smartphone.
The user will also have access to built-in support for infrared ports and a module for working with several Bluetooth profiles at once. KitKat 4.4.2 will help you print absolutely any documents wirelessly.
Updated photo editor
Android 4.4 has received a brand new graphic editor, which you can activate while in the gallery. The utility will do an excellent job of adding filters and frames, cropping photos and many other tasks. One could even argue that the functionality is in no way inferior to the Instagram application, in which you can process your photos. Crop frames, straighten the image, rotate it at the desired angle and create a mirror copy - all this is available to you!
How to update Android to version 4.4 KitKat
Downloading, installing and further updating the operating system will not cause you any difficulties, regardless of whether you decide to flash a smartphone or tablet. Download Android 4.4.2 KitKat and follow the instructions from the downloaded archive, which will answer all your questions about how to flash your Android phone or update your tablet OS.
Be sure to share the page with friends who do not yet have Android 4.4.2 KitKat, so that they can also update to this excellent version by flashing the firmware of their device. Write comments and don't forget to rate the software! Thank you for your attention!
It has long been no secret that there is already a test version of the latest version of the software for your favorite mobile devices, and it has a humorous name - KitKat, by the way, one of my favorite chocolates, but that’s not what we’re talking about today. Next, I will talk about when the official release date of Android 4.4.2 KitKat will happen, as well as how to install the test version on your gadget, I will post instructions, so to speak.
Main features of the firmware: changing the interface, now it will become more usable, may seem unusual at first, but when you get used to it, you will have thoughts about how you can even have a phone with different software! Let's go further, the kernel has been redesigned, now the performance will be many times greater, that is, with the current hardware there is better loading speed, hi-fi optimization. Accordingly, the device will heat up less during several simultaneous tasks and less power will be wasted, this is a sore story about Android devices!
Android 4.4.2 KitKat firmware release date: the official appearance will take place in March 2014, that is, the wait is very short, just over a month, but for those who can’t wait, you can install it now. IMPORTANT: Now you will learn how to install Android KitKat, but you should not try to install the firmware if you don’t understand anything about it, you will need a little handling skills and some experience. And second, only suitable for phones Samsung Galaxy S4.
- App Bar
- Dark C-RoM
- Active Display
- Floating Windows
- Gesture Anywhere
- On-The-Go Mode
- Animated controls
- Lock screen notifications
- Implement App Sidebar
If you are interested in reviving your Galaxy Note N7000 phablet, below is a step-by-step preparation for flashing and installing the C-ROM build on your device.
However, we warn you in advance that you are responsible for the consequences of your actions. If your smartphone gets damaged during installation, you are entirely responsible. You perform all actions at your own risk.
Preliminary preparation:
- This manual is intended exclusively for the Galaxy Note N7000 phablet model. Be sure to check your device's model number in Settings (About phone).
- Make a backup of your system using a custom recovery - ClockworkMod (CWM) or TWRP, as in case of any errors you need to be able to restore your phone. In recovery, use the backup option, and if necessary, restore.
- Make sure that all the necessary drivers for your smartphone are installed on your computer, but if you have not done this, then the drivers for the Galaxy Note N7000 can be downloaded here: download.
- Enable the USB debugging option in Settings: Settings / Developer Options (Note: Click 7 times on the firmware build number to unlock and reveal hidden features, including USB debugging mode).
- Make sure your device is charged to at least 80% to prevent your Galaxy Note from unexpectedly shutting down while installing firmware.
- Make sure that the device is unlocked, that is, if it is not locked to an operator, and you also received root rights along with the latest version of the recovery. If you have never installed CWM recovery, I advise you to watch the video below.
- If your device gets stuck while booting or has problem with constant rebooting, then perform Wipe Cache Partition and Wipe Dalvik Cache before next reboot.
- After installing the firmware, give it some time to stabilize before working with it.
So now you need to download the following:
- Special application package Google Apps Android 4.4.4: Google Stock and Full Package
- You also need recovery Philz Touch Recovery v6.07.9 (CWM Recovery 6.0.4.5 -> install the .tar file using Odin v3.09)
How to install Android 4.4.4 KitKat firmware on Galaxy Note N7000 using a custom C-ROM build:
- Step 1. Download custom firmware Android 4.4.4 C-ROM to your computer.
- Step 2. Connect your Galaxy Note to your computer using a USB cable.
- Step 3. Copy the downloaded C-ROM file to the root folder of your smartphone's SD card.
- Step 4. Turn off your Galaxy Note and disconnect the USB cable from your computer.
- Step 5. Now turn on your smartphone in recovery mode by pressing and holding the Volume Up and Home buttons.
- Step 6. Once your Galaxy Note boots into CWM Recovery, do a Wipe Data/Factory Reset, but before that you should have backed up your data.
- Step 7 Then you need to do Wipe Cache Partition and wait for the process to complete.
- Step 8 Then also make Wipe Dalvik Cache. To do this, you need to open the “advanced” item and select Wipe Dalvik Cache. This can save you in the future from any errors and constant system reboots that can happen when installing new firmware.
- Step 9 Now go back to the main recovery menu and select the Install Zip from SD card option.
- Step 10 Then select Choose Zip from SD card. Use the volume buttons to find the desired firmware file that you copied to the SD card earlier. Confirm your selection by pressing the Power button. Confirm on the next screen and the installation process will begin.
- Step 11 After finishing installing the firmware, you need to select “+++++Go Back++++++” and click on Reboot System Now from the recovery menu.
After everything, the Galaxy Note will reboot. Don't worry if the first boot takes longer than usual.
Your Galaxy Note N7000 will now run the latest version of Android thanks to the C-ROM build. To check this, go to Settings/About phone, where you will see
Two weeks ago, on Halloween, Google promised that factory firmware and binaries Android 4.4 KitKat for Nexus 4, Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 will be published immediately after these devices receive over-the-air updates.
And despite the fact that not all tablet models have yet received an automatic update to Android 4.4 KitKat, factory firmware with this version of the system (Android 4.4 KRT16O build) has already been published on the Google server. You can download them and install them on your tablet or smartphone yourself. How to do this, read on.
This news will also please those who would like to return to stock Android after installing custom firmware such as Cyanogenmod, Paranoid Android, etc.
Note: Please be aware that if your bootloader Nexus 7 blocked, during the firmware update there will be a complete loss of all your personal data on the tablet. You can unlock the bootloader using the fastboot program, which will also clear the data. On Nexus 4 and Nexus 10 You can unlock the bootloader without losing data using BootUnlocker.
Note 2: If the bootloader is unlocked, you can install a new firmware without losing data, however, in some cases, after this, the tablet or phone will not boot, so be prepared for the fact that you will have to flash your device with data loss and take care of backing it up .
Requirements:
First of all, for flashing, you will need a computer with the Android SDK installed on it, or rather, the adb and fastboot programs that come with it. How to install the Android SDK, read this material.
Also, you will need a MicroUSB cable to connect the tablet to your computer. It is better to use the cable that came with the tablet.
How to unlock bootloader on Nexus 7 using fastboot:
1. Connect the tablet to the computer and boot it into bootloader mode (using the adb reboot bootloader command or turning it off and on by simultaneously pressing the power and volume down buttons).
2. Enter the command in the command line window (terminal) of your computer:
fastboot oem unlock
Confirm unlocking (volume up, then power buttons).
Instructions for flashing Nexus tablets and phones
1. Download the factory image with firmware for your tablet model to your computer (for example, Nexus 7 Wi-Fi 2013 is called razor, and Nexus 7 Wi-Fi 2012 is called nakasi) from this page of the Google website. This image contains the system itself, bootloader, factory recovery, kernel (boot.img) and radio module (not included for Wi-Fi models). Therefore, if you installed, for example, an alternative recovery, after the firmware it will be replaced with the stock one.
2. Unpack the downloaded tgz (tar/gz) archive into a separate folder. I use Total Commander for these purposes, but you can use a separate archiver, for example, 7-Zip.
3. This step is needed if you want to avoid data loss during flashing:
Using any text editor, open (Caution! Open and do not run!) the file flash-all.bat (if you have Windows) or flash-all.sh (Mac, Linux) and remove the two -w characters in the line with the fastboot update command . For example, if the line says: fastboot -w update image-razor-jss15j.zip, after editing it should look like fastboot update image-razor-jss15j.zip. Save the file. (It is the –w option that causes the data to be cleared.)
4. Reboot the tablet into bootloader mode, make sure it is connected to the computer and run the flash-all.bat script (or flash-all.sh on Mac, Linux).
Congratulations, you did it!
For security reasons (so that no one can remove your device's screen unlock key or gain access to your data if your tablet or smartphone is lost or stolen), it is recommended to keep the bootloader locked. To do this, there is the fastboot oem lock command (for Nexus 7) or the BootUnlocker application mentioned above for Nexus 10 and Nexus 4.
Root on a tablet or smartphoneNexus after firmwareAndroid 4.4KitKat
Rooting your Nexus is very easy. To do this, you will need an unlocked bootloader and a modified recovery. I would recommend you to use TWRP. You can download the latest version of TWRP recovery from here. To do this, click on the "Get TWRP for your device" button and type the name of the tablet in the window that opens (for example, Nexus 10).
1. Connect the tablet to the computer and boot it into bootloader mode (read above for how to do this)
2. Enter the command in the command line window (terminal):
fastboot flash recoveryFileNameRecovery.img
3. Now you can reboot your tablet into a new recovery using the command:
adb reboot recovery
In addition, Nexus tablets and smartphones can be rebooted into recovery mode by turning it off completely and turning it on by simultaneously pressing and holding the volume up and power buttons.
4. Download the zip file with the new version of SuperSU.
5. Flash the downloaded zip file (without unpacking!) using TWRP
6. Reboot your device, launch Play Store and update SuperSU.
When Google released the next version of its mobile operating system, there was no doubt that the serial number 4.4, instead of the supposed 5.0, indicates that no important changes should be expected. Indeed, on the Google website you could find only a little more than a dozen items, some of which have long been present in proprietary shells of third-party developers. Does everything really work so well in Android OS that there is nothing to add? But this operating system now runs 81% of smartphones in the world. If the changes are not significant, why not leave the code name the same? Because even this small number of changes made makes you look at Android as a new OS, from design to smoothness and speed of operation.
Most of the features described below are available on devices natively running the Android 4.4 operating system. Devices updated to Android 4.4 do not have a built-in Google Experience launcher
First, let's look at the visual differences in Android 4.4, and they start with the lock screen. Widgets that appeared in are now hidden. Those who use them will have to enable them in the Security section. A camera icon has been added to the lower right corner. By clicking on the camera shortcut on the right side of the screen, a preview of the application appears. To go to it, you need to move the icon to the left. There is also the previous option - shifting the clock widget to the left. Apparently, the innovation should help beginners by showing that their device can also launch the camera without unlocking the screen. If you pull up the arrow at the bottom of the screen, Google Now will launch.
Having unlocked the smartphone, the user is taken to the main desktop window. The top and bottom lines have become transparent. Visually this makes the screen larger. The status bar got rid of the blue icons. Now the main color for Android is white. Below the status bar there is a non-deletable Google search field. At the very bottom there are three control keys: “Back”, “Home” and “Running Application Manager”. Above them are four shortcuts separated by an icon for calling up a list of installed applications. Labels have become larger. Even higher are two circles, where the larger one indicates which desktop window you are currently on. As before, creating folders is done by dragging one shortcut onto another. The background of the folders is white translucent.
Holding down on a free space on the desktop takes the user to a menu for selecting wallpapers, widgets, and search settings. Here you can change the location of desktop windows. You will no longer be able to find widgets to the right of the list of installed applications; they are all located here. The bottom row of shortcuts consists of the dialer shortcut, the Hangouts app that replaced Messages, the Chrome browser, and the camera. Each of these applications has received a number of changes. The interface of the application responsible for working with calls looks different. The last incoming/outgoing call is displayed at the top, below it are three large favorites icons, below are the most frequently used contacts, and at the very bottom is an icon for calling the numeric keypad and, on the left and right, icons for going to call history and settings. One useful thing to note is the automatic search for matches to unfamiliar information numbers in Google. For example, you dial the number 0 800 xxx xxx, press call and at the same second the smartphone changes the number to the name of the company, institution, service. Moreover, if they have a logo, it will automatically be inserted into the contact image field. The same principle of operation applies to incoming calls.
The application now allows you to communicate not only between users of Google accounts, but also through text and multimedia messages. There is no separate application for messages. Hangouts in its current form cannot be called a successful replacement for Messages; in particular, the implementation of grouping messages from the same users raises questions. On the other hand, the possibilities for working with messages are wider than before. As for the text keyboard, one cannot fail to note the huge range of emoticons.
With the exception of HDR+ mode, the camera interface has not undergone any changes. The principle of HDR+ is to stitch together three images taken at different exposures into one - allowing for greater dynamic range compared to conventional shooting. “Normal” HDR mode has long been present on almost all Android smartphones, but there these are additional features implemented by the device manufacturer, but here the function is initially built into the system.
The list of installed applications also remains the same, the only change is a transparent background instead of a gloomy black color.
There are slight differences in the Settings menu. The first ones touched on the operation of the Wi-Fi module; an option appeared that allows you to enable or disable the search for networks by some applications even if Wi-Fi is turned off.
The “Public Alert” menu, which is useless in our latitudes, includes the activation and configuration of notifications in the event of natural disasters.
The new "General" section is designed to help users select and remove installed launchers, if any.
“Tap & Pay” is the name of the menu where applications used for contactless payment using NFC will be displayed. For example, one such application could be Google Wallet.
There are also changes in setting up the operation of geolocation services - a more intelligible description of the modes for determining coordinates using GPS or Wi-Fi and mobile networks. High precision uses all available capabilities. Reducing energy consumption uses only mobile and Wi-Fi networks. Identification by device sensors includes GPS operation. Once you decide which mode is best for you, you can find out which of your installed apps or services requested your location, as well as how much of an impact it had on your battery.
The last of the new items is “Print”. By going into it you can find the network printer closest to you.
Among the less significant changes, we note the ability to run applications in full-screen mode, when the bottom line with the keys is hidden - this will allow you to use the entire usable screen area. In fact, many devices have already learned this feature, but only with Android 4.4 will it be supported at the hardware level, without the need to obtain Root rights.
The principle of multitasking has been redesigned: applications hanging in the background take up fewer resources, and the transition between them has become faster. Hardware support for IR transmitters has appeared, which can now be found in devices from at least four manufacturers: Samsung, LG, HTC, Sony. To improve autonomy when playing music, data processing will now be handled by the DSP processor. When playing music, an image of the current album and player control keys are displayed on the lock screen. Changes should also be noticeable for lovers of an active lifestyle - for this, Google has optimized the flow of data from all sensors available in the device.
Well, if you suddenly lose your smartphone or it is stolen from you, you can use remote control. To connect to a smartphone, it is enough that it has access to the Internet and, importantly, your account remains. The user can lock the smartphone, reset to factory settings, turn on the signal and find out the location of the device. The accuracy of determining the last parameter depends on which means of determining coordinates are used. Even if all of them are disabled, including the determination of coordinates by Google services, you can still get coordinates with an accuracy of 20 meters. This opportunity is both exciting and scary.
The download manager has changed somewhat, now it looks more like a file manager. The email client was updated, although it was not possible to understand what the differences are between the conditionally new and the current version of the client. Car enthusiasts should like the fact that messages can be read not only from the smartphone screen, but also from the car’s multimedia system (support for the Bluetooth Message Access Profile has been added), without being distracted from the controls. The last thing I would like to mention is Quickoffice - an application for working with office documents, both from the internal memory of the device and cloud services.
Opting out of using the Dalvik virtual machine
Let's start describing the remaining innovations with the most dramatic one - changing the application runtime environment (compiler) from a virtual machine Dalvik on ART(Android RunTime). Without going into the weeds of programming, the main difference between the ART compiler is that applications are optimized for a specific device during the application installation process, and not at the time of its launch, as is the case now. When switching to ART, there are both advantages and small, but disadvantages. The latter includes a slightly larger size of the applications themselves and, as a result, a slightly longer installation time. The benefits: reduced power consumption due to less load on the processor, more free RAM, faster launch of applications and improved smoothness. Since we used a smartphone to write this review of Android 4.4, we can’t say how smoother the device’s operation becomes when switching to ART. If you trust the reviews of users of other Nexus devices that received the Android update to version 4.4, then, according to them, the smoothness and speed of launching applications has noticeably increased. On our own behalf, we would like to add that the use of ART significantly affects the autonomy of the device, which is clearly seen in the LG Nexus 5, where we compared the operating time of the smartphone when using the Dalvik virtual machine and ART. The question remains open of how quickly “regular” devices that will use Android 4.4 will receive such significant changes and, in fact, whether they will receive them at all. Another important change in Android 4.4 is the ability to work on devices with 512 MB of RAM. So owners of not entirely new smartphones, for which there are custom firmware from Cyanogen and AOSP, may well give their device a second wind.
Ok Google
To access Google Now, you need to go to the far left of the desktop window or swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen, even if the screen is locked. Since Google is trying to update its services on all devices, and not just the Nexus line, you can learn about the new features of Google Now on any Android smartphone you have at hand. As for voice search, there are no changes yet for people using a non-English interface language.
Results
Android 4.4 KitKat is not just another operating system update; it shows where the developer is heading. The focus is on improving autonomy and smoothness, interacting with other devices through wireless communications, giving the shell a lighter look and adding features that have long been present on most Android smartphones. If with the advent of Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, users received practically no significant changes, then an update to Android 4.4 KitKat is worth waiting for, at least for the sake of improved smoothness and battery life. In addition, as already mentioned, it will be possible to install and comfortably use the new version of the OS not only on smartphones with 1 GB of RAM and higher, but also on smartphones with 512 MB of RAM. This means that next year the segment of low-cost devices will become even larger, which will entail a reduction in the lower price level and will increase the already huge share of Android smartphones.
