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Tag: kitkat

  • Jelly Bean And KitKat Both See Small Gains In February

    The Android ecosystem is constantly changing as users adopt new versions of the mobile OS. For a while now, Jelly Bean has been king after taking the majority rule from Gingerbread. While Jelly Bean will remain the new Gingerbread for quite some time, KitKat is starting to see some growth.

    In the latest Android distribution numbers, Google reports that Jelly Bean is now on 62 percent of all devices. Last month, it was on 60.7 percent of all Android devices. Interestingly enough, Android 4.1 saw a minor decline as more users moved onto versions 4.2 or 4.3.

    As for KitKat, it saw a small bump from 1.8 percent to 2.5 percent. More and more devices from last year are beginning to get KitKat upgrades so we can expect to see this number rise more in the coming months. The impending launches of KitKat devices, like the Galaxy S5 and all new HTC One, should help lead KitKat to more marketshare as well.

    Jelly Bean and KitKat Both See Small Gains In February

    Both Gingerbread and Ice Cream Sandwich saw either a 1 percent or nearly 1 percent decline in February. Both versions continue to grow more obsolete as devices launch with at least Jelly Bean these days. It can be assumed that Gingerbread is only sticking around thanks to the millions of devices around the world that still run the aging mobile OS.

    Now that we’re three months in the new year, we can also start speculating as to when Google will unveil the next version of Android. We usually bet on Google I/O, but that wasn’t the case last year. In fact, Google unveiled Android 4.3 after I/O and then released KitKat in October. Of course, Android 4.5 being unveiled at Google I/O isn’t out of the question. At this point, however, it seems a little unlikely.

    Image via Android Developers

  • Jelly Bean Now On Over 60 Percent Of Android Devices

    In January, it was revealed that Jelly Bean was on nearly 60 percent of all Android devices. The huge bump in Jelly Bean devices could be attributed to a healthy holiday period for Android. With the holidays over, one might assume that Jelly Bean’s growth would slow down. As you may have heard once or twice, it’s never good to assume.

    For February, the Android distribution chart shows that Jelly Bean is now on 60.7 percent of all Android devices. Like usual, Android version 4.1 makes up the largest amount of Jelly Bean devices at 35.5 percent with versions 4.2 and 4.3 following at 16.3 percent and 8.9 percent respectively.

    Jelly Bean Now On 60 Percent of android devices

    As you can see, KitKat hasn’t grown that much in the past month with Android 4.4 only adding .4 percent to its total. That’s to be expected though as there’s not many devices out yet with the latest version of Android and OEMs won’t be launching KitKat devices until later this year.

    In the meantime, we can continue to chart the downfall of Gingerbread. The once mighty Android 2.3 is now only on 20 percent of all Android devices. Ice Cream Sandwich isn’t falling quite as rapidly as it only lost .8 percentage points in the last month. Both will continue to decline in use, however, as more affordable Jelly Bean and KitKat devices enter the market.

    As for the future, we’ll probably continue to see Jelly Bean become the dominant player much like Gingerbread once was. KitKat will see some growth later this year as more devices are released, and everything else will either stagnate or decline. Google may even drop Google Play support for Froyo thus ending its time on the charts.

  • Jelly Bean Now On Almost 60 Percent Of All Android Devices

    At the beginning of December, it was revealed that Jelly Bean was on 54.5 percent of all Android devices. At the time, it seemed likely that Jelly Bean would reach 60 percent marketshare thanks to the holiday season. While it didn’t quite reach that point, it’s getting awfully close.

    In the latest Android stats released today, Google reports that Jelly Bean is now on 59.1 percent of all Android devices. Most Jelly Bean users are on versions 4.1 or 4.2, but use of 4.3 is climbing as it has jumped from 4.2 percent to 7.8 percent in just a month.

    Jelly Bean Now On Almost 60 Percent Of All Android Devices

    As you can see, KitKat is still chugging along with a 0.3 percent increase in 30 days. The newest OS is still not available on a lot of devices so growth will be slow for a while. As for Gingerbread and Ice Cream Sandwich, both versions are still slowly losing ground to Jelly Bean. By next month, Gingerbread may finally make up less than 20 percent of the entire Android ecosystem.

    As we progress through 2014, expect to see KitKat grow as more devices with the OS enter the market. While the devices shipping in early 2014 will probably have 4.3, the devices shipping later this year will most likely get 4.4. After all, it takes OEMs a while to test these new versions of Android and slap their own skins over them.

    2014 may also be the year that Android makes the jump to non-traditional devices, like cars. Last week, Google revealed that it had partnered with auto and tech companies to form the Open Automative Alliance. The initiative is seen as a way to get Android into cars without having drivers rely on the dangerous habit of playing with their phone while on the road. It will also help Android break out of its mobile ecosystem and become an operating system that powers everything.

    Image via Android Developers

  • Polaroid Announces New Q Tablets Ahead Of CES

    When you think Android tablets, do you ever think of Polaroid? No? Well, you might want to keep an eye out for Polaroid this year as it debuts a new line of Android tablets at CES 2014.

    Polaroid announced today that it will debut the Q7, Q8 and Q10 tablets at CES next week. As the names imply, these are 7, 8 and 10-inch tablets that will appeal to the cost conscious consumers that want decent specs for an affordable price.

    So, what can we expect from Polaroid’s new Q tablet line? The company isn’t saying much yet, but it claims that all three have “super fast quad-core processors.” Even better, all three will come with Android 4.4 so consumers are going to get a good experience out of the box.

    “Tablets are changing the way consumers use and share their favorite media and memories, and Polaroid’s robust line of tablets is allowing more consumers to share with on-the-go convenience,” said Polaroid President and CEO Scott W. Hardy. “Our Q Series provides consumers with super-fast quad core processing speeds allowing for faster performance and less wait times when watching movies, or playing games. In addition the Q series’ sleek design and affordable price point make it a great choice.”

    In what may be the biggest surprise, Polaroids new Q tablets are incredibly affordable. The Q7 will retail for $129, the Q8 will retail for $149 and the Q10 will retail for $179. All three will be available in spring 2014.

    In other Polaroid news, the company announced that it will show off a new 50-inch smart TV and 50-inch 4K Ultra HDTV at CES. Both will be incredibly affordable with the smart TV retailing for $599 and the 4K TV retailing for $999.

    Image via fonearena

  • Upgrading Your Android OS Isn’t As Easy As It Looks

    You really wanted a new smartphone this year, but just couldn’t afford it. Your friends and family couldn’t pull through either so your left with your archaic smartphone from 2011. Still, your old smartphone could be upgraded to a newer version of Android, right? It seems so simple, yet handset manufacturers constantly refuse to update older phones. Why is that?

    While you may think that handset manufacturers simply hate you for being poor, it’s a little more complicated than that. In fact, the process of upgrading your phone’s OS is a lot more complicated than just pushing an OTA update to your device. It takes months of preparation and development to get the latest updates up and running on your device.

    To better illustrate this process, HTC put together an infographic called “The anatomy of an Android OS update.” It gives us an inside look at how HTC evaluates and implements the newest versions of Android. Interestingly enough, the infographic follows the update process not just for carrier devices, but for unlocked and Google Play Edition devices as well.

    Check it out:

    Upgrading Your Android OS Isn't As Easy As It Looks

    Oh, and if you want to know how far along HTC is in upgrading your HTC One to KitKat, check out this status page.

  • After A Month, KitKat Is On 1.1 Percent Of All Android Devices

    In late October, Google released the newest version of Android – KitKat. Like all new Android releases, the only devices getting KitKat are Google’s own Nexus phones and tablets. As such, you can expect its first few months of growth to be a little slow.

    KitKat made its debut on the Android distribution chart today with the newest version of Google’s mobile OS showing up on 1.1 percent of all devices. Compared to Jelly Bean’s first few months, KitKat is actually doing pretty well for itself. That’s mostly due to more people owning Nexus devices now than they did in the middle of 2012 though.

    KitKat Is On 1.1 Percent Of All Android Devices

    As for the other versions of Android, Jelly Bean continues its reign over the Android ecosystem with it being installed on 54.5 percent of all devices. Gingerbread retains its second place standing at 24.1 percent, but Ice Cream Sandwich is not far behind with 18.6 percent. With Christmas coming up, both Gingerbread and ICS stand to lose a lot of marketshare as Jelly Bean devices are likely to find themselves in more hands after the holidays.

    So, what does the future hold for Android? KitKat adoption probably isn’t going anywhere that fast as most Jelly Bean users are still on version 4.1. Mobile carriers are slow to upgrade these devices, and it might be a while before some devices are upgraded to versions 4.2 or 4.3. With the reduced system requirements of KitKat, some carriers may choose to just upgrade some devices to version 4.4. If that happens, KitKat may just grow a bit faster than its predecessor.

    Still, we won’t be able to see where things are heading until after Christmas. In early January, we’ll be able to see a mostly accurate representation of how many new Android devices were activated over the holidays. My bet is that Jelly Bean is going to see some explosive growth while KitKat only sees minor growth.

  • Android Adds Google Profile Photos To Caller ID

    Google took to its Android Google+ account to discuss the new Phone app that comes as part of the latest version of Android, KitKat (4.4). Among the features are better search and an interesting take on caller ID.

    The app will let users search among nearby places and Google Apps accounts (including company directories that have employee numbers shared) from the app, even if the numbers aren’t in the user’s contact list.

    Google is also using its own data to improve the caller ID experience. Beginning early next year, users with verified phone numbers that have discovery enabled will have their names and Google profile photos appear on the user’s phone when they call.

    Android Phone App

    “It’s great if a new friend who hasn’t been saved in your contacts yet calls you,” Google notes.

    For businesses, numbers are matched with names of companies and services with Google Places listings.

    The Phone app also gets a generally new look and feel with KitKat (pictured).

    Image: Google

  • Android 4.4 Comes With New Photo Editing Software

    Last week, Google finally unveiled all the new features it would be bringing to Android 4.4, or KitKat. There’s a lot of good stuff in the latest release, like a smaller memory footprint. The announcement failed to mention, however, that the latest version of Android will also ship with new photo editing software.

    Google employee Nicolas Roard announced on Friday that his team had built a new non-destructive photo editor for KitKat. Here’s what it all does:

    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.)

    Roard notes that the photo editor will also be coming to the Android Open Source Project so developers all over the world will be able to tinker with it once it launches.

    Of course, it’s no fun just being told how a photo editor works so here’s a video demo of the the new editor in action taken from a Nexus 7 running Android 4.4. It’s noted that the video was captured using Android 4.4’s new screen recording feature – another exciting feature in the upcoming release:

    The inclusion of a more powerful photo editor within Android itself is another sign that Google is taking photography very seriously. Just last week, the company held a Google+ event where it announced a number of new features for its social network’s photo editing software, including new auto-enhance features.

    [h/t: Engadget]
    [Image: amaelon/YouTube]

  • Jelly Bean Is Now On A Majority Of Android Devices

    Last week, Google finally unveiled Android 4.4 KitKat alongside the new Nexus 5. While a new version of Android is certainly cause to celebrate, most of the world is still going to be using Jelly Bean for the foreseeable future. That’s a good thing though as a majority of the world’s Android devices are now running Android 4.1 through 4.3.

    In the latest update to the Android distribution numbers, Google shows that Jelly Bean is now on 52.1 percent of all Android devices. Unsurprisingly, version 4.1 is still the dominant form of Jelly Bean with it running on 37.3 percent of all devices. Version 4.3 has also seen some relatively strong growth as it now commands 2.3 percent of the Android ecosystem despite being introduced back in July.

    Jelly Bean Is Now On A Majority of Android Devices

    It’s been almost a year and a half since the first version of Jelly Bean was introduced at Google I/O 2012. Since then, Android has become the dominant mobile OS on the planet, and it has even started to appear on more than just mobile devices. In the last year, Jelly Bean became the OS of choice for a new line of handheld and home gaming consoles, like the Nvidia Shield and Ouya.

    As for the future, it’s looking pretty bright for KitKat. Google announced last week that it intends to make KitKat available to all Android devices regardless of their specs. This should help eradicate Gingerbread from its still powerful position on the Android distribution charts as it has only remained relevant due to the large number of low-end devices that are sold in emerging markets like China and India. With Android 4.4, the latest version of Google’s mobile OS will finally be able to run on these devices thus allowing low-end device manufacturers to stand on equal footing with the big guys when it comes to which Android version they can offer consumers.

    [Image: KIT KAT/YouTube]

  • Nexus 5 Will Come To Sprint, T-Mobile Before The Holidays

    Nexus 5 Will Come To Sprint, T-Mobile Before The Holidays

    Did yesterday’s Nexus 5 announcement excite you to no end? You might have even rushed to the Google Play store to purchase one, but found its comparatively affordable price of $349 to be a bit too much. Well, worry not as Google’s next flagship device will soon be subsidized through two carriers.

    Upon the announcement of the Nexus 5 yesterday, Sprint was the first out of the gate to announce that the device would be available on their network starting November 8 for $149.99. The device will also be compatible with Sprint’s Unlimited Data Guarantee for Life plan.

    “Whether you’re streaming music or video, surfing the Web, gaming online or just catching up on email, in upgraded areas, Nexus 5 will offer Sprint customers a secure, fast connection using all three of Sprint’s 4G LTE network bands, giving customers the best wireless experience for their needs,” said David Owens, vice president-Product Development, Sprint. “With the dynamic camera features available on this smartphone, our customers will be able to enjoy sharing all their photos and have the peace of mind by not having to worry about data caps or overage charges. While other wireless providers move away from unlimited service, Sprint stands behind its commitment with Sprint Unlimited Guarantee, allowing our customers to lock-in unlimited talk, text and data, while on the Sprint network, not for just the next two years, but for the life of the line of service.”

    That’s great and all, but what about T-Mobile? It carried the Nexus 4 so it only makes sense that it would also carry the Nexus 5, right? That would be correct as T-Mobile announced yesterday that it would be carrying the Nexus 5 as well. It didn’t provide a price or launch date, however, so we’re stuck with a vague announcement of sometime before Christmas. The Nexus 5 will be available to new customers and JUMP program participants.

    There have been no other announcements from other carriers so it’s most likely that the Nexus 5 will only be available through T-Mobile and Sprint. For everybody else, you’ll have to buy it full price through the Google Play store and activate it on your carrier. Even then, you’re only paying $350 for what is essentially an LG G2.

    [Image: Google]

  • Google Details Android 4.4, Confirms Smaller Memory Footprint

    Since it was announced in early September, we’ve known next to nothing about Android 4.4, or KitKat. A rumor this morning suggested that the big game changer in the latest version of Android would be that it runs on low-end devices with less than a gigabyte of memory. As it turns out, that was right on the money.

    In a blog post detailing Android 4.4, Google confirms that KitKat will run comfortably on low-end smartphones. It was able to accomplish this by making Android’s memory footprint much smaller than before. Here’s the explanation:

    Until now, some lower-end Android phones couldn’t benefit from more recent Android releases due to memory constraints. With KitKat, we’ve slimmed down Android’s memory footprint by doing things like removing unnecessary background services and reducing the memory consumption of features that you use all the time. We did this not only within Android but across Google services like Chrome and YouTube. RAM (or memory) is one of the most expensive parts of a phone, and now Android can run comfortably on the 512MB of RAM devices that are popular in much of the world, bringing the latest goodies in Android 4.4 within reach for the next billion smartphone users.

    As for other details, Google says that KitKat will be “bringing more Google smarts to Android.” In other words, stuff like Google Voice Search and Google Now will be even more deeply integrated into the Google experience. For example, the phone app has been upgraded to help you not only search through you contacts, but to help you search for the phone number of nearby businesses and even your own company’s directory.

    As for Google Now, it can be launched directly from the home screen through either a swipe or voice command. You only have to say “OK, Google” and you can “launch voice search, send a text, get directions or even play a song you want to hear.” Google also says that it will be bringing new card types to Google Now in the coming weeks, including updates to the blogs that you follow.

    Another useful feature for those with wireless printers is that Android now has a Print Services API. This means that you can now easily send documents from your phone to your wireless printer.

    Finally, KitKat will allow app developers to create full screen apps. For example, the Google Books app can now display a book’s text on the entire display. Those who read eBooks will no longer have to gaze upon the notification bar when reading the latest thriller. Same goes for movies and games as they will now be able to take up the entire screen.

    Android 4.4 will be immediately available on the new Nexus 5, and will soon be available as an OTA update on the Nexus 7, Nexus 4 and Nexus 10 over the coming weeks. As for other devices, you’ll just have to wait until your carrier confirms it.

    [Image: googlenexus/YouTube]

  • Google Officially Announces The Nexus 5

    After months of speculation and rumors, the day is finally here. Google has announced the Nexus 5 and it’s everything we hoped it would be.

    In the official announcement, Google confirms that the Nexus 5, just like the Nexus 4, is made by LG. Here’s what you can expect from it:

    Its design is simple and refined to showcase the 5” Full HD display. Nexus 5 also keeps you connected at blazing speeds with 4G/LTE and ultra fast wifi. The advanced new lens on Nexus 5 captures more light for brighter night and sharper action shots. And with optical image stabilization, you no longer have to worry about shaky hands and blurry pictures. A new HDR+ mode automatically snaps a rapid burst of photos and combines them to give you the best possible single shot. Learn more on our site.

    As for official specs, it really is an LG G2 with a worse camera. It features the same 4.95-inch 1080p display, 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 CPU, 2300mAh battery and 2GB of RAM as the LG G2, but has a downgraded front and rear camera at 1.3MP and 8MP respectively.

    The phone will come in 16GB and 32GB varieties as well as in black and white. The 16GB model will run you $349 while the 32GB model will cost $399. Like always, the Nexus 5 comes unlocked and ready for any compatible wireless carrier. It’s available for preorder now and will ship in the next few days.

    [Image: Google Play]

  • Android 4.4 Will Help Out Low-End Devices [Report]

    Almost two months ago, Google unveiled Android 4.4, or KitKat. Since then, we’ve heard almost nothing about the new OS other than Google’s own cryptic promise to “make an amazing Android experience available for everybody.” Now a new report is expanding upon what that may mean.

    Amir Efrati claims today to have seen a “confidential file” that Google shared with Android OEMs regarding the upcoming KitKat OS. The document reportedly details what Google is aiming for with Android 4.4, and what we can expect to see from it.

    According to the document, Google is hoping to fix the fragmentation problem with Android 4.4. The company notes that lower end devices being released in developing markets like China and India run older versions of Android, like 2.3 or 4.0. With KitKat, Google is hoping to make a version of Android that runs well not only on the flagship devices like the Galaxy S 4, but the cheap low-end phones with only 512MB of RAM as well.

    Interestingly enough, Android 4.4’s reported support of lower end devices will also help the mobile OS proliferate throughout the emerging wearable-computer market. The report states that KitKat will support three new sensors – geomagnetic rotation vector, step detector and step counter. In short, you’re going to start seeing Android proper show up in Google’s own smart watch as well as other smart watches from HTC and Samsung.

    Another interesting tidbit is that Google is reportedly building remote control functionality into Android 4.4. Some flagship devices already have IR blasters that allow them to control TVs and other devices, but these are built on a device-by-device basis with no common API to pull from. That may change with Android 4.4 with developers being able to build their own remote control apps.

    All the above is well and good, but what about existing devices? Will lower end devices be able to take advantage of KitKat? After all, the main reason many devices were passed over for getting Ice Cream Sandwich or Jelly Bean was that the devices weren’t powerful enough. Well, Efrati took to Google+ to say that “Google wants to make it easier for OEMs/carriers to push updates to existing devices.” He immediately cautioned to not “hold your breath” though.

    In short, Android 4.4 sounds like the next logical step for Google. It needs to figure out how to keep everybody on the same page and an OS that targets low-end as well as high-end devices may be just what Android needs. Just don’t expect your carrier to suddenly start pushing out KitKat to your 3-year-old HTC Desire.

    [Image: Google]
    [h/t: Engadget]

  • These New Android KitKat Ads Are Adorable

    October 28 came and went, and we still have no idea when Google will actually release Android 4.4, or KitKat. Some rumors are now saying that we’ll see it on November 1. Well, until it’s released, we’ll just have to make do with more teases from the folks at Nestle.

    The official KitKat YouTube page was updated today with two short animations featuring the ever adorable Bugdroid and a KitKat bar. The first shows us why you should never trust a magician:

    As for the second, I think YouTube commenter Adeel Ejaz sums it up pretty well – “Replace that KitKat with Nexus 5 and that is exactly what Google is doing to us.”

    Personally, I can’t wait to see what the conspiracy theorists can pull out of these two animations.

    [Image: KIT KAT/YouTube]

  • Nestle May Be Using A Michael Jackson Reference To Tease Android 4.4’s Release Date

    Last month, Nestle told some fans on its German Facebook page that Android 4.4, or KitKat, would be available at some point in October. At the time, it said that Google only knew the date, but a number of teases out of the candy maker seems to suggest that it knows more than it was letting on.

    On October 15, the official KitKat Twitter page sent out an innocuous Tweet featuring a KitKat Bugdroid busting a move:

    Many took it as just a nice bit of social media relations, but the conspiracy theorists that lurk on the Internet went much deeper. They theorized that the tweet was a thinly veiled announcement of Android 4.4’s release date using two facts. The song, “Gonna Make You Sweat,” which the tweet references was released by C+C Music Factory on October 18. The group was also formerly known as The 28th Street Crew. Put two and two together and you get a release date of October 28.

    Now, that might seem a little silly, but it’s apparent that these Internet sleuths were onto something. Just five hours ago, the KitKat Twitter account tweeted this out:

    Not only is the tweet encouraging people to look for “the signs,” but the image is a reference to the Michael Jackson album and documentary of the same name. When was This Is It released? October 28.

    With both of these teases, Android fans are now confident that Google is going to release Android 4.4 on October 28. We’re also likely to see the Nexus 5 and Nexus 10 on the same date.

    It’s worth reminding fans to keep their expectations in check. This could be nothing more than social media chatter from a brand that’s having way too much with its new association with Google’s mobile OS. That being said, it seems almost too deliberate at this point so we’ll just have to wait and see.

    [h/t: Droid-Life]
    [Image: KitKat/Twitter]

  • Here’s 7 Minutes Of The Nexus 5 In Action

    We still don’t know when Google’s Nexus 5 will be released, but recent rumors peg it as launching later this month. That certainly seems appropriate as more and more people are somehow getting their hands on the latest smartphone from Google and LG.

    smartphones.sfr.fr recently got its hands on the Nexus 5, and uploaded seven minutes of them playing around with it. Even more exciting than the Nexus 5, however, is getting to see more of Android 4.4, or KitKat. Unfortunately, the build on display here is incredibly early so it’s probably lacking some of the features that are likely to be in the final release.

    Still, it’s our best look at the Nexus 5 and Android 4.4 yet, and it’s looking really good so far. Like the Nexus 4 before it, the Nexus 5 looks to keep things simple with a nice design that doesn’t try to drastically change the smartphone in any way. It will surely be a hit when it launches later this month (or year), especially if Google is able to keep it at $300.

    If you need a refresher, the Nexus 5 is pretty much confirmed to be near identical to the LG G2 in terms of specs. That means the phone will have a 5-inch 1080p display, 32GB of internal storage, 2GB of RAM, a quad-core 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 CPU, a 2300mAh battery, LTE compatibility and NFC.

    We’re likely to see it revealed alongside the new Nexus 10 and Android 4.4 sometime later this month if Nestle is to be trusted.

    [h/t: Droid-Life]
    [Image: Enaze Uddin/YouTube]

  • Jelly Bean Is Now On Almost Half Of All Android Devices

    Earlier this year, Jelly Bean was slowly working its way up the Android distribution charts as Gingerbread sat atop its near majority share. Slowly but surely, those roles have reversed with Jelly Bean now on the brink of being on a majority of Android devices.

    In the latest Android distribution chart released today, it’s revealed that Jelly Bean is now on almost half (48.6 percent) of all Android devices. Compare that to Ice Cream Sandwich (20.6 percent) or Gingerbread (28.5 percent) and you see that Jelly Bean is now without a doubt the new king of Android.

    Jelly Bean Is Now On Almost Half Of All Android Devices

    Jelly Bean can’t celebrate just yet, however, as it’s still not over the 50 percent threshold. Gingerbread and Ice Cream Sandwich will undoubtedly continue to decline in usage, but Jelly Bean will soon have a new version of Android to compete with.

    So, will KitKat present any immediate threat to Jelly Bean’s dominance? It’s not likely as Android 4.4. will likely only be available on Nexus devices for the first few months of its existence. This year’s best selling Android handsets are only just now upgrading to Android 4.3 so who knows when they’ll make the jump to Android 4.4.

    The launch of Android 4.4 may present an interesting look at how Android distribution evolves though. Over the past year, we saw Jelly Bean emerge as only a tiny blip on the distribution charts when it first launched to now being on almost over half of all Android devices thanks to its proliferation on devices like the Galaxy S4 and the HTC One.

    Will KitKat see the same amount of support next year when Samsung, HTC and other Android handset manufacturers launch their new flagship devices? It’s certainly possible, but we’ve also learned throughout the years that handset manufacturers stay one generation behind where Android currently is. That helped with the proliferation of Android 4.1 this year, but it may just mean that next year’s devices will ship with Android 4.3 instead of 4.4. If that becomes the case, it may be a while before we see KitKat make any significant progress on the Android distribution charts.

  • Android 4.4 Leak Reveals Nexus 5 Specs

    Android 4.4 Leak Reveals Nexus 5 Specs

    Earlier this month, Google announced that Android 4.4, or KitKat, would be launching before the end of the year. We also understand that the latest version of Android will be accompanied by a new Nexus phone made by LG – the Nexus 5. Beyond that, we don’t know much else, but a recent leak may have just given us a bit more information on the latter.

    MyCE reports that it has obtained a log file of a Nexus 5 running Android 4.4. There’s some interesting stuff here, but it should be first noted that Android 4.4 was indeed going by the code name of Key Lime Pie before Google named it KitKat. I would have much preferred the former, but Google is probably right in saying that more people are aware of KitKat than they are of Key Lime Pie.

    Moving on to the more interesting news, the log file revealed the Nexus 5 specs. As many have guessed, the Nexus 5 will be pretty much identical to the LG G2 spec wise. What we got here is a 5-inch full HD display, 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal memory, 8MP rear camera, 1.2 MP front camera, a 2300mAh battery and LTE support.

    As Droid Life points out, the 8MP camera in the Nexus 5 is inferior to the 13MP rear camera that’s in the LG G2. It’s thought that Google made that particular decision to help keep costs low. Some may feel cheated that Google is sticking with an 8MP camera on the Nexus 5, but it’s a better option than replacing the Snapdragon 800 CPU with an inferior CPU.

    As for details of Android 4.4 itself, we don’t have much. The log file only reveals that the latest version of Android will have a black notification bar with grey icons. Beyond that, we just don’t know what changes Google has in store for its latest version of Android. I suggested that Google may be broadening the scope of Android with version 4.4, but we won’t know until it’s officially unveiled.

    Speaking of which, we may not have to wait long. The official KitKat Facebook page said that Android 4.4 would be out sometime in October. Android 4.2 and the Nexux 4 were both announced at the tail end of October last year so it only makes sense that both Android 4.4 and the Nexus 5 will be unveiled later next month as well.

    [Image: Engadget 中文版/YouTube]

  • Nestle Says Android 4.4 Will Be Out In October

    Earlier this month, Google announced that the next version of Android would be called KitKat. Beyond the name and the announcement of a partnership with Nestle, Google didn’t say much else about it. Most importantly, we weren’t given a release date. Google isn’t saying anything, but Nestle is.

    Earlier this week, the KitKat Facebook fan page for Germany shared the following update:

    Post by Kit Kat.

    If you can’t read German, that’s fine. The post isn’t what’s important. The important bits lie in the comments. After one fan asked when Android 4.4 would be available, Nestle’s German Facebook team said that it would be available in October. It reconfirmed the October launch month multiple times throughout the comments as more people asked for confirmation.

    Later in the comments, one person asked if Nestle knew when Android 4.4 would launch in October. Nestle’s social media team responded in English with, “Maybe you should ask Google directly. They know the answer.”

    In other words, we now know that Android 4.4 will be launching in October, but we don’t know the day. Of course, the launch date makes sense as Android 4.2 and the Nexus 4 both launched in October of last year. That hopefully means that Google will launch the Nexus 5 alongside Android 4.4 next month.

    We may now know the launch month of Android 4.4, but its new features remain shrouded in mystery. I took a stab at what Google may be planning with its latest version of Android, but we won’t know for sure until Google decides to lift the veil.

    [Image: Kit Kat/Facebook]
    [h/t: Droidlife]

  • Googler Left The Nexus 5 At A Bar, Here’s Video Of It

    In late August, Google unveiled the latest Android operating system – KitKat. While some were speculating what Google’s newest mobile OS was capable of, others had combed through the announcement video to find what appeared to be a brand new Nexus phone. Google quickly pulled the video after the revelation, but it seems that Googlers in possession of the newest Nexus phone aren’t exactly the cautious sort.

    9to5Google reports that a Nexus 5 was left unattended by a Google employee at an unnamed bar over the weekend. During his absence, the bar employee was able to snag a few videos of the new device presumably running on KitKat. Unfortunately, the phone was locked so he couldn’t get into it to see all the juicy details. Still, we at least have a better idea of what the phone looks like thanks to the leak:

    So, we know what the Nexus 5 looks like, but what about specs? Thanks to a recent FCC filing, we can get a pretty good idea of what Google’s attempting with its latest Nexus device. In short, it’s an LG-made phone that’s very similar to the company’s recently announced G2. That means it will have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 CPU, 5.2-inch display and 4G LTE support. Thankfully (or unthankfully for fans of the G2), however, the Nexus 5 will not sport the backplate buttons that made the G2 unique among its peers.

    At this point, we know pretty much everything about the Nexus 5 except for its launch date. We’re likely to not know anything about that either until Google announces its next Android event. We’re likely to find out more about KitKat at the same event as well.

  • Android KitKat Gets The NMA Treatment

    Last week, Google announced that its latest Android operating system would be called KitKat instead of the oft-rumored Key Lime Pie. Google said the name was chosen partly due to its employees’ love for the crunchy chocolate bars. Leave it up to NMA then to turn it into a story about a laser-eye KitKat Bugdroid.

    In the latest video from our favorite Taiwanese animators, NMA reports on a recent study from Google that sought to cut down on the amount of chocolate that its employees were eating. The company felt that too many of its employees were eating way too many M&Ms, and such a poor diet could lead to the employees being unhappy. They found a clever way around the chocolate obsession by storing the M&Ms inside opaque jars while leaving healthier options in clear jars.

    That’s one problem solved, but Google still has a hankering for chocolate. It’s one of the reasons why the company decided to name its next Android version KitKat. Does that mean that we’ll have an Android version named M&M in the next few years? I don’t know, but I’m not entirely opposed to having candy coated shells shaped like Bugdroid.

    [Image: NMAWorldEdition/YouTube]