Amidst the buzz on the upcoming Android L as well as the cheaper Android One program, Google slipped the Android 4.4.4 Kitkat OS update to Nexus and Google Play Edition devices.
According to reports, the fourth and final version of Android Kitkat OS is currently rolling out Over-The-Air (OTA) to Nexus and GPE devices. Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 2013 received the said update as well as HTC One (M7), HTC One (M8), Galaxy S4, Moto G and Sony Z Ultra GPEs. However, other Nexus devices are still unconfirmed if they will receive the update.
The update is 2.5MB and is claimed to bring fixes to security issues such as the OpenSSL bug. "The software update will upgrade your Nexus 5 to 4.4.4, which improves performance, security, stability and fixes bugs," the update page which flashes on the devices reads.
The Android 4.4.4 Kitkat OS update is a crucial update compared to the previous Android 4.4.3 Kitkat as the former brings the overall version of KTU84P firmware. The latest update brought very minimal changes to the devices such as slight changes to Chromium Web browser and WebView.
On the other hand, Google provided a preview of the upcoming Android L at the recently concluded Google's I/O Developers' Conference. The new Android OS, minus the dessert name, will herald a major facelift to the Android-based devices as it packed new design and features.
According to reports, the new mobile software will resemble a desktop OS. Based on the presentations of Google at the Developers' event, users must expect more animations and touch feedback when using the new OS. It seemed that the UI offers 3D experience.
Users should also expect the next line of Google devices to be more powerful since the new OS hinted that it will support high end specs and features. First, the operating system is compatible with 64-bit processors and is more efficient. Moreover, the new software allegedly packed a PC-level graphics performance in devices. Lastly, Android L introduced the Project Volta, which is claimed to make the battery life of the device more efficient and to support the power hogging features of the Android-based gadgets.
