In a somewhat surprising move, Google has released both the Nexus 5 and Android KitKat. We didn’t expect a “soft launch”, but we did expect it soon. With Android 4.4 comes some expected news, but now that it’s official, we’re officially excited.
First, changes to the call app have been made. Those with Android 4.4 will now have better access to discovering who they’d like to call. From contacts to nearby places, Google promises that your experience with the call app will improve dramatically. Google Apps users will also see their company directory populated within the app, making office calls that much easier.
Android 4.4 has also slimmed down considerably, with changes having been made to reduce the memory footprint the system needs. Android 4.4 will run on as little as 512MB of RAM, which is clearly an attempt to bridge the fragmentation gap. In what Google is calling their effort to “reach the next 1 billion users”, Android 4.4 will now be available to more phones across the globe, especially in emerging markets.
Finally, Google Now becomes a front-and-center utility. The service is now available from the lock screen on the Nexus 5. By swiping from the lock screen, users have nearly immediate access to Google Now, and all the contextual information it brings. Google also notes that new Now cards are being rolled out, making the experience richer for Nexus 5 owners.
There are more changes involved, and we’ll bring you more in-depth news as we parse it out. For now Android 4.4 has delivered as promised: it’s a slimmed down OS, which opens up a new world of possibilities to both users and developers. Android is changing… for the better.
Guesses as to how long it’ll take Samsung to push out updates… Ready? Go…
6 months to a year…lol
5 months.
I honestly wouldn’t care how long it look if it got updated. If they were so gracious as to update the Tab 2 again, I would be happy.
Service providers push out updates, not manufacturers, so it’d be much more appropriate and hilarious if that had said “Verizon” instead.
Guess what? There are countries other than the US, and in most of them the consumer can pick any provider they want, regardless of which phone they have. Crazy, right? That would actually mean that the providers would need to provide good services, instead of locking in their customers.
I’d like to say that.. but i’m from Argentina, and we definetely not got a good service at all. 1mbps DL on HSPA, do you think that’s good?
Ohh, I can choose any provider, with any phone, you’re right, but they’re all basically the same S**t.
HURRY UP!!!!! MAN D:<