Android 4.4 KitKat Non-Nexus Devices: Galaxy Line and Xperia Z Family to Get Update; HTC 2012 Models Not Eligible
Android 4.4 KitKat is due by Oct. 14 2013 and Google designed it to support older devices to reduce fragmentation. However, some manufacturers may not agree to push update on all of their Android products. So find out which phones and tablets have the edge on Android 4.4 KitKat.
Android 4.4 KitKat New Support
Android and Chrome head, Sundar Pichai confirmed the non-standard "KitKat" name of Android 4.4 OS, and it will bring not-so-typical changes to the world's most dominant mobile operating system. An anonymous source revealed crucial information about Android 4.4's new features on phones and tablets.
- Firmware availability to older phones
- Fragmentation changes on screen resising
- Miracast updates
- New Gallery visualisation
- New APIs for animations
- Changing standard blue to palette colours
- New notification widgets
GSMArena spotted screenshots which leaked Android 4.4 UI and the new Palette colour applied on the dialler and messaging interface. The new colour scheme aso changes depending on which application is being used. Moreover, the status features lighter colour compared to deep colours used in Android 4.0 and 4.1+ versions.
Supported Devices
Majority of Android phones and tablets are qualified to run the next-generation Android OS, but manufacturers can select which of their Android products are "rightful" to get one. Brand manufacturers have their own UI and also need to configure some areas of the source code to make it fit their devices.
Samsung Galaxy Line: There is no doubt that Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 3 are going to get an update after Google officially launched the source code of Android 4.4. Samsung will also select several devices which they think deserve getting an update. Here are some of the probable devices which may be selected by Samsung:
- Galaxy S4 generation
- Galaxy Mega line
- Galaxy Ace 3
- Galaxy Grand
- Galaxy Core, Fame, Pocket Neo and Young
- Galaxy Note 10.1 and 8.0
- Galaxy Tab 2nd and 3rd generation
Samsung Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 may get the update. But at this time, an official Android 4.3 Jelly Bean is heading their way in mid-October. So, it is unknown when Android 4.4 will arrive unless Samsung announces the complete list of selected devices.
Xperia Line: Sony Mobile is currently working on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean for the Xperia Z family, Z Ultra, Z1, Tablet Z and SP and then later on other selected Xperia devices. It is obvious that Sony will choose the Xperia Z line first for Android 4.4 KitKat and the company has a high chance of pushing the newest update to increase selling point.
- Xperia Z, ZR, ZL
- Xperia Z Ultra
- Xperia Z1
- Xperia Tablet Z
- Xperia SP
Xperia devices running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean were confirmed to get Android 4.3 version, according to Sony Mobile.
HTC and LG on Android 4.4 KitKat
LG hasn't announced which among their handsets are eligible to get Android 4.4 KitKat, while HTC waits on Google to release the next-gen OS before making an announcement.
Twitter use LlabTooFeR tweeted that HTC 2012 devices are not going to get any Android 4.4 KitKat OS except for the HTC Butterfly/Droid DNA. HTC 2012 devices include One X, One X+ and One S which are currently struggling to get Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update.
Other Manufacturers
As usual, other manufacturers such as ASUS, Alcatel, Huawei, ZTE and other are going to release new devices powered by Android 4.4 KitKat. Companies are also going to release Android 4.4 update among their best-selling products to keep consumers buying from their stores.
Google's new evolution will open a new dawn for Android OS to match the new age of iOS 7 currently being pushed worldwide.