Sony Xperia Firmware Upgrades Faster: Top 20 Android 4.4 KitKat Features You Should Expect

Official Android 4.3 Jelly Bean firmware is coming very soon to Sony Xperia Z1, Z, ZR, ZL, Z Ultra, Tablet Z and SP before 2013 with promised faster upgrade times. Does it that Android 4.4 KitKat software update will be coming in early 2014?

Sony Mobile Faster Upgrades

According to Sony Mobile, there are two essential phases for firmware update process - Bring Up and Approval Phase.

1. Bring Up - This phase ensures all core Android operating system components such boot, kernel and hardware are running stably. In addition, Sony will integrate all of its new and existing features into the new software.

2. Test, certification and approval - All software and hardware parts must comply with technology standards such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi then follows through all necessary legal requirements like Intellectual Property Rights or IPRs. Sony needs local certifications in up to 80 countries for worldwide products.

Sony has closer cooperation with Google and Qualcomm to speed up the first phase among Xperia devices.

Android 4.3 Firmware Features

Sony includes original Android 4.3 features such as Google Now, Project Butter, Lock Screen Widgets, Actionable Notifications, Bluetooth Smart/Low Energy, OpenGL ES 3.0, Quick Settings and other improvements on apps and system performance.

After that, Sony will add their features to the vanilla Android version:

- Lock screen

- Home launcher

- Phonebook

- WALKMAN

- Movies

- Album

- Messaging

- Quick Settings

- Text input

- UI components

- Localisation

- Calendar

- Email

Android 4.4 KitKat

Sony Mobile will use the same procedure followed by Android 4.3 Jelly Bean firmware development using the two phases but according to them, test, certification and approval phase takes a lot of time to finish.

Since Sony products are global, the company needs to get certification per each country where a product will get a new firmware update before the software begins rollout. But the company aims to optimise the firmware development for faster sending to their customers.

In case Android 4.4 KitKat is out by early 2014, here are stuff you may want to expect:

1. Google Now gets "Ok Google" feature

2. Lock screen gets full album art

3. Full screen while reading or watching movie

4. Better multi-tasking than before

5. Hangouts as optional SMS/MMS client

6. New Emoji characters

7. Cloud Printing which may affect Sony's printer partners

8. Google Drive, Keep and QuickOffice are additional apps

9. Bluetooth-enabled cars are supported

10. Get Netflix, YouTube, Google Play to your HDTV via Chromecast

11. Close captions and subtitles