Android KitKat 4.4-Next Billion Users For Android?

Android 4.4 "KitKat"-Revamping Android For The Better:

At midnight, Google released the much anticipated LG Nexus 5. Which is all good. It was released with a ton of new features, and among the new features one of them was, of course the equally anticipated and rumored Android 4.4 KitKat.

We were given a sneakpeak of Android 4.4 KitKat when Google put up a promotional video for it on video ,which incidentally also gave the world the first glimpse of the Nexus 5.

The Changes:

The main changes that you can notice the moment you unlock your phone are the changes done to the status bar and the system buttons on the bottom of the screen. You can easily notice that the status bar is transparent now instead of it being completely opaque. The system buttons also lie on a transparent background. It really gives the entire interface a clean finish.

Another phenomenal change is that the Touchless Control which we saw the first time we saw on the Moto X has been integrated into Android 4.4. But, it is currently available only in the Nexus 5. This function can be toggled by saying "Ok Google".

The dialer has also undergone a massive change. The change is that, if you receive a call from an unknown number, Google will basically act as a phonebook and automatically look-up the number on Google Maps and it will provide you the name associated with that number and will also provide you an image of that business. the new dialer app also organizes your contacts on the basis of who you have contacted the most.

The Tweaks:

The major tweak that Android 4.4 undergone is that, now Hangouts has been integrated with your SMS app which provides a more centralized system for all your messages.
Emoji have become very popular among the younger generation, so obviously Google has provided the option to insert Emoji into your texts just about anywhere.
You can also print documents on your phone via an HP ePrint Printer without any wires, provided the printer that your using is connected to Google Cloud Print.
Another tweak can easily be noticed if you are playing music. The artwork of the song which you are playing will appear in the background of your lockscreen.
From now on, if you are reading a book/magazine or playing a game Android will portray that on the entire screen without any system buttons or your status bar; and you can get back your status bar and your system buttons by taping on the screen.
This used to be quite a hindrance since in the older versions of Android you had to shut down the app you were using to check your notifications.

The System Changes:

The root system has also undergone a couple of changes.
Google has stated on the official KitKat page that they have provided new Ultra-Fast Wi-Fi connectivity which provides better Data Transfer.

Android 4.4 KitKat will also provide lower end smartphones a feature which resembles NFC but is not exactly NFC. This will open several new options pertaining to NFC to plenty of lower end smartphones.
Other changes in connectivity include support for Bluetooth MAP.
Support for the recently launched ChromeCast is also a new addition.

Compatibility:

Google has stated that Android 4.4 KitKat will support all phones running Android provided that they have a minimum RAM of 512 MB.

However Google has stated that the Nexus S and the Samsung Galaxy Nexus will not receive the 4.4 update which kind of removes the "Nexus" part from the devices.

The Verdict:

Android 4.4 KitKat will definitely provide Android with those next 1 billion users that it is aiming for, provided that manufacturers get the compatibility clause right and manage to successfully provide lower end smartphones the same experience that one would get on higher end devices.

 Google should also make sure that the 4.4 update will be put out in time.
All in all we think that this is a really neat, clean and refreshing new look given to Android and it will be a good thing for Google if it manages to play the cards right.

So that's our review on the newly revealed Android 4.4 KitKat.
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You can head over to the official page for Android 4.4 KitKat by clicking here.

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(Video From MKBHD)

Sarthak J Shetty
Editor In Chief