Thursday, 31 October 2013
While Apple fans get to grips with the freshly-released iOS7, Android users are eagerly awaiting the launch of Kit Kat – otherwise known as Android 4.4. The latest version of Google's mobile OS should be accompanied by the Nexus 5, the newest handset in Nexus lineage and the second to be produced by manufacturer LG. Let us have a look at some of the features of Android 4.4 KitKat.
Features Of Android 4.4 KitKat :
Better looking UI :
Apple's sweeping changes in iOS7 make it look more like Android than ever before, which speaks volumes about how attractive Google's software is these days – a far cry from the bland visuals we had to endure in the days of the HTC Dream. With Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean, Google has turned Android into one of the best-looking operating systems available and this will be due in no small part to the influence of Matias Duarte, who joined the company in 2010 after working at Palm on the similarly attractive webOS platform.
Wider hardware support :
One of Android's biggest issues is fragmentation thanks to the sheer number of devices available. As different versions have been released, many Android owners have been forced to sit back and watch their newly-bought phones become obsolete almost overnight - many handsets are stuck on Android 2.3 because of the stern requirements made by subsequent updates.
Google will apparently try to make amends with Android 4.4, which is rumoured to have lower specification demands and can therefore be installed on older phones and tablets. It's even been said that devices that missed out on 4.0 and beyond will be able to download 4.4 – although we'll believe that when we see it (and of course it will be down to the manufacturers and carriers to actually release the updates). But it's a positive move by Google all the same.
Exclusive Cloud-based system :
Cloud storage is old news – we already have the likes of Google Drive, Dropbox and Box, but Google may be looking to integrate this feature more tightly with Android. Perhaps in the same way that Apple uses iCloud for backups and the like?
You can already automatically backup your photos using Google+, and it's possible to restore certain settings whenever you sign into a new Android device, but there's clearly scope for a better, more streamlined system. We may well see it in 4.4, and it could take us one step closer to ditching onboard storage altogether.
Better battery life :
This is one of those features that seems to get promised every time there's a new version of Android – but this time Google could mean it. Android 4.4 is supposed to make better use of multi-core CPUs and is apparently "lightweight" in terms of the demands it places on the hardware.
That will mean better battery stamina, although this could vary depending on which device Android 4.4 is installed on. One thing's for certain: Google is working to make Android more efficient and less power-hungry, which has been one of the OS' biggest failings since day one.
Smoother screen orientation changes :
This might sound like a relatively minor cosmetic change, but it could end up enriching the user experience no end. The simple process of turning your phone from portrait to landscape - and back again - shouldn't be a jerky, juddery affair. Yet on many Android phones, it most certainly is – and this impacts your enjoyment, even if you don't realise it.
If Google can finally solve this irksome problem then it will take a massive step towards making Android feel as slick and responsive as iOS.
Improved security and bug-squashing :
Android has a very bad reputation when it comes to general security, with many critics citing the prevalence of malevolent apps on the Google Play as a serious cause for concern. Google is clearly aware of this and has recently made it easier to report malicious downloads, but it's clear that the OS still lags behind the iPhone when it comes to keeping things locked down.
Android also has a few underlying bugs - like any OS, really - and Google is promising to eradicate those with Kit Kat.
