Google: All New Android Phones Must Ship With KitKat

According to MobileBloom, a leaked memo has been identified, stating that all Android smartphones will have to run KitKat or else Google will not endorse the handset.  The Android memo is the first sign that Google is finally sorting the problem it has with fragmentation.  Because Google offers hundreds of phones to customers from many manufacturers across the world, Google’s operating system is swiftly becoming fragmented.  This issue is one of the top objections the operating system receives from application developers.

Apparently, the memo was sent from the Android team to its top OEM partners: Sony, Samsung, HTC, and LG who are all original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for Google.  “Starting February 2014, Google will no longer approved GMS distribution on new Android products that ship older platform releases,” the memo states. “Each platform release will have a ‘GMS approval window’ that typically closes nine months after the next Android platform release is publicly available.”  Any handset that does not get approval from Google Mobile Services (GMS) will not be able to ship with Google’s main applications which include Now, Maps and Google Play store.

Does this mean the end of all budget Android phones?  It could be! If real, the memo could mean an end to cheap  Android handsets and increase the price of middle of the road smartphones.  KitKat also has higher minimum specifications than foregoing operating systems.  This may mean that phones like the Samsung Galaxy core are no longer possible.  It has been said that KitKat has been coded to work better on lower powered smartphones. However, this could still have enough of a knock on effect to possibly  give the developing market to opponents such as Mozilla’s FireFox and Tizen.

Last year, Android CEO Sundar Pichai said him and his team were working on solutions for Android fragmentation. Figures showed, at the end of January 2014, that approximately 1.4 per cent of all Android smartphones were running the latest version of the operating system. While in contrast, over 80 per cent of iPhones were running iOS7, Apple’s latest operating system.  Android released KitKat just weeks after iOS 7 was released for Apple’s devices.  It is uncertain how Nokia will be affected as they use older versions of Android. We will just have to wait and see. 

As always, if you have any sensible comments regarding this story, please leave your comments in the section below.

 EnjOy..:)

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How To Install Android 4.4 KitKat Launcher On Any Jelly Bean Device

Last year’s Nexus 4 was an awesome device that proved LG can definitely make goodlooking phones. This year’s Nexus 5 is no different, offering the best specs and the most svelte design a $350 phone has ever offered. But it’s not just the hardware where Nexus 5 really shines; the new Android 4.4 Kitkat that it ships with is every bit as impressive. We’ve already covered a summary of new features in Kitkat, so you might want to check that out as well. Those who’ve been eyeing on the latest version of Android would be aware about its new Google Experience Launcher. The search engine giant has kicked up another notch by presenting the best looking stock Android launcher yet. If you can’t wait to get your hands on it, we’ve got some good news for you. The launcher files have already been uploaded to the internet, and you grab them to try it on your own device running any version of Jelly Bean. Just follow our full guide to get it up and running.

It’s worth noting that Google Experience Launcher may not work on all phones, and you may face force close issues. In our own testing, the launcher didn’t face any problem whatsoever on the international variant of Galaxy S4, but your mileage may vary depending on your device. We advise that you create a backup before proceeding.

Requirements

• A phone running Android 4.1, 4.2 or 4.3 Jelly Bean
• Google Experience Launcher files. The archive contains:
  1. PreBuiltGmsCore.apk (Google Play Services 4.0)
  2. Velvet.apk (Google Search)
  3. GoogleHome.apk (Launcher)

  

Procedure

1. Again, to be on the safe side we recommend that you create a backup first to avoid any issues
2. Next up, download the ZIP fie provided in the link above and extract its contents to an easily accessible location. You can download the file to your PC and transfer them to your device, or you can download it straight to your Android device and extract the archive using any file extraction app.
3. Now, install all three files available in that folder one by one by simply tapping on them, or sideloading them via ADB form your computer.
4. Once done, simply press Home and select the new Launcher as default.

   

Note: If you face Google Search Force Close issue, just long-press the home screen in the new launcher, select Settings and then tap Voice. Select Language to change the default. You can change to any another language and then again back to your own language by following the same procedure

EnjOy..:)

Bugs Of Techn0l0gy

Android 4.4 KitKat: A Summary Of New Features & Improvements

All the regular leaks and rumors have kept the Android community abuzz for the past few weeks, waiting for the next major update to Android. Well, Google announced Android 4.4 ‘KitKat’ some time ago, but they just formally detailed all the new features a few hours ago. In this article, we’ll be covering all the new changes you should expect when your device manufacturer ultimately rolls out Android 4.4 to your device.

All Recent Nexus Devices Except Galaxy Nexus Will Support Android 4.4

Most probably due to its weak chip, the Galaxy Nexus will not officially receive Android 4.4 from Google. However, one can expect the active developer to rise to the occasion, and launch custom ROMs built on top of KitKat. It’s a shame considering how Apple has been able to support the three-year-old iPhone 4, while Google isn’t able to support a phone released just a year and a half ago.

Nexus 10, Nexus 7 2012/2013, Nexus 4, Google Play Editions of HTC One and Galaxy S4 will get Android 4.4 soon. Google used the words, “in the coming weeks.”

“Ok Google”: Quick Access To Voice Commands

Remember the “always listening” Touchless Control feature in Moto X? Android 4.4 packs something quite similar but very limited in comparison. You can use the “Ok Google” voice command to gain quick access to Google Now actions, but only if you’re on the home screen or within Google Now. Also, it is currently only supported on the Nexus 5.

Project Svelte Drastically Reduces RAM Consumption For Low-End Devices

The single biggest reason why Android caught up and subsequently leapfrogged iOS in market-share is because of its ability to run on low-end smartphones and tablets. The experience of using Android on these devices is often drastically different than high and even mid-end devices, so Google has announced ‘Project Svelte’ as part of 4.4 KitKat, which makes some clever optimizations to reduce the amount of RAM Android apps use. Low-end devices will get the most out of this, but higher-end devices will see benefits in the form of improved multi-tasking and generally better performance.

Apps Can Now Natively Go Full-Screen

The biggest advantage of using virtual buttons is that they can go away when you don’t need them, which gives you more screen space to enjoy games and videos. On Android 4.4 KitKat, it will be easy for developers to make their app take over the entirety of the screen. If you want to see the status bar or navigation bar again, swipe up or down (respectively) to see it momentarily. It is somewhat similar to how Notification Center and Control Center work on iOS.

Translucent Status & Navigation Bar

We’ve discussed tweaks to achieve this and ROMs that support this by default. From Android 4.4 onwards, both previously mentioned bars will be completely transparent, giving you a sense of extra space on your homescreen. Not a huge difference per se, but it’s a welcome one.

Smarter Phone App

Getting a call from an unknown number? The Phone app will automatically search for the number on Google in the background, and update it with the name of the restaurant, bank, or shop if found. This also works the other way: you can start typing the name of a nearby location on Google Maps and you’ll be presented with the phone number. Additionally, the app will remember who you call the most and show these contacts higher in the list when searching for them.

Hangouts Replaces Messaging App

After replacing the AOSP Camera app, Keyboard, Email, Browser etc. with its own proprietary solutions, Google has now replaced the terrible AOSP Messaging app with the latest version of Hangouts. As most of you already know, Hangouts now supports texting over SMS, and conversations over SMS or Google Hangouts are displayed seamlessly – it’s a long-awaited feature, but you should understand that it is another big step by Google to lock down Android by close-sourcing as many important parts of the system as possible.

Native Support For Printing

With Android 4.4, you will be able to connect to remote printers through Google Cloud Print and nearby printers over the same WiFi network to print the documents you carry with you on your device. This goes well with Google’s move to acquire Quickoffice.

Emoji In Google Keyboard

Though not that groundbreaking an addition, it is certainly one that has been deemed missing from the OS for a long time. Emoji will now be available everywhere, right from within the stock keyboard.

IR Blaster Support

Both HTC One and Galaxy S4 came with IR blasters for controlling your TV remotely, but the hardware didn’t work in Google Play editions of the same phones because of lack of software support. In Android 4.4, support for sending control signals over IR is built in.

Screen Recording

App reviewers and developers rely on screen capture tools to enhance the products of their labor, and there’s no better way to enhance app reviews and development than with recording a video of the screen. Previously, you had to rely on third-party apps, however, you can now record screen activity using Android 4.4 itself. It can be accessed over ADB, and we’ll show you how as soon as we get our hands on KitKat.

EnjOy..:)

Bugs Of Techn0l0gy

Google announces 'KitKat' as next Android version as platform crosses 1 billion activations

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Hot on the heels of Apple's announcement of its Sept. 10 iPhone event, Google has revealed some major news of its own. Sundar Pichai, head of Chrome and Android, has announced that the Android 4.4 will officially be known as "KitKat." A landing page on the official Android website has confirmed KitKat as the "K" dessert, as well as the fact that the next version of Android will be 4.4 rather than 5.0.

To go along with its new dessert, Google has revealed that specially-wrapped KitKat bars with Android branding will soon begin appearing in stores. Buyers will have the chance to win a new Nexus 7 tablet or Google Play credit.

It's long been rumored that "Key Lime Pie" would be the nickname for the next major version of Android. That's part of the reason why this "KitKat" name comes as a surprise, with the other part being that Google has chosen a trademarked name to represent its new software. John Lagerling, Google's director of Android partnerships, has told BBC News that neither side is paying one another for the deal. Instead, Lagerling explainsthat the driving force behind the decision was to do something "fun and unexpected."

As for the "Key Lime Pie" name, it's said that Google's Android team had referred to the new software by that moniker internally. However, Lagerling says that because few people know what a key lime pie tastes like, Google decided to go in another direction. KitKats were suggested as a possibility because Google keeps them stocked in its kitchens for late night snacking, and 24 hours after making a cold call to Nestle in November 2012 to inquire about a partnership, a deal between the two companies was struck.

Unfortunately for Android fans hungry for more KitKat, there's no word yet on exactly what features the new OS will include. Google does promise on its landing page that its goal with KitKat is to "make an amazing Android experience available for everybody." Only El Goog knows for sure what that means, but it could suggest that the company plans to improve Android to work on lower-end hardware, both for entry-level devices and for products like smartwatches.

Pichai also announced today that Android has officially crossed the 1 billion device activation mark. This milestone comes around 3 1/2 months after the total number of activations hit 900 million.

Via  Android KitKat, BBC News

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