Android 4.4 KitKat
Since the smartphones are available in the market, the demand for better android is always growing. The very first android 1.0 was launched in year 2008. Since then it’s undergoing the number of updates to the base OS. Then the release of android 1.5 Cupcake took place, then 1.6 Éclair, then 2.2-2.2.3 Froyo, then 2.3 – 2.3.7 gingerbread. After this it was android 3.0 – 3.2.6 Honeycomb, then 4.0 – 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich, then 4.1 – 4.3 Jelly bean and latest one is android 4.4 Kitkat. Its release was announced in the beginning of year 2013.
The Kitkat update to the Android OS brings some visual changes, including more immersive graphics, as well as deeper integration with Google’s intelligent assistant, Google Now, among other changes and improvements.
Google’s release of android 4.4 cleared that there will be some changes and new features available to the users. The newest version of android is made to work on vast range of devices with various amount of RAM. The main highlight of Kitkat is the memory optimization. The new aspects of Android Kitkat with particularly alter the user’s idea of interaction with android phones and tablets. Apps in android now have a vast area to do the experiment and create new apps. Designers can hide the menu, navigation bars, buttons and other chrome to offer full touch screen app. We can say they can put out of sight the whole system interface while doing work on app. Users can get better e-reader, games and multimedia apps. To uncover the navigation bars, menus and buttons, Kitkat provide new gesture to swipe from top or bottom. Not only this, users can do animation between scenes of distinct page or event or app via new transition framework. This will allow apps to feature fades, resizing and other kind of animations. If user is not very tech-friendly and is unable to manage animations or transition then a function named as “transition manager” is available to do it automatically as per the apps viewing series.
The special features of new android 4.4 Kitkat are as follows:-
- Screen recording: it supports screen recording option which permits users to capture video at the time of using device or store the file in MP4 format. Developers, reviewers and end-users can create a high quality video of their apps directly from the device. The recording can be done at any device-supported resolution function. This can be found via ADB (Android Debug Bridge) tool in android SDK or via the Android Studio integrated developer environment. All this permits the designers or reviewers or users to make tutorials for apps, develop marketing videos, testify the apps etc.
- Storage access: users can open or browse their documents in an app from different cloud storage providers through new storage access framework. The cloud source supplier or local storage services can utilize new system within android by applying new document provider. The document provider class within Android has the APIs (application programming interfaces) which are responsible to browse, read, manage or write docs within apps from any source. Document may be in form of text file, wallpaper, audio file, pictures, video file etc.
- Fresh chromium webview: Chromium WebView is compatible with HTML5 as well as CSS3 and JavaScript. It supports Java Script Engine V8 to enhance javascript performance. Google claims that modified android Kitkat will improve output standards in case of web based contents.
- NFC: a new platform will be there to support Near Field Communications (NFC) transactions in android 4.4 named as Host Card Emulation (HCE). Apps can work in a new “Reader Mode” to receive NFC functionality such as payment processing, building access, tickets etc. The HCE employs an Application Identifier (AID) to meet the various NFC function from the hardware in a device to the right app. Apps can tell what kind of AID they want in what type of category. Users just need to tap the device to initiate the transactions. HCE is not a substitute of NFC but widens the usage of NFC.
- Support for API print and cloud print: the new mobile printing concept is the latest trend in mobile devices. Microsoft has made it better with wireless printing in windows 8.1 and 8.1 RT. Now with Kitkat android apps will be able to print almost any kind of content via a Wi-Fi setup or cloud printer. Users can print images, text and web pages directly from their smartphone or tablet by connecting it with Google service for Android 4.4 known as Google Cloud Print. Kitkat supports application programming interfaces for new types of printer support like HP ePrint printers, and via other printers having apps in the Google Play Store. Manufacturers of printers can use APIs to design a compatible device and make app in Google Pay for user to download it for their printers. To simplify the process Android will turn the documents into PDFs before printing.
- Infrared Blasters: Samsung and HTC have made such smartphones which can be your TV remote and control your TV. Google changed this in case of Kitkat which can make android a universal remote. If any android phone has infrared support, users can tap it and application programming interface will tune the frequency from phone to wherever remote receiver points.
- Enhanced support for connectivity options: it brings support for MAP (message access profile) which allows Bluetooth-enabled cars to exchange messages with Android devices. It aids Bluetooth AVRCP 1.3 version. It also assists Bluetooth HID over GATT (HOGP) which allows a low latency link with peripheral devices like mice, joystick and keyboards. Further it aids Wi-Fi Tunneled Direct Link Setup (TDLS), a bridge to stream media and other data transfer between devices already on the same Wi-Fi network quickly.
- Low power sensors: it assists hardware sensor to minimize power consumed by different sensors. Google working on it to permit the collection and delivery of sensor data on android device with low power mode of processor. This will in turn enhance battery life of smartphones and performance of sensor driven apps. For eg. it supports 2 unique composite sensors step detector and step counter. Both allows user to track steps while walking, climbing, running through apps and hardware interface
- RenderScript: RenderScript Compute was initiated in android 3.1 which were designed to store tasks which can be split and run concurrently. It helps android to perform quicker and effectively by dividing processes within an app. GPU acceleration was launched in android 4.2 Jelly bean supported by Nexus 4 and 5. The new functionality in RenderScript Compute in Android Kitkat helps designers to make more powerful apps while writing less code in order to get efficient output. The lock screen widgets for music and movies apps offer the option to look and jump to particular portion. The quick settings notification menu also adds a ‘location settings’ toggle. A new Emoji keyboard for emotions is included in Google native keyboard.
- New dialer, caller ID: it has app which automatically lines the users’ contacts as per the daily conversation graph. Users can even search for nearby place, contacts, people or businesses in Google app directly through phone app. If you get a call from unknown number, the phone will look for matches from businesses with a local listing on Google Maps. Android 4.4 gives unified messaging app, with Hangouts getting SMS and MMS integration, in addition to offering instant messaging through Google accounts. Hangouts also permit users to share their location and send animated GIFs.
All these amazing attributes of new OS will be available in Google’s nexus 5 and soon HTC one, Samsung S4, Nexus 4, 7 and 10 will be loaded with android 4.4 Kitkat. However, today a CyanogenMod 11 ROM based on the latest version of Android Kitkat has been released for the phone. It is suitable for the persons looking out for finding bugs and fixing them. With little wait, all the named above smartphones will be available to the users.
