News - Android KitKat documentation leak: a low-end friendly OS?

[HEXUS]

Will this result in “an amazing Android experience available for everybody”?

Read more.

[scaryjim]

Well, the naming's already targetted lowest common denominator, so I guess there's no reason the OS shouldn't aim for the same goal technically

[mtyson]

hoping to see an official reveal video later today

[Output]

Despite Google's intentions, I doubt many manufacturers and/or networks will bother making this update available for the older devices (even those that are less than two years old), and at most will just say that they'll offer it as an upgrade from their latest ones onwards.

I think the custom ROM community is likely to be the only way that most people interested in upgrading to it will be able to do so.

[Nobull]

I'd love to see this for my ageing desire HD...tbh the only thing that lets it down is the software, from a hardware point of view I don't REALLY feel the need to upgrade.

[mtyson]

[SuGaR847]

So you think that the reason OEMs don't upgrade their phones to the latest version is memory requirements? I think that myth has been busted ages ago. Just have a look at the custom ROMs of android versions that the manufacturer claims is not compatible with a headset. They don't bother adapting newer versions of the software to older devices to 'force' us to by the newer ones. KitKat is not going to change anything unfortunately.

[Andi-C]

Its here ! Ordered a 16GB in black....

[jnutt]

Saving for the 32gb

[Percy1983]

I might not mean old phones get updates but currently budget phones run older versions, so maybe new budget models will be up to date.

This is my reason for going windows, my budget 520 runs just the same as the flagship in everyday use.

[Jay]

I'd love to see this for my ageing desire HD...tbh the only thing that lets it down is the software, from a hardware point of view I don't REALLY feel the need to upgrade.

same here although the camera is poor

[T Muffy]

4.4 isn't coming to the Galaxy Nexus, Google own flagship phone from less than 2 years ago. It is still a very good phone and by no means low end despite it's age, but Google aren't releasing the update for it "falls outside of the 18-month update window when Google and others traditionally update devices" despite 4.4 being designed to unite low end hardware. I understand not all phones will receive every update but this has made me lose some faith in the Nexus brand. With the Nexus 5 not having a card slot or removable battery I'll be looking elsewhere for my next upgrade.

[hesham1516]

I love it when Android users come out with chestnuts like this. The whole point of any hardware like this is to run software. If your software is letting you down then you have a sub standard device. End of.

Sorry, but that is the sheep mentality that is letting device manufacturers get away with the BS they do, especially Apple. If a device does everything a user needs it to, then there should be no reason to upgrade.
Manufacturers stop supporting devices mostly to encourage you buy an upgrade, but also supporting older devices is a waste of resources after just one year or so.

Nobull - Just because HTC stopped supporting the device doesn't mean the community has. If your brave, try installing a custom rom, might need a bit of reading first, but here is a rom with Android 4.3

[Funkstar]

Sorry, but that is the sheep mentality that is letting device manufacturers get away with the BS they do, especially Apple. If a device does everything a user needs it to, then there should be no reason to upgrade.
Manufacturers stop supporting devices mostly to encourage you buy an upgrade, but also supporting older devices is a waste of resources after just one year or so.

There is absolutely no valid reason why older hardware could not be upgraded to newer releases. The only one is commercial, and I would argue that isn't actually a "good" reason.

The HTC One X is still more powerful than current handsets that Google is aiming 4.4 at. I think this is the final push for me to try custom ROMs again.

[zdn1042]

Despite Google's intentions, I doubt many manufacturers and/or networks will bother making this update available for the older devices (even those that are less than two years old), and at most will just say that they'll offer it as an upgrade from their latest ones onwards.

I think the custom ROM community is likely to be the only way that most people interested in upgrading to it will be able to do so.

^ This.

Still, good job to Google for making their latest OS more accessible to those lower-end devices.

[crossy]

I love it when Android users come out with chestnuts like this. The whole point of any hardware like this is to run software. If your software is letting you down then you have a sub standard device. End of.

I'm going to agree and disagree with you. Yes, you've got a point on the face of it. But nobull's point is that the fact that HTC/Google stopped shipping updates mean that you've still got issues that could EASILY be solved with a "simple" software update.

To use an analogy - I've got a PC that was running WindowsXP. Does that make it a bad PC? No, of course not. That's been updated to Windows7 and it's absolutely fine.

Personally I think Google's attitude wrt updates has always been 100% wrong, (throwaway culture writ large) and the sooner they wake up and realise that, the better for everyone concerned.