Google release Android 4.4, made for budget devices
Internet giant Google has released the latest version of Android, named KitKat. According the company, the new Android 4.4 is optimized for low-cost devices that "couldn't benefit from more recent Android releases due to memory (RAM) constraints."
Targeting the next billion smartphone users, Google has "slimmed down Android's memory footprint by removing unnecessary background services and reducing the memory consumption of features." This has not only been done for the Android platform, but also for Google services like Chrome and YouTube.
In India, most smartphones under Rs 12,000 price point have 512MB RAM or less, leading to several instances of lag. With the lighter Android4.4, budget smartphones launched in 2014 or low-end handsets that get the KitKat update are likely to operate more smoothly.
The company has also said that the latest Android release makes the user experience more immersive by "everything except what you really want to see."
Some of the new features of Android 4.4 are hands-free voice search across the device (similar to the always-on function of Moto X), redesigned dialer app that allows users to look up contacts based on location as well as Google Apps they use. The default SMS app has been integrated into the Hangouts application (which replaced the GTalk app when Android 4.3 was released) and multitasking is faster in KitKat.
The release also improves the functionalities of caller ID as well as Google Now and brings support for Bluetooth MAP (Message Access Profile), Chromecast and TV remote controls.
Android KitKat will come preloaded with the new Nexus 5 smartphone and will soon hit Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 tablets, Nexus 4 smartphone and the Google Play versions of Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One.
Targeting the next billion smartphone users, Google has "slimmed down Android's memory footprint by removing unnecessary background services and reducing the memory consumption of features." This has not only been done for the Android platform, but also for Google services like Chrome and YouTube.
In India, most smartphones under Rs 12,000 price point have 512MB RAM or less, leading to several instances of lag. With the lighter Android4.4, budget smartphones launched in 2014 or low-end handsets that get the KitKat update are likely to operate more smoothly.
The company has also said that the latest Android release makes the user experience more immersive by "everything except what you really want to see."
Some of the new features of Android 4.4 are hands-free voice search across the device (similar to the always-on function of Moto X), redesigned dialer app that allows users to look up contacts based on location as well as Google Apps they use. The default SMS app has been integrated into the Hangouts application (which replaced the GTalk app when Android 4.3 was released) and multitasking is faster in KitKat.
The release also improves the functionalities of caller ID as well as Google Now and brings support for Bluetooth MAP (Message Access Profile), Chromecast and TV remote controls.
Android KitKat will come preloaded with the new Nexus 5 smartphone and will soon hit Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 tablets, Nexus 4 smartphone and the Google Play versions of Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One.
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