Android KitKat on Nexus 4 and Nexus 7 in ‘weeks’, says Google

Google has lifted the lid on the Nexus 5 — the fifth Google-branded smart phone, and the first device to run Android 4.4 KitKat. Jolly good news, but even better is that Google’s other Nexus gadgets will be granted access to the new software shortly.

In a press release sent to CNET, Google says that KitKat will land on the Nexus 4, Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 “in the coming weeks”.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 Google edition and HTC One Google edition will also be updated in the same timeframe.

Requires less memory

Google also boasts that Android 4.4 KitKat requires less memory than previous versions, meaning Android will now run comfortably on a device with a mere 512MB of RAM.

That feat has apparently been achieved by removing “unnecessary background services”, and cutting down the amount of memory that often-used features consume.

The advantage there is that — in theory at least — a broader range of old smart phones can be updated to the latest version, instead of wallowing with an out-of-date operating system.

Whether older mobiles actually get updated will depend on manufacturers and networks getting their act together, but it’s certainly a promising move from the Big G.

Are you excited for Android 4.4 KitKat? Let me know in the comments, or on our Facebook wall.


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