HTC Details Android 4.4 KitKat Update Schedule

To end the year HTC is pulling back the curtains and giving customers a behind the scenes detailed look at software updates for its smartphones. Revealing everything that goes into updates, which stages each device is at, and breaks them down by carrier.

In an attempt to be more open and transparent, HTC will be giving users detailed looks at software updates moving forward, all starting with Android 4.4 KitKat. As a result a revamped and newly launched software update page breaks everything down, and has quite the neat info-graphic on how our smartphones get updated. Of course the main focus is the HTC One, but others are also included.

If you’re the proud owner of the HTC One flagship for 2013, you’re probably hoping Android 4.4 KitKat arrives sometime soon for your device, and guess what, it will. We’ve been keeping track of all the details, but HTC is giving us an in depth look here, and will from here on out.

Since KitKat and the HTC One are front and center, they start with it. Instead of just saying “coming soon” like most manufacturers or carriers, we have a 5-stage breakdown on where the update is sitting. That starts at “Evaluation” and then heads into “Development” which is followed by “Integration”. Then of course the last two are “Certification” and then the all important Push to consumers.

Since there’s a few different versions of the HTC One, they break that down as well. Starting with the unlocked, developer, and Google edition, then the US carriers.

Not only do we get a status update, but it’s a detailed status update along with comprehensive details as to where it is in the pipe, and where the holdup is, which is usually carriers. Of course the unlocked, developer edition, and Google edition HTC One’s have already received Android 4.4 KitKat, and it looks like all US carriers are up next.

Although it isn’t anything we didn’t already know, it’s nice to see a detailed breakdown. Development and integration is complete for all US HTC One smartphones to get KitKat, and now all we need is carriers to certify the update, and push it to consumers, which is expected to start early next year.

While the page does a great job of showing update information, we still need this process to actually be improved and done at a faster rate. The new update website ends by confirming all older HTC devices are still on old versions of Android, and some even on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Just like most manufacturers HTC could still do a better job, but at least this is a good start.