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Nexus 5 Android 4.4.3 KitKat Release Confuses Users

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Sprint’s Nexus 5 Android 4.4.3 KitKat update vanished without a trace from the carrier’s support page today leaving Nexus 5 owners confused about an update that it originally said would be rolling out between April 14th and April 21st.

Last week, Sprint posted details regarding a new Nexus 5 update on its software support page. The details were in regard to a KTU84F Android update build, a build that is widely believed to be the rumored and upcoming Android 4.4.3 KitKat update from Google. At the time, Sprint noted that the update was indeed Android 4.4.3 KitKat and that it would be rolling out to Nexus 5 owners over the course of a week.

The carrier stated definitively that the update would roll out from April 14th and April 21st and that it would roll out slowly because the update was being deployed by Google. Nexus Android updates are pushed out by Google rather than by individual carriers. As the week went on, it became clear that the Nexus 5 Android 4.4.3 KitKat update was not rolling out to Sprint Nexus 5 users or to any other Nexus users.

Today, the supposed Sprint Nexus 5 Android 4.4.3 release took yet another strange turn.

Nexus 5 Problem

In a strange turn of events, Sprint updated its Nexus 5 software support page today and the KTU84F update that appeared earlier this week is nowhere to be found. What’s interesting is that the update remains on Sprint’s community site with a change log and an expected roll out schedule. Unsurprisingly, Nexus 5 owners are chiming in with questions about the update.

The carrier’s customer support team unfortunately isn’t doing anything to clear up the situation. Instead, the customer support team is only confusing Nexus 5 owners even more. Customer support representatives continue to state that the update is rolling out in waves, despite the fact that we haven’t seen any Nexus 5 owners report an incoming update.

They also make no mention of the update’s disappearance on the support page and are unable to confirm why the update suddenly vanished after remaining there for a week. Instead, they continue to deliver generic responses and even allude to a problem with the roll out. Needless to say, it’s a confusing situation and one that may not be resolved today.

Nexus5-more

What’s clear is that Google and Sprint are preparing a new update for the Nexus 5 and from what we’ve seen, that update is likely going to be an Android 4.4.3 KitKat update with an assortment of bug fixes for Android 4.4.2. It’s just not clear when the update is going to start rolling out.

Evidence of an imminent Android 4.4.3 KitKat release continues to mount. Google recently updated its Edu Device Setup application on the Google Play Store. It was updated two days ago and the device’s change log includes the following references:

  • Support for new Google Spreadsheets
  • Support for Android 4.4.3 and non-Nexus Tablets
  • Minor UI updates and bug fixes

We’ve also seen the Sony Xperia Z Ultra Google Play Edition show up in a new Bluetooth certification with the Android 4.4.3 KitKat update on board. This doesn’t confirm any imminent release but it does seem to confirm information that pointed to an Android 4.4.3 KitKat release for Nexus devices in addition to Google Play Edition devices.

Noted leakster LlabTooFeR believes that KTU84F is likely the final version of Google’s Android 4.4.3 KitKat. He also says that the update will be landing for Google’s Nexus devices and its Google Play Edition devices soon. The Moto X is also said to be getting an upgrade to Android 4.4.3 but like the Google Play Edition devices, it’s likely going to get its Android 4.4.3 update after Google’s Nexus smartphones and tablets.

As for the update itself, Android 4.4.3 KitKat is expected to be an enormous bug fix update for Nexus users, featuring more than three dozen bug fixes for Android 4.4.2 problems. Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 7, and Nexus 10 users have been complaining about Android 4.4.2 KitKat issues since November and the problems have continued to pile up since its release.

While the official Google Android 4.4.3 change log remains unknown, a recent leak detailed many of the fixes that will be coming on board the upcoming update.

Nexus 7 LTE Review 2013 Verizon - 7

The unofficial change log suggests that it will come with a fix for unstable data connections, improved camera focus, a fix for random reboot issues, a fix for missed call LED problems, VPN fixes, and much more. The Android 4.4.3 KitKat update isn’t expected to bring any new features to the table which means that Nexus users will likely have to wait for Google’s next Android update for those.

Google’s Nexus Android update is rumored to be Android 4.5. The new Android update is rumored to be coming in July, after Google I/O, alongside a brand new Nexus devices, rumored to be a larger Nexus 8. The Nexus 8 is thought to be a replacement for the Nexus 7 and feature high-end hardware and quite possibly, new software as well.

6 Comments

6 Comments

  1. Ben

    04/19/2014 at 1:42 am

    That’s enough now! If they further delay this update for my Nexus 5 then I have to look for another alternative may be new Galaxy S5. It’s almost 1 month now since I am facing problem of quick battery drainage in my Nexus 5 device due to background running of camera based apps. I uninstalled all those apps including Skype but the problem still persists. To overcome this issue from my end I recently installed wireless car charger in my car to keep my device fully charged while driving across the countryside region in order to stay connected with the world. Earlier it was rumored that the update would be available in second week of April. However, I am still waiting for the update.

    • Stephen Kucharski

      04/19/2014 at 2:03 am

      WHAT DELAY?? Google hasn’t announced ANYTHING. Sprint did! And they were stupid to do so. Be mad at Sprint, not Google! Carriers don’t push out updates for Nexus Devices – Google does. There has been *NO DELAY* since Google has NEVER announced an update pushing out. So far this update is on time, because it has NOT BEEN RELEASED YET. My God man….
      btw: I have not have one problem with the camera bug yet. I guess I am very lucky that this is the case since it’s obviously a real bug. Possibly/hopefully that new Google Camera update in the playstore helped with that bug (possibly, but unlikely). But to re-iterate; There is NO DELAY of ANY update – because said update has yet to be even announced from Google. How can you have an update delayed if it hasn’t even been announced? I hope you do return your Nexus. Enjoy your Samsung junk and enjoy hoping you get updates 6 months after Nexus devices if you’re lucky. Most phones running 4.4.2 have that same bug. You just don’t hear about it because it’s not newsworthy.

      • Diddy

        04/21/2014 at 7:25 am

        I am a little frustrated too and here’s why:

        I also have had my Nexus for about a month and I struggle DAILY to keep my battery life going. I use the phone light to moderately and it is not uncommon to have less than 50% battery life by 1PM. This is unacceptable.

        Before you say my particular device may be affected – consider for a moment that this is a relatively high end phone that is the latest generation of Vanilla Android straight from Google. I am not going to send in 2, 3 and 4 units like some to get one that “works.”

        That is the point Ben and myself are trying to make. It’s not so much the lack of an update after it was “never announced” rather, the fact that the bugs are known to exist, and were even acknowledged by Google as of yet failed to release a fix in timely fashion.

        We need a fix and we need it now.

        • Stephen Kucharski

          04/25/2014 at 4:46 am

          Try switching to ART runtime. Restart the phone daily. I do agree with you the should have been quicker with a bug fix but what you don’t hear is many (not all) phones with 4.4.2 have the same bugs but they aren’t being reported on. Be thankful you don’t have one of those that *may* be updated somewhere around 6 months from now. I’d rather have them get the update right though instead of taking something fullof other bugs. I did have it lose the Sim once but restarted and was fine. My battery typically lasts until 7pm with 30% remaining with frequent use (not games).

  2. Stephen Kucharski

    04/19/2014 at 1:54 am

    Updates will be announced from Google first, not a carrier. This/these are Nexus; not carrier phones. The vast majority of news media (not necessarily this one) need to get it through their thick skulls it’s GOOGLE that pushes updates out. Sprint, T-Mobile, ATT, whathaveyou; don’t matter at all with Nexus devices. Until you hear something directly from Google it matters not.

    NO MORE NEWS ARTICLES ABOUT THIS UNTIL GOOGLE ANNOUNCES SOMETHING. **GOOGLE** Not a carrier. For God’s sake!

  3. VIDHYA

    04/19/2014 at 8:49 am

    SAN ANDREAS FOR NEXUS 5 https://sh.st/wkYxv

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