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Android 4.4.3 KitKat vs. Android 4.4.4 KitKat: What We Know So Far

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Last month, Google rolled out two brand new Android 4.4 KitKat updates in the forms of Android 4.4.3 KitKat and Android 4.4.4 KitKat. As we push into August, neither update is showing signs of slowing down and here, we take a look at how Android 4.4.4 KitKat and Android 4.4.3 KitKat are progressing as we head towards an Android L release.

In the weeks leading up to June, we had heard that Google was prepping an Android 4.4.3 KitKat update for arrival. Rumors suggested that Android 4.4.3 KitKat would be a massive bug fix update aimed at solving Android 4.4.2 KitKat problems. After a series of leaks, Google finally released Android 4.4.3 KitKat on June 4th, the same day that Apple announced iOS 8.

Android 4.4.3 KitKat was, and is, a big bug fix update and one that delivers fixes in addition to brand new looks for the dialer and the People application. Its got cosmetic changes, its got bug fixes and for owners of some devices, its got some fantastic enhancements. It may not be the major Android release that some Android users are after but it’s an important update nonetheless.

In late June, Google surprised a lot of people when it pushed out a new Android 4.4.4 KitKat update. The update delivered a patch for an OpenSSL vulnerability and that was it. At least for Nexus users. Other manufacturers have used Android 4.4.4 KitKat to deliver the fixes from Android 4.4.3 KitKat in addition to the security patch. It’s all a little confusing and that’s why we want to bring in all of the latest details in one place and give Android users an updated, overall look at the Android 4.4.3 KitKat vs Android 4.4.4 KitKat situation.

The past few days have been extremely busy for both Android 4.4 KitKat updates and we’re finally starting to get a pretty good idea about what to expect for a number of popular devices.

Android 4.4.3 KitKat

HTC

HTC One-Best-Cheap-Phone-June 2014

While most companies skipped Android 4.4.3 KitKat in favor of Android 4.4.4 KitKat, HTC is doing the exact opposite. Instead of delivering Android 4.4.4 KitKat with the patch and fixes from Android 4.4.3 KitKat on board, HTC is pushing out Android 4.4.3 KitKat updates with fixes and the Android 4.4.4 KitKat patch on board.

HTC has aggressively pushed out Android 4.4.3 KitKat to its devices. The roll out kicked off with an update for the Sprint HTC One M8 and the update has since spread to the HTC One M8 Developer Edition, the HTC One M7 Developer Edition and the HTC One M8 in Europe. All three of those updates are rolling out right now and they deliver mostly bug fixes to owners of HTC’s top two smartphones.

The company still has a long way to go though unlike some manufacturers, HTC is keeping its customers in the loop. Just yesterday, HTC’s Mo Versi confirmed that the company is targeting next week for the T-Mobile HTC One M8 Android 4.4.3 KitKat update. This is a target for approval which means that we could certainly see the update pushed deeper into August.

No word yet on the AT&T or Verizon HTC One M8 or HTC One M7 Android 4.4.3 KitKat updates though it’s clear that the company is in the lab working hard to get these updates approved.

We’ve heard about a few other upcoming HTC One Android 4.4.3 KitKat updates as well. Australian carrier Telstra is planning to push HTC One M8 and HTC One M7 Android 4.4.3 KitKat updates out in August and more specifically in mid-August. Mid-August serves as a placeholder for the updates though it’s looking good at the moment.

French carrier SFR says that it plans to push an HTC One M8 Android 4.4.3 KitKat update in early August and noted HTC insider LlabTooFeR says that we should start seeing HTC One M7 Android 4.4.3 KitKat updates push in two to three weeks. What’s clear is that companies are targeting August releases and so we should see a number of other HTC One Android 4.4.3 KitKat updates push in this time frame.

Other than what appears to be a rogue Android 4.4.3 KitKat update for the Desire 816 from Australian carrier Optus, we haven’t seen updates confirmed for other big name HTC devices. Devices like the HTC One max and HTC One mini remain out of the picture, at least for the time being. We should see HTC One Android 4.4.3 KitKat updates roll out across the board but there’s no guarantee for other HTC-branded devices.

LG

LG-G3-outside

LG still hasn’t confirmed any Android 4.4.3 KitKat or Android 4.4.4 KitKat updates for its devices, flagship or otherwise, and it’s not clear what the company has in store for its users.

As we’ve noted several times in the past, LG usually keeps its cards close to its chest. So if the LG G3 Android 4.4.3 KitKat or the LG G2 Android 4.4.3 KitKat updates are coming, users probably won’t know until we get much closer to the actual roll out dates.

Motorola

Motorola is one of the companies that skipped Android 4.4.3 KitKat in favor of Android 4.4.4 KitKat. Motorola’s Android 4.4.4 KitKat updates deliver the bug fixes found on Android 4.4.3 KitKat in addition to the security patch that arrived on board Android 4.4.4 KitKat.

Samsung

Samsung-Galaxy-S5-vs-Galaxy-Note-3-Displays-620x437

Samsung,, the world’s largest Android manufacturer, continues its silence in regard to Android 4.4.3 KitKat. Weeks ago, we heard that the company was developing the update for the Samsung Galaxy S5 and Samsung Galaxy S4 LTE-A with releases rumored for June and July respectively. We’re now heading into August and neither update has rolled out.

In fact, the Samsung Galaxy S4 LTE-A Android 4.4.2 KitKat update just started rolling out, a sign that Android 4.4.3 KitKat may not be in the cards after all. And if it is, it’s probably not going to be coming until much further down the line.

At this point, Samsung users must temper their expectations because this could go one of a few different ways.

  • We could see Samsung push Android 4.4.3 KitKat, perhaps for select devices.
  • We could see it skip to Android 4.4.4 KitKat like other companies.
  • We also could see it wait for Android L to deliver new updates for Android 4.4.2 KitKat uses.

Sony

Like Motorola, Sony decided to skip Android 4.4.3 KitKat in favor of Android 4.4.4 KitKat. And like Motorola, the company has been extremely vocal about its Android 4.4.4 KitKat roll out that delivers bug fixes, enhancements and patches.

Nexus

The Nexus 7 LTE remains on Android 4.4.3 KitKat. It’s still not clear if or when it will get Android 4.4.4 KitKat. Keep in mind, the device got Android 4.4.3 KitKat several weeks after its Nexus brethren did so it could be that the update is simply lagging. We’re not entirely sure at this point and if Google does have a plan for it, it’s not saying.

Android 4.4.4 KitKat

HTC

HTC won’t be rolling out Android 4.4.4 KitKat updates to its smartphones. Instead, the company says that it will move from Android 4.4.3 KitKat to the Android L update, the update that Google announced on stage at Google I/O 2014.

Android L is set to deliver a number of big time features including design tweaks and rumors suggest that it will be pushing out sometime later this year alongside a Nexus 8 tablet from HTC and perhaps, a Nexus 6 smartphone from Motorola. Specific release date rumors put the software inside of October, November or December.

HTC has already confirmed Android L updates for the HTC One M7 and HTC One M8 within 90 days of Google’s public release. Other devices remain out of the picture at the moment.

LG

Again, no word here from LG. This doesn’t mean much because the company almost always remains silent about its software updates. Android 4.4.3 KitKat or Android 4.4.4 KitKat could still be coming. It’s all up in the air at this point.

Motorola

Moto-G-Review-6-620x388

Motorola has been extremely busy with its Android 4.4.4 KitKat updates. Several weeks ago, the company began rolling out Android 4.4.4 KitKat to its Moto X, Moto G, and Moto E to select users. Those updates were soon followed up by Android 4.4.4 KitKat updates for the Droid MAXX, Droid Mini and Droid Ultra in the United States.

Now, the focus is on the remaining Moto G, Moto E and Moto X Android 4.4.4 KitKat updates. Yesterday, Motorola and Verizon pushed out the Moto X Android 4.4.4 KitKat update. The update comes with bug fixes, improved camera picture quality, the ability to pause video recordings, and the improvements to the dialer. It’s a big update for Verizon users.

It’s still not clear when the other carriers will boost their Moto X variants up to the latest software but our guess is that we should see new updates show up in the near future. U.S. carriers typically aren’t too far behind each other.

We’ve recently seen the Moto G Android 4.4.4 KitKat update push out in the U.S. and in France and it’s looking like the update is in full blown roll out mode right now. Timing will vary but we should see most Moto G Android 4.4.4 KitKat updates push out over the next few weeks as Motorola works to complete its Android 4.4.4 KitKat push.

Samsung

Still no word on Android 4.4.4 KitKat updates for devices like the Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy S5, Galaxy S4 or Galaxy S3. We haven’t heard or seen any rumors when typically we see details leak out weeks ahead of time.

Sony

Sony-Xperia-z1s-Hands-on-Video-620x413

Sony is also making a massive Android 4.4.4 KitKat push.

Yesterday, Sony announced that the Android 4.4.4 KitKat update for its Sony Xperia Z1 is now available in Canada across several carriers including Bell, Telus and Rogers. As we pointed out, the trio of updates arrived just a few days after Sony started rolling out Android 4.4.4 KitKat and a number of enhancements out to the Xperia Z1, Xperia Z1 Compact and the Sony Xperia Z Ultra. The updates are rolling out in waves and should take several weeks to reach all variants in all regions.

Australian carrier Telstra also announced a slew of Sony Android 4.4.4 KitKat update details in an update to its Android upgrade schedule.

The carrier says that it plans to roll out Android 4.4.4 KitKat updates for the Sony Xperia Z1, Xperia Z1 Compact and Xperia Z though the Xperia Z is the only one with an ETA. Telstra says that the update will be rolling out in September though it’s always possible that the software will hit a delay during the testing process.

Telstra’s confirmations come just a few days after SFR confirmed Android 4.4.4 KitKat updates for its Xperia Z1 Compact, Xperia Z Ultra, Xperia Z1, and Xperia Z2. All of these updates are rumored for August and could be a part of a wider roll out as Sony works to get its high-end devices outfitted with the latest Android 4.4 software.

10 Comments

10 Comments

  1. Simens Dario

    07/29/2014 at 1:19 pm

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  2. Joey Smith

    07/29/2014 at 1:32 pm

    No words from Samsung, oh God … that company suks when talking about updates. I hate my Galaxy S4 after it was updated to Kitkat 4.4.2, I’ll switch to HTC, Sony, LG, Nexus or Motorola, but I’m not staying with Samsung anymore!!!

  3. Allan Gault

    07/29/2014 at 4:14 pm

    Samsung please get a grip, Android 4.4.4 update if you don’t mind…

  4. soham

    07/30/2014 at 4:51 am

    i use sony xperia z.please relise 4.4.4 kitkat version for it tooo…….

  5. Michael Rodriguez

    07/30/2014 at 5:55 am

    After the damn kitkat 4.4.2 update, my Galaxy S4 is a piece of crap. Among several problems, the most important one is related to phone calls. When calling someone, I can hear when it connects but cannot hear the phone ring nor the person who answers. When I’m receiving a call I can see an incoming call but once I answer I can’t hear the person and they can’t hear me. I’ve tried the factory data reset and that didn’t work. I’ve also tried turning up the volumes and that doesn’t work either!!!

  6. d

    07/30/2014 at 3:23 pm

    You’d think. With all this talk of a security issue. That we would receive our updates faster.

  7. Michael Rodriguez

    07/31/2014 at 8:55 am

    Don’t pinch that webpage above, it’s scam! Let’s be careful with so many THIEVES on the web trying to hunt with some people. Money is not easy to get, you have to work hard to get some money for your living. Open your eyes, don’t trust this king of pages. Good luck!!!

  8. flex

    07/31/2014 at 2:14 pm

    LG G2 updates are rolling out today.
    The last update ruined my phone app, let’s hope this one will fix that problem

  9. sanjay

    08/01/2014 at 8:47 pm

    I download 4.4.4 KitKat software the perfamce of net is too slow give me any suggestion to me wht want to do……..?

  10. warren

    08/03/2014 at 8:42 am

    Looks like Google is falling on their sword again……… hate to say this but Apple here I come.

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