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Nexus 7, Nexus 4, Nexus 5 Android 4.4 KitKat Problems Persist

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Nexus 7, Nexus 4 and Nexus 5 users continue to complain about Android 4.4 KitKat bugs inside Android 4.4.2 KitKat including a big issue with the Nexus 5’s microphone which apparently is emitting a hissing noise when users try and record video.

In November, Google rolled out its third, and current Android 4.4 KitKat update, Android 4.4.2. While the update was released in an effort to fix some of the problems that Nexus users were facing in the original Android 4.4 KitKat update, it’s clear that users are still fighting back a number of issues that have plagued those devices for months.

Nexus 7 Setup -8

We’ve detailed many of them over the last few weeks in an effort to bring attention to them. The weeks have gone on and we still haven’t seen Google roll out an Android 4.4.3 KitKat update or an Android 4.5 update, forcing Nexus users dealing with problems to rely on unofficial fixes, temporary fixes and the advice of the Android community.

Over the weeks, we’ve continued to receive word from Nexus users who have detailed many of the issues still affecting their devices. In an effort to bring attention to some of these issues, we want to revisit the plight of Nexus 7, Nexus 4 and Nexus 5 users that are using Android 4.4 KitKat, Google’s latest Android update.

Nexus5

Some of the most vocal users have been Nexus 5 owners who have been complaining about an assortment of issues with their brand new Nexus smartphone. Recently, we were pointed to a lengthy thread on the Google Product Forums where Nexus 5 users are complaining about noise, described as a hissing sound, when recording video. The problem has been attributed to the microphone and at the moment, there is no permanent fix.

A few days ago, a moderator finally shed some light on a situation that does not seem limited to just a few Nexus 5 owners. He insists that Google is working on a fix, saying:

I want to assure you that Google is still working on this issue. At this point it’s looking like software, and not a hardware issue. If you’re experiencing this I do not recommend exchanging your Nexus 5 for a replacement. We’re investigating improving this behavior in a future update to the Nexus 5’s operating system.

So, it would appear that a future update to the Nexus 5 could very well address this issue. Of course, this isn’t the only issue that Nexus 5 owners are frustrated about.

We’ve also heard from a number Nexus 5 owners who have been dealing with connectivity problems for quite some time. Users claim that they have been missing calls when connected to Wi-Fi and their cellular network. Users say that a simple reboot solves the problem but that it reemerges on occasion.

Nexus 5 owners aren’t alone. There is a lengthy thread detailing many of the issues that are plaguing Nexus 4 owners at the moment. One user goes into great detail about his problems with Android 4.4 KitKat on the Nexus 4, detailing 13 issues that are plaguing his device. He also goes into detail about the issues that he is seeing on his Nexus 7 from 2012.

Various Nexus users are also complaining about the Exchange issue not being fixed inside Android 4.4.2 KitKat, a bug that was a cause for concern given that it fouled up Exchange but also brought dreadful battery life to Nexus owners. A couple of weeks ago, Google admitted that it’s still investigating the issue that was supposedly cleared up with Android 4.4.2.

Hey everyone, I just wanted to let you know that this issue is still on our radar and we are still investigating. We appreciate the assistance from the folks who sent us the requested bug reports, they’re an important part of our investigation.

These issues are just the tip of the iceberg.

At this point, it’s clear that Google is still taking a look into the issues plaguing Nexus 7, Nexus 4, and Nexus 5 but it’s still not clear when the company will release its next bug fix update. Earlier this month, we saw a new KitKat build emerge though it was without a name or a release date, leaving users with more questions than answers.

Screenshot 2014-01-27 13.38.46

Typically, when an Android update is close, we see activity pick up in our server logs. Thus far, Android 4.4.3 KitKat activity has been quiet so users should not expect an imminent update with bug fixes.

41 Comments

41 Comments

  1. Klown

    01/27/2014 at 11:12 am

    my father in-law got a nice 6 month old Lexus LS 600h L Sedan just by working online… why not try here Going1.ℭ­­Oℳ

  2. Random

    01/27/2014 at 3:54 pm

    That’s why you install cyanogenmod much stabler less bugs

  3. Dave B

    01/27/2014 at 5:27 pm

    I have a Nexus 7 (2013), Nexus 5 and a Nexus 4.

    The battery life on the Nexus 4 since the initial 4.4 update is just atrocious. It drains 6-10 per hour when idle.

    The white noise (much much worse than “hissing” is so bad on my Nexus 7 that recording video is not an option. I may take the bait and get a trade in.

    The only problem with the Nexus 7 is a ridiculously slow charge. It takes up to 7 hours for a full charge. Fortunately. I’ve discovered that its the wall adapter. With any other adapter I can do it in less than half the time.

    The only one I consider a deal breaker is the N4. I’m rooting this week. I’m thinking of Ubuntu, but may try CM first as I’ve always been a big fan of it.

    • Nertez

      01/29/2014 at 2:40 pm

      I also have Nexus 4 and your battery problem must be just you. I’m getting 1 and a half day easily, sometime even more than 2 days (idle most of the day, on wi-fi). Download official Snapdragon app, called BatteryGuru, that might help a lot too.

      Overall, since KitKat, I just feel the phone is SLOWER. You know how super swift everything used to be? Not anymore, I press home button and it takes some miliseconds to actually get to the home screen. it used to be instant. App browsing is slower too, in the middle of my app screens it takes a while to load the icons.

  4. Berated-reader

    01/27/2014 at 6:30 pm

    Articles written by this sh!thead Adam Mills are nothing but click-baits. I will block this website on opendns.

  5. amg

    01/27/2014 at 7:19 pm

    You are so in love with Apple my friend. I have nexus devices and all work fine. Why waste your time writing such long article for few users who are facing this issue. Use your time creatively and more important – use it productively to write good about apple products rather than making google products look bad.

  6. nexus5

    01/27/2014 at 7:57 pm

    This bug really needs to be fixed asap.
    Thanks for the article adam

  7. brokenNexus5

    01/27/2014 at 10:19 pm

    The issue with connectivity is huge. This is the first time I’ve seen a site mention it – about time! This issue has been ignored by Google since product launch and all we see (from an official google stance) in the product forum is: Its your APN, carrier or SIM. This issue is happening on multiple carriers in multiple regions. Basically, LTE connectivity is terrible and the phone will drop connection. Intermittent behavior may also be failing to connect to 3G or 2G when losing LTE connection. This results in missed calls/texts. Google needs to step up and acknowledge this issue. Some report taking the backpanel off only to find the antenna is not seated completely. This issue is either software or hardware based. It needs to be resolved – we dont need a RED or some other damn color, we need a functional phone.

  8. Haris

    01/27/2014 at 11:59 pm

    Have a nexus 5 and do not have any issues described. Hmm…

  9. Mike

    01/28/2014 at 12:40 am

    I’ve had the nexus 5 since release, and it seems flawless to me. Don’t believe everything you read!

  10. Subhash

    01/28/2014 at 2:55 am

    I agree with Mike. I have had Nexus 5 for a month now and didn’t have any problems. Except I changes some settings and audio with headphones became feeble. The same got fixed after factory reset.

    Don’t believe in what rumor mongers are saying. They are bunch of ppl who go to a forum complaining without even checking with the product company…

    Nexus is the best thing happened to mobile industry which has brought the best of the mobiles at the best prices. Service support is awesome if you have bought it from play store.. They offer a replacement if you’re not happy with your phone without charging a penny…

    Just go for it…

  11. Bobby

    01/28/2014 at 4:42 am

    I have a nexus 7 and do plenty of video recording. I’ve never once had the issues described in the article above. The charge time is also *not* 7 hours. Its more like 30 minutes to get to a full charge (if using the correct cable and switch).

    • Dave B

      01/29/2014 at 1:43 pm

      I’m glad you know how long it takes to charge my nexus 7. One night I went to bed and began charging bit from 6%. When I got up in the morning it was still not charged. Tell ya what. Give me your address and I ll trade you!

  12. Emberdawn

    01/28/2014 at 5:17 am

    I agree that there are a couple of Bugs that are annoying like charging my Nexus 7 (2012) but then Google Nexus line is not meant to be perfect. Afterall it is developer hardware with an open source operating system designed so the community can develop and submit improvements. That’s what makes Android so much better than closed environment of IOS. When IOS 7 released there were many more bugs and users were left at the mercy of apple to fix those issues.

  13. dave

    01/28/2014 at 5:23 am

    I have a nexus 5 and a nexus 7 and have never had any of these problems do you just make this stuff up for fun??

  14. Tony H

    01/28/2014 at 5:31 am

    I have an N7 with no issues. It did once have the accelerometer stick, but a reboot fixed that and has never happened again. GF has an N5. The only issue she has is that there is no Hipstamatic for Android (she is a surprise switcher from iPhone; I got her Nexus for Christmas). Guess we, and the only other person I know with a Nexus, just got lucky. Either way, I’m happy that everyone I’ve personally known to have a Nexus has had no issues and is loving it. Hope a fix comes quickly for this who need it.

    • TacomaRon

      01/29/2014 at 10:35 am

      hopefully just a bad batch…and hopefully it’ll be fixed sooner rather than later,because i really want one and was literally a click away from purchasing a white version but they were out of stock! so…i will wait for as long as it takes because the phone is a beast!! “GO SEAHAWKS”!!

  15. Joseph Wade

    01/28/2014 at 5:40 am

    I have the 7,4, and 5. I do not have any of these issues. Nor does anyone I know. Strange article.

  16. Nite Owl

    01/28/2014 at 11:21 am

    Thanks for this article.
    Another common issue with Nexus 5 is that during a call the person being called complains of very low voice volume or ‘underwater’ type sound. This issue is not always easy evident and occurs at random times.
    Covering the noise cancelling mic can fix this….

  17. Ed

    01/28/2014 at 12:00 pm

    I use my N5 A lot and I don’t have any of these problems… It’s the best and most stable phone I own. Battery Life is supurb (just disable Google+ sync, you gain an extra day), It’s superfast, camera is ok (not the best, I know, but It’s just fine).

  18. Michael Fontana

    01/28/2014 at 12:05 pm

    I have many friends with Nexus devices, and between the 4-5 of us, we have all of these issues on one device or another. Very frustrating.

  19. Manuel Abrego Martinez

    01/28/2014 at 3:57 pm

    This guy is bull shitting people to make nexus 5 out of competition from Samsung Samsung phones suck and when you buy a Samsung phone with issues you has to wait for there next phone to fix them so Samsung issues get fix with the purchase of a new samsung phone with means you end up wasting at least 1000 dollars on devises so yeah for that I keep my nexus phone

    • Emberdawn

      01/28/2014 at 4:03 pm

      I agree with your comment about Samsung phones. Also when you buy a Samsung phone its so filled up with bloatware that you’re 16 GB of built in memory is reduced to less than 8 GB.

  20. clocinnorcal

    01/28/2014 at 4:21 pm

    Is this just a bash Nexus article? The OP makes it sound like all these devices are plaqued with problems. I have the 4, 5 and 7 and while there may have been bugs here and there between updates all my devices work perfectly.

  21. Dan

    01/28/2014 at 8:08 pm

    love my nexus device and have none of the problems above.

  22. Dave Maillet (@BitterBostonian)

    01/28/2014 at 8:16 pm

    It would be nice if you read the articles you link. The “Exchange” issue clearly is stated in the link to be “non-Exchange/POP” in the first line. You’re obviously trying to rile people up for no reason. Enjoy your Apple poroducts. I own the 2013 Nexus 7 and the Nexus 5 and I have NONE of these issues.

  23. Alfred

    01/28/2014 at 11:45 pm

    I’ve got a Nexus 5 and 10, loving both, with zero complains and not seeing any of these issues.

  24. Kanwar Brara

    01/28/2014 at 11:58 pm

    No issues… N4. Have almost 7-8 people around me who have the N5 and they seem to be very happy with their devices

    • Bradley Quewezance

      01/29/2014 at 11:40 am

      My Nexus 5 received my friends sent SMS message to another contact an also the reply back from the contact. This had nothing to do with with me . I have no explanation for what happened.

  25. Anonymous

    01/29/2014 at 12:30 pm

    I have the N4, N5, and N7 (2013, WiFi) and none of them have any of these issues. I use all of them all day at work (Android app development) and no problems whatsoever.

    Adam Mills is a pro a fluffing up the word count of his articles with meaningless ramblings. Go back and read a bunch of his articles about the Nexus 5 from September and October 2013 and you’ll see what I mean.

  26. nexus5

    01/29/2014 at 3:50 pm

    I have Nexus 5, works great. None of these problems exist for me. It was amazingly cheap I could have bought 2 for the price of the iphone 5c

  27. John Nguyen

    01/29/2014 at 6:44 pm

    I have N5 & N7, no issues.

  28. Bryan

    01/29/2014 at 7:35 pm

    I have a Nexus 5 and it must be a magical one because it keep hearing about all these issues but I am not experiencing any of them and my battery life is awesome I am running ART instead of Dalvik it increased standby time dramatically.

  29. Harry

    01/29/2014 at 8:26 pm

    I have a nexus 5 nexus 4 and nexus 7 everything is flawless this article sounds like bullshit to me

    • RonWayne

      01/29/2014 at 9:58 pm

      Harry, I agree(d) until I went to Youtube and typed in NEXUS 5 MISSED CALLS just to see…then i took it a step further and clicked on a link below the video which in turn took me to Googles’ Product Forum and it was there that i read how big of an issue it’s been for quite a few people! Glad to hear yours and alot of others N5’s work just fine…hope the one i buy tomorrow turns out to be a good one!

  30. J

    01/29/2014 at 10:15 pm

    funny I own all three models and have not had a single problem with any of them…

  31. HughM

    01/30/2014 at 7:35 am

    Exchange IS Broken! Nexus 4.

  32. Gregory

    02/01/2014 at 4:20 pm

    No bullshit here. Sound through the speakers that randomly cuts out. Dropping Wifi. Apps randomly crashing sometimes causing a reboot. Random banding on the screen. Still calling foul ? Check any of the Nexus support sections and you will find many more complaints.

  33. MI Dynamics Pakistan

    02/17/2014 at 11:56 am

    Nexus has a long way to go!

  34. Tara Freeman

    02/17/2014 at 5:01 pm

    i have a nexus 7 lte and my microphone no longer works with the update. apparently it just isn’t the phones having issues. luckily I’m still in the return window and will wait til everythings worked out.

  35. Frank

    02/21/2014 at 8:36 am

    I can’t understand how a company in this day and age can provide an update that does not work properly on the equipment that they themselves have designed. They have not provided a fix or communicated to their consumers in a timely manner. As consumers we have no re-course except of course losing our investment and buying from another vendor. Is this just another example of “to big to fail”. Google is just too big now that no matter what they do..no matter how bad their product is..it won’t hurt the company overall..a failure of Capitalism for sure. And as consumers we get screwed again!

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