Software: Enter Android 4.4 'KitKat'

One of the great benefits of getting a Nexus device is, naturally, stock Android. No horrible UIs from smartphone manufacturers, no more dodgy features that add bloatware to the operating system, and the call of dissipated updates to the latest rendering of Android when they're uncommitted. The Nexus 5 is the first device to come loaded with Android 4.4 'KitKat', and then there's a number of new features to talk about.

First up, there are several system-wide visual changes that have been made. The condition saloon at the top and the navigation debar at the bottom are now translucent in the launcher, which now makes the OS find like it's taking up the entire display, rather than letterboxing the actual serviceable homescreen space like with Mechanical man 4.3. This clear effect ISN't just closed to the launcher, with refreshed APIs allowing any app to put happy behind a semitransparent position/navigation bars. No apps currently use this feature, although it appears an update to Maps might preface the effect.

The status bar itself now features entirely white schoolbook and icons, which looks outstanding but has introduced respective regressions in the information that is displayed. Previously, blue Wi-Fi operating theatre net icons indicated the device had a connection to Google's servers (aka. the internet is working) while grey-headed meant there was no connection; the changeover to white has removed this indicator. Also absent are the small arrows placed on the Wi-Fi and electronic network icons that showed whether the device was presently uploading or downloading data. Removing these arrows in KitKat has simplified the status bar, but power users like myself can atomic number 102 longer easily troubleshoot whether the gimmick is receiving/transmission information when, for example, an application won't freshen or connect to the internet.

These features aren't totally removed from Android, just they now reside in the awkward agile settings venire accessible via the notification window pane. I'm not quite sure what the benefits are to removing the network activity and internet connection indicators, but it's a change that I'll have to get used to.

New to Mechanical man 4.4 is an immersive mode that altogether hides the interface, allowing an app to exercise 100% of the exhibit's realty. Swiping from the top/bottom of the screen reveals the status bar and navigation buttons, which volition be especially useful once games start to take advantage of the sport. Presently, many another games keep the navigation bar visible happening the display, albeit with the icons reduced to small glow dots; while this UI mode is still available in KitKat, the immersive mode will cater many flexibility to developers, especially when hyphenated with the clear effect.

Across KitKat's interface and in many of the included applications, Google has moved away from a dark theme to a ignitor one that uses whites and greys in preference to blacks. System-wide this affects a number of highlights that occur when you tap items or overscroll; previously blue, these now show in grey. The included wallpapers and many app icons are using a lighter colouring pallet than before, which gives the operational scheme a visually refreshing visual aspect.

The launcher itself in Android 4.4 has received some epochal changes, so such sol that it's technically no more a standalone rocket launcher lotion, but the Google Search app expanded importantly to comprise the usual homescreen functionality. This substance Google Now is fully integrated into the launcher, and accessible finished terzetto ways: flicking to the socialistic of the main homescreen, the permanent Google seek stop, and swiping raised from the home button.

With Google In real time occupying a pane to the left of the intense homescreen, you can't have any apps in that pane anymore, restricting your widget/app options to the redress panes only. This may be annoying for some users, just personally I don't use much a a few panes, and I love having direct access to Google Now/Hunting done a warm swipe.

The integration of Google Now likewise brings support for an 'always listening' feature, where you can suppose "OK, Google" to your phone when on a homescreen and it wish begin a Google phonation search, no display tapping needful. A standardised feature film was seen in the Moto X, where you could pioneer a Google voice regular when the phone's display was murder, nevertheless in KitKat the feature only works happening the homescreens, which restricts its use reasonably. I'm still very skeptical of the accelerate advantages of exploitation voice search over tapping the Google seek relegate and typing manually, but leastways the feature is reasonably cool and allows you to lookup even if your hands are full.

Many of the apps enclosed on the Nexus 5 (and olibanum likewise in KitKat) out of the box are available already in the Google Play Memory, and pick up updates separately to core Android. There's not much point in spending time going over the features you can find in the Malcolm stock Android 4.4 Calendar, Music, Maps, Gmail, Hunt, Quickoffice apps and then forth as they're identical to the previous versions for the most part and available for anyone to download. Apps you pot't discover in the Store much every bit Gallery, People, Clock and Calculator are very similar to the apps found in Android 4.3, with underage visuals changes here and there.

Unitary of the star app changes in Android 4.4 relates to SMS messaging. As we've reported before, Android 4.4 ditches a standalone messaging diligence and bundles information technology into the Hangouts app, allowing you to instant message (through Hangouts/Google+) or SMS message in the one practical application. It's a dead functional SMS app, but it does little to merge the worlds of Hangouts and SMS messaging. Switching betwixt SMS and Hangouts requires you to enter an exclusively different conversation pane with a separate conversation story, rather than the ideal situation where both are combined.

If you don't deficiency to use Hangouts As the default on SMS app, KitKat introduces a way to set third-party applications as the default app. Google has provided a hot API for third-party applications to access and send SMS messages officially, which should make the experience of using a non-default messaging app better than it was in former versions of Android.

Interestingly, Android 4.4 has 2 different art gallery applications, the traditional Verandah covering that you've used before, and the new Photos app bundled with Google+. The interface of the Photos app is nicer, simpler and packs an improved sharing menu, but there isn't have parity between the two apps. Gallery contains a better photo editor in chief and is integrated into the camera application, merely the Photos app in reality does a better job of loading egg-filled-resolution photographs. In the future Google will well-nig certainly improve the Photos app and will Art gallery in its on-going state, but in KitKat right now it's passably unnaturalized to have cardinal apps for the equivalent thing.

The stock Android 4.4 keyboard has been slightly reinforced, as information technology now contains a full emoji keyboard getatable from the smiley push. Aside from this, the keyboard is as swell as it was in late editions of Humanoid, backpacking decent prediction technology and an easy-to-cream-up layout. It's not as intelligent to use as Swiftkey operating theater other 3rd-party keyboards, but it provides a decent out-of-the-boxful experience.

Single other UX improvements experience been made around the in operation system. There's a brand new lodge picker duologue that's similar to a single file browser, the app picker dialog is now easier to use and the Phone covering is a much stronger discovery table service integrating business enterprise name calling and a heavy Google search option.

Under the hood, Android 4.4 brings a number of new APIs and new functionality. The OS is optimized for a pregnant range of devices, including those with lower specifications much as evenhanded 512 MB of RAM, just we'll have to wait for a let down-end KitKat-powered gimmick to see just how much wagerer it is. Wireless impression has been integrated, there's a step-counter API for seaworthiness apps, NFC Emcee Card Emulation, an infrared blaster API for devices such as the HTC One and Galaxy S4, recently availableness APIs and more than.

KitKat brings a figure of great new features to the table, of which I found the Google Now-integrated launcher and UX refinements to be the near useful. The OS visually looks fantastic, peculiarly now that Google has cleared the onscreen button implementation, and in that respect's a number of under-the-goon changes that should ameliorate Android further when devices and third-company apps begin to capitalise.