Now that Kit Kat has started rolling out to devices (i.e. Moto X), has there been any word on when the Verizon GS4 should see the update?
No, nothing has been announced yet about the S4 receiving 4.4 ... the 4.3 update is still rolling out (and with issues, based on this forum and other sources).
why worry now about 4.4 when there are enough problems with 4.3?
Now here's the funny thing.
You never hear about software update issues with phones that run stock android. The Google Play Editions of the S4 & HTC One both got Jelly Bean 4.3 and nothing went wrong. Yet the carrier versions with their Bloatware and crappy vendor skin jobs have issues with Googles software.
To me, this is a no brainer... Maybe carriers should just sell phones and vendors just build the hardware.
Unfortunately, that's such a good plan that it makes absolutely no sense and could never work.
To further my point, think about computers.
I own a Dell, but my parents own a HP. Both run Windows.
The kicker is screen to screen my pc looks no different than my parents... Why is that? The reason is that Microsoft worries about the software while the vendor just worries about what goes inside the box and it's aesthetic appearance. Why can't cell phone vendors do just that. Just worry about what hardware they want to use and how to make the phone as thin as possible while making the screen ginormous.
After that, the carrier can concern themselves with whether Googles current software and the vendors hardware configuration works well with the network.
When I buy a phone, I look to see what hardware is currently in favor and then I look to see how each vendor puts it all together.
I could care less if it has Sense, Touchwiz, or Moto blur.
Nexus devices are primarily developer devices. You don't find the kind of complaints you would for consumer priority. Regardless of what people think this is true. Google did say "Intended for developers, but we won't stop consumers from buying them"(something along those lines) when they released the first Nexus.
If you want to see GED/Nexus/Android complaints there can be found here and this is our support forum 🙂
FYI - the first 6 pages are roughly 4.2-4.4.2 related issues and at times you can see 1.6 issues still present in 4.4.2(Google marked them low priority).
https://code.google.com/p/android/issues/list
There's a problem with that. It's called Legacy. There's a reason why Windows does what it does. If Android did legacy support Android would be much larger than it is now and devices would be much more expensive. Also people want the bells and whistles instead of a stock experience. GED and Nexus devices sell well, but are still bottom of the barrel compared to OEMs with their bells and whistles.
I would have to disagree.
Other than the S Pen, there's nothing special about my Note 3.
The outward appearance of my phone is controlled by Go Launcher which adds functionality that Samsung did not.
As far as legacy is concerned, if Google no longer wants to support a phone, they just put the needed specs outside it's range. Kit Kat is the first update that is backpedaling by supporting older devices. L
egacy is also controlled by app developers. When they no longer want to support a device, they just don't write an app update for it.
Is that so? Not really. If Google was back pedaling... Then why didn't they update the Galaxy Nexus to 4.4? The Nexus One to 4.4? 4.4 wasn't about older devices... It was about wearable devices. The reason why the 2 aforementioned device didn't get KitKat... Android has no legacy support and the drivers are outdated. If Android did have legacy support and or if Google decided to write their own drivers then I would agree with you.
Now that the S5 is out, and Big Red is making its millions with its PRE LOADED 4.4.2 Kit Kat, its just a matter of time before they start to show some sort of response , in the form of a update for the S4 and Note 3. It's Called Marketing Scheme , why release something that would Impact the sales of a new device, with the latest Pre loaded Kit Kat software and even better 1 gig of Ram gone with backround Bloatware!
Start a new topic or ask questions in the open forum.
