Android 4.4 Kit-Kat: Focus On Supporting TVs, Wearable Tech, Low-End Phones and Fragmentation

Kit Kat is more than just a favorite among candy lovers, and Android is more than just an operating software for smartphones. Both favorites of their respective fans, and now the two favorites are no longer mutually exclusive. As Google’s newest version of the Android OS (Android 4.4 Kit-Kat)comes closer and closer to release, we can begin to see how they are attempting to reach more users with fresh features and even integrate further with the user on a more personal day-to-day basis.

As tech nerds, new features and new designs tend to tug on our heartstrings just a little, and all the speculation and rumors about what’s to come in this latest iteration of Android has plenty of people salivating to say the least. It’s important to remember that while many of the talked about features are exciting, they are still just rumors and we won’t really know for sure what Android 4.4 holds until the release of the Nexus 5, which will more than likely be the window to everything we’ve eagerly been waiting for with this update.

Let’s start with a commonly talked about subject when it comes to Android. Fragmentation. Could you hear it as you read the word? The sound of nails on a chalkboard. The topic of fragmentation is very much a dead horse that has been beaten many times over, however it’s still a very real issue across the array of the devices that are out there. We know that Google is going to attempt to tackle this issue harder and more head on with the release of Kit-Kat, and make it easier for manufacturers and developers alike to get the latest version of the software and apps that support it, into the hands of users on a more timely basis.
A big problem with many lower end devices is they simply just don’t have enough memory to support newer versions of software. This leaves manufacturers that make less costly, and lower end devices with baking in older version of the Android OS due to the hardware limitations. Kit-Kat will attempt to utilize lower end specs more efficiently by optimizing memory use in every major component. Above that, it should prove easier for app developers to make more memory efficient apps when using the tools within the new OS release. If this holds true, than we may start to see larger and larger percentages of Android users who are on the newest version of software.

Closing the gap on device fragmentation isn’t the only trick up Kit-Kat’s sleeve though. Android 4.4 seems to be geared towards wearable technology in some way as well, which is something Google is already venturing in. Kit-Kat is expected to support three new types of sensors (geomagnetic rotation vector, step detector, and step counter)which all point directly to things like Google Glass and the rumored Google smartwatch. There are potentially plenty of applications for these types of tech but most notably could benefit all sorts of fitness based apps as well as Google’s own maps services.

As most of us may already know, NFC has been around for a couple of years. Google wallet is where most of us may be familiar with it which to say the least, didn’t really take off. Inside Kit-Kat, this may change as developers should have an easier time creating a service that emulates a user’s physical card to pay for goods and services, as well as potentially open locks and enter secure locations all with the tap of your phone. Time will tell whether or not the increased NFC support from Kit-Kat will make a difference, but it’s certainly a welcome change if it does.

Aside from updating your phone or tablet with all sorts of new on-device features, it seems that Google wants to make it easier for you to interact with other devices you use every day, and using your android device to do so. it’s rumored that Kit-Kat will supposedly make it possible for developers to build applications that utilize infrared sensors, which opens up plenty of possibilities to controlling your TV, to turning off your home stereo and the like. With Android 4.4, developers may have an easy time embedding features that activate IR blasters that are built-in to the other electronics we use. How many times have you lost your TV remote or just can’t simply use it because it’s broken. Use my Nexus 7 as a TV remote? I’d love to.

Another way for us to talk to other devices we use every day is Bluetooth. It’s virtually baked into everything now and our android devices can act as a conduit to control it all. Bluetooth gamepads, Bluetooth keyboards, headsets, mice, vehicle consoles.. the list goes on. The arrival of Android 4.4 Kit-Kat brings with it support for Bluetooth HID over GATT and Bluetooth Message Access Profile. It’s still unclear what those will do, but we can pretty much chalk it up to letting us connect to more things and having a deeper Bluetooth experience with our Android devices.
Most of this pretty tech heavy and a lot of it won’t matter to the average user, but that doesn’t mean its unimportant. Kit-Kat undoubtedly has quite a bit more to offer, and you can rest assured when we know more about what Android 4.4 will do for us, we’ll keep you updated.

Source: android headline

Finally! An UNBREAKABLE phone screen: LG unveils a flexible display ahead of its rumoured mobile launch next month

• Display is made of bendy plastic substrates attached to a curved device
• It is expected to feature on the South Korean firm's upcoming G Flex phone
• The six-inch screen is set to be the world's first flexible OLED display
• LG Chem also set to launch a bendable battery prototype for its devices

In a world first, phone maker LG has confirmed it will start selling flexible screens for smartphones and tablets - and they could be launched as early as next month. 

The 6-inch display will be made of bendy plastic substrates, rather than glass, and the panel can be attached to any curved device. 

LG Chem, the South Koren firm's research arm, has additionally said it is ready to unveil its curved battery prototype ahead of the rumoured launch of the company's G Flex handset in November. 

Phone maker LG has confirmed it will start selling flexible screens for smartphones and tablets, and they could be launched as early as next month. The 6-inch display, pictured, will be made of bendy plastic substrates, rather than glass, and the panel can be attached to any curved device

LG Chem, the South Koren firm's research arm, has additionally said it is ready to unveil its curved battery prototype. The team has been testing its 'cable battery', pictured, on LCD screens and it is so bendy it can be tied in knots

HOW DOES THE BATTERY WORK?

LG Chem used thin strands of copper wire, coated with nickel-tin, which are then spun into a 'metal yarn' and wrapped around a rod.
The rod is then removed, leaving a strong spring which can be tucked into tight and small spaces.
The team said: 'In our experiments we found that our prototype was exceptionally flexible and could suffer large strain without malfunction.'
They added that, when designing new devices, 'the limiting factor is often the shape of the battery' and that their battery could be 'a disruptive technology that could open up a path for design innovation.' 

Although rival Samsung similarly announced plans to launch its own flexible display last month, LG is expected to beat the company to making the technology available to consumers. 

The G Flex phone is rumoured to launch next month.

Although the handset isn't expected to be bendy, the use of a flexible screen could mean it has a more curved display than current phones.

Samsung's Nexus S and Galaxy Nexus phones have slightly curved, OLED screens, but they both use curved glass, not flexible plastic.

However, the first truly curved devices may not be available to customers until next year. 

'LG Display is launching a new era of flexible displays for smartphones with its industry-leading technology,' said Dr. Sang Deog Yeo, executive vice president and chief technology officer of LG Display. 

'The flexible display market is expected to grow quickly as this technology is expected to expand further into diverse applications including automotive displays, tablets and wearable devices. 

'Our goal is to take an early lead in the flexible display market by introducing new products with enhanced performance and differentiated designs next year.'

Although rival Samsung announced plans to launch a flexible display last month, LG is expected to be the first to bring it to market on the G Flex phone, rumoured to launch next month. Although the handset isn't expected to be bendy, the use of the screen, pictured, could mean it has a more curved display than current phones

The design is made of 0.44mm-thin plastic and has a protective film attached to the back, making it 'bendable and unbreakable.'

It is vertically concave from top to bottom, has a radius of 7cm and weighs 7.2g.

LG Display's technology could also be fitted to smart watches, and other devices, that can be wrapped around items, pictured

LG Display claims the flexible OLED panel is the 'world's slimmest among existing mobile device panels.'

The company's new battery technology could also revolutionise smartphones because it is so bendy it can be tied in knots. 

This means it can be shaped around other components. 

It could even improve the battery life of phones because manufacturers could add more power into the batteries, if they're not restricted by size or shape.

LG Chem's cable-type lithium-ion battery can even woven into textiles. 

This means the technology could also be fitted to clothes, and users could end up 'wearing' phone chargers. 

Both LG and Samsung have already produced curved 55-inch OLED TVs on sale for around £8,500. 

It is unsure how much the 6-inch display or the G Flex phone will cost, but the technology is expected to come at a premium.  

Sony was the first company to unveil flexible display technology back in 2010, pictured, but it has not been made available to customers yet. Sony's prototype screen was so flexible it could be rolled around a pencil

WHAT IS OLED TECHNOLOGY?

Both LG and Samsung have already produced curved 55-inch OLED TVs on sale for around £8,500.
OLED's (organic light-emitting diodes) are used to create digital displays in TVs, computer monitors, phones, tablets and games consoles.
An OLED display works without a backlight, which means it can display deep black levels and can be thinner and lighter than a liquid crystal display (LCD).
In low lighting, an OLED screen can produce a higher contrast ratio than an LCD, too. 

In March last year, LG Display also developed the world's first 6-inch Electronic Paper Display (EPD) based on e-ink that had a plastic back panel. 

However, Sony was the first company to unveil flexible display technology back in 2010, but it has not been made available to customers.

Sony's prototype screen was so flexible it could be rolled around a pencil.

Rumours before Samsung launched its Galaxy Gear smartwatch in August believed it would have with a flexible display, however, the device has a solid 2-inch screen fitted to a traditional watch strap.

This was said to be because technology firms have yet to figure out how to mass produce the parts cheaply and come up with display panels that can be as thin as a sheet and highly heat resistant.

Cambridge-based Plastic Logic is an expert on flexible displays and has created a number of prototypes and devices, including the 10.7-inch PaperTab tablet and the PocketBook CoverReader that is set to be a thin and light flip cover for HTC, Sony and Samsung phones

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk

Limited Edition Samsung Galaxy Note 3 with flexible display rumored to launch next month

Seems like every year rumors begin to swirl of a new Samsung device releasing with one of the manufacturers fancy new flexible LCD displays. We saw it back with the Galaxy Note 2, a few months later with the Galaxy S4, and of course, the recently announced Note 3. In the end, it always ends up the same: another Galaxy iteration with the same ‘ol design and flat display panels we’re all accustomed to. But there’s still hope yet for the Samsung Galaxy Note 3.

It wasn’t too long ago — just before the official announcement — there were rumors of the Galaxy Note 3 launching in 4 different hardware versions. This kind of lines up with the official release of the Note 3, in which we saw 2 versions of the device announced at IFA 2013: the Snapdragon 800 model, and the Exynos Octa version. Although it hasn’t been announced yet, a lower-end model is also said to launch later this year with a traditional LCD display and 8MP camera.

Today there’s new whisperings coming out of Korea suggesting Samsung could be planning to launch an even higher-end version of the Note 3 as early as next month in limited quantities. This premium model will feature Samsung’s long rumored flexible OLED display, and come with a more industrial metal chassis. We imagine Samsung might have something planned along the lines of the prototype that was shown off back during CES 2013. Shown in the picture above, the prototype featured a display that wraps around the edges of a device.

Why the limited edition? Well, given flexible OLED is still a relatively new technology, it seems Samsung might not be ready to begin mass producing the panels on a large scale just yet, hence the limited quantities. Given rumors that Samsung would bring their first flexible display device to market in November, it seems we wont have to wait much longer to find out.

source: Phandroid

Nokia still working on Android phone, won’t cancel until November. Foxconn already made 10K prototypes

Over the weekend New York Times and The Verge reported that before they decided to sell mobile business to Microsoft, Nokia was working on a cheap Android phone codenamed “Mountain View” as a “Plan B” – if they failed to break through with Windows Phone.

Today Chinese site and Weibo account CTechnology, with a pretty good track record of China based smartphone leaks, has more details about this cheap Nokia Android.

The device, based on Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 8225Q chip,  was being developed and tested by Nokia’s Beijing based R&D team, and was already at somewhat advanced prototype stage. In fact, before the announcement of sale, Foxconn has already manufactured and delivered a batch of more than 10 000 prototype Mountain View units.

And now for the most interesting part. Mountain View development hasn’t stopped just yet. Foxconn is still making more of them, Beijing based Nokia R&D teams are still working on it, and the project will not be cancelled until/if Nokia shareholders approve Microsoft deal at General Meeting in November.

This is not a real Nokia Android. Just some good fan art

Though the likelihood of Nokia mobile business buyout not going through is extremely low, stranger things have happened. And with tensions between Nokia and Microsoft surfacing already, nothing is guaranteed 100%, until it finally happens.

So there still might be a teeny-tiny hope for all of you who pined for Nokia Androids, and felt that Microsoft deal was  the betrayal of everything Nokia stood for.

Samsung Already Working on Galaxy Gear 2? To Be Unveiled at CES 2014?

When Samsung announced the Galaxy Gear alongside the Galaxy Note 3, it was a device that ticked most of the boxes required for a smartwatch and threw in some extras. With a camera and decent app support from folks like Evernote and Snapchat, the Galaxy Gear looks like a great smartwatch. The device hasn’t even hit store shelves everywhere and yet there are rumors that Samsung is already working on the second version of the Galaxy Gear. While that’s more than likely, the device is probably nothing more than sketches on paper in a South Korean studio somewhere.

As TechKiddy is reporting though, media sources seem to think that Samsung is ready to announce a Galaxy Gear “2″ at next year’s CES. Tech enthusiasts will note that CES is one of the first events of the year, starting just as January begins. What’s the likelihood that Samsung have a new device to show off? Pretty unlikely, if you ask us.

Apparently, Samsung wanted to get the Galaxy Gear out there to “test the water” and see if there is much demand for the device. Launching in the Holiday season is perhaps a good idea to gauge popularity but, the idea that Samsung is already looking to succeed the Gear is a little suspect. For one thing, the Gear has yet to even prove itself, releasing a new and improved version of the device so soon wouldn’t send great confidence to potential partners and developers.

According to South Korean media, this new device will feature a GPS chip and feature compatibility with many more Android smartphones. As for compatibility, Samsung have their work cut out for them as Android 4.3 and Bluetooth 4.0 LE seem to the defining factors for the Galaxy Gear. Samsung were apparently not happy with the poor battery life of the device, and the few included features of the device and quickly want to do better.

source: Android Headlines

Newkia seeks Nokia defectors to make Android phones

An interview this week with former Nokia Asia-Pacific CEO Thomas Zilliacus suggests that a collection of former Nokia employees will be converging in a company called Newkia to create Android devices. Does the word of this ZD Net interview mean your Nokia Android Nexus dreams can come true at long last? Not so fast – per the word of Zilliacus himself, this company was only formed the day Microsoft announced their acquisition of Nokia’s devices and services business – that was just three days ago.

So while it would seem like a fantasy situation that a new company would be made with ex-Nokia employees making an Android wonderland in the near future, you may be wise to take this all with a grain of salt. Zilliacus currently runs an investment company by the name of Mobile FutureWorks, a company that also employs Jorma Nieminen, former Nokia mobile phones CEO, and Sven-Christer Nilsson, former CEO of Ericsson.

“We set up Newkia literally the day Nokia sold its phone business to Microsoft. It was the day Nokia died in Finland, and the new Nokia was born in Newkia. I know Nokia employees who are keen to develop for Android and maybe would like to join us.

I strongly believe Nokia still has the best know-how in terms of mobile phones and we want to get the best people to join us.” – Thomas Zilliacus

Zilliacus was a Nokia employee for “over” 15 years and was the Asia-Pacific CEO for seven, leaving the company in 1993. He was then a regional consultant for Nokia in the area for a further three years – and today suggests that Nokia continues to make the best phones in the world.

It would also seem like a great place to be, this “Newkia”, if people like Marko Ahtisaari jumped aboard. He’s still the Nokia VP of design right this minute, but will be departing in November of this year to “pursue entrepreneurial opportunities.” Does it seem entirely absurd to consider this new company an opportunity Ahtisaari might take hold of?

Source: SlashGear

Nexus 5, Nexus 11 Running Android 4.4 KitKat: Top 16 New Things You Should Expect in October 2013

Android's upcoming version 4.4 KitKat seems to have an odd name after Jelly Bean. It was thought to be Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie. Google suddenly unveils Android 4.4 with a statue at their HQ. The next-generation OS version may run Nexus 5 and Nexus 11. Are Nexus 5 and Nexus 11 waiting for Android 4.4?

Android 4.4 KitKat Release Date

Back in May 2013, during the Google I/O event, lots of people expected Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie which was somehow introduced via slideshow wherein Android is having a slice of key lime pie. Unfortunately, Google confirmed nothing about Android 5.0 or hardware details of the next-generation Nexus phone.

Rumours have flooded the idea of "Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie coming in October 2013" to represent the Google's Android anniversary. However, the new OS version would be the Android 4.4 KitKat which will feature new things and changes to the Android ecosystem.

Nexus 5 and Nexus 11 Waiting Signal

Credit: PCAdvisor.co.uk

At first, Nexus 5 was thought to be running Android 4.3 Jelly Bean with LG to be its manufacturer. Then Android 4.3 Jelly Bean was out and running on Nexus 7. They year 2013 then pushed among manufacturers to have their devices updated.

Google might be planning a big bang event in October after Apple's grand iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C in September 2013. The main topic would probably be Android 4.4 KitKat which will be a demonstration by Nexus 5 and Nexus 11 that are both rumoured to be launched this year.

Nexus 5 rumoured technical specifications:

•   Android 4.4 KitKat OS: Always the latest and newest Android version for the Nexus
•   5.0 or 5.2 inches of screen display size
•   Brand new user interface
•   2.3 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor
•   3 GB of RAM
•  16/32/64 GB of internal storage: microSD card slot may not be available, natural Nexus trait
•   16 MP primary camera from Nikon
•   Manufacturer: Most likely LG

Nexus 11 rumoured technical specifications:

•   Android 4.4 KitKat
•  11.0 inches of display screen Super PLS TFT
•  Samsung Exynos 5410 processor: First Nexus tablet with octa-core CPUs
•  8 MP primary camera and 2MP front-facing shooter
•  Possible external SD card storage support up to 64 GB

Android 4.4 KitKat OS Features

Google may include the Android iteration in the upcoming 4.4 KitKat version which may use Linux 3.8 kernel to support lower memory devices. As of now, only mid-range and high-end Android phones/tablets can support 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3 Jelly Bean which requires 512 MB of RAM. Devices with a single-core processor such as Nexus S suffer issues with the Android 4.1 version and declared not upgradable to Android 4.2.

Here are some hints of speculated Android 4.4 features coming really soon for Nexus devices:

1.      Beautiful and immersive display

2.      Multiple sensor support

3.      Better CPU core support

4.      Intuitive orientation in portrait and landscape

5.      Exclusive Cloud system for Android

6.      Wider and more stable network coverage

7.      Nexus availability and system compatibility enhancements

8.      Upcoming Android accessories

9.      All-new refined software and UI

10.  Matching hardware and unibody design

11.  Enhanced multi-touch support and responsiveness

12.  Thinner design and lighter weight

13.  Thinner bezel on the screen

14.  Universal network compatibility across the globe

15.  Better battery life

16.  Low memory support

Source: IB times