Google Is Officially Saying Goodbye To This Android Version – News18

Google continues to bring new Android versions to the market but that also means it is time to end support for the older versions. The latest news says Android 4.4 or KitKat version will no longer get any updates, and it also loses Play Store, which effectively means the flavour has reached its end.

In its blog post, Google explained that KitKat now accounts for less than 1 percent of active devices and after 10 years since its release, the company is saying goodbye to KitKat for good. “Therefore, we are no longer supporting KK in future releases of Google Play services. KK devices will not receive versions of the Play Services APK beyond 23.30.99,” the post adds. Ending access to Play Services means the version will not get any kind of official support, which is usually the final nail in the coffin for these old software versions.

KitKat was one of the many desert Android flavours that was part of Google’s mobile revolution. This Android version made its official bow back in 2013 and it brought features like NFC, wireless printing and faster multitasking to Android phones, which now sounds like ancient features.

Google has managed to keep it running for over 10 years which is a feat in itself but with a miniscule share of users somehow still on the version, it is high time that minority makes the upgrade, at least to the newer versions that offer a lot of capabilities on Android phones. Android 13 is the latest version, or at least the one which is widely available, even though Android 11 leads the market in terms of reach.

Google has already rolled out the Android 14 beta which is inching closer to its stable version. The new version promises a slew of features, including native support for SMS via the satellite comms tech which has been mentioned in reports lately. The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro will be the first device to come with Android 14 out of the box, expected to launch around October like every year.