KitKat release

[Graze]

I got it less than 18 months ago, and all the updates starting with 4.2 were sluggish and were never really properly optimized for Galaxy Nexus. So, no I didn't get what I paid for. Effectively, I never got a proper update at all, the best the phone ran was with 4.1.2 that I got it with. So the whole Google Nexus update promise has pretty much been less than meaningless for me. They released some "updates" that were not properly tested and optimized, and now they stopped, leaving their customers with worse phone experience than the one we had when we bought the phones. It's amateur hour, and it shows. And that is the best update situation on Android, so that tells you where Android is relative to iOS. I used to be a big Android supporter, but it's time to face reality. Their best isn't good enough.

It doesn't matter when you bought the phone. It's 18 months from launch not 18 months from when you buy it...really dude!
You are acting like if you didn't know you were buying an older model phone which would have gotten limited support.
You are an Anandtech forum member and therefore the general consensus is that you knew very well what you were getting into.

Hell I only got one minor update for my Gingerbread LG G2X that was more than capable of running Ice cream Sandwich.
It happens.

Just over over to Apple if they serve you better. No one cares if you just ship.

The quality of the update is another arguments altogether.

Wasn't life simpler when your crappy dumphone didn't receive any updates and just made call?

 

[poofyhairguy]

I got it less than 18 months ago, and all the updates starting with 4.2 were sluggish and were never really properly optimized for Galaxy Nexus. So, no I didn't get what I paid for. Effectively, I never got a proper update at all, the best the phone ran was with 4.1.2 that I got it with. So the whole Google Nexus update promise has pretty much been less than meaningless for me. They released some "updates" that were not properly tested and optimized, and now they stopped, leaving their customers with worse phone experience than the one we had when we bought the phones.

To be fair, Apple does the same thing. iPad 1 users with iOS5 or iPad 3 owners with iOS 7 have a worse experience with the newer updates than when the devices were bought.

Unlike iOS, Android development isn't targeted to improve the experience on just Nexus devices. They develop for the whole ecosystem.

If Apple can't do it every time for a very limited set of devices how can Google do it for thousands?

More directly, we NEVER expected new Windows releases back in the day to run better on the same hardware than old versions.

I feel you that 4.2 and 4.3 were pretty meh so the updates gotten during your GNex's time simply weren't worthwhile. You bought your GNex right as Google began to move to modular Android and cave to manufacturer pressure to not bury the "Jellybean" so they didn't have to update the devices they were selling.

I think in your position I would be upset too, don't get me wrong.

 

[Sid59]

few more 4.4 changes.. ill cut and paste a few interesting bits ..

- 4.4 "HOME" screen is being redrawm and used by Google Search app, instead of a "home" app used in 4.3 and before.
- Google Search is updated via Play Store, no 4.4 required
- Ron from Ars likens the change to how Facebook Home app functions.

Remember, if OEMs want to ship any Google Apps, they need to ship all the Google apps, so Google Home will most likely be included on every Android device. It won't necessarily be enabled by default on something like a Samsung device, but that's nothing some light badgering in the Search app won't fix ("For a better search experience, enable Google Home!"). Expect to see much more Google Now integration in the future.

- APK breakdown of new smart dialer has an option to show ads.

For the brave .. Reddit/Android Police have APK rips to sideload updated Hangouts, Keyboard, email APP,

 

[Sid59]

I got it less than 18 months ago, and all the updates starting with 4.2 were sluggish and were never really properly optimized for Galaxy Nexus. So, no I didn't get what I paid for. Effectively, I never got a proper update at all, the best the phone ran was with 4.1.2 that I got it with. So the whole Google Nexus update promise has pretty much been less than meaningless for me. They released some "updates" that were not properly tested and optimized, and now they stopped, leaving their customers with worse phone experience than the one we had when we bought the phones. It's amateur hour, and it shows. And that is the best update situation on Android, so that tells you where Android is relative to iOS. I used to be a big Android supporter, but it's time to face reality. Their best isn't good enough.

The beauty of competition .. choice, support with your wallet. What will your next phone be?

 

[cronos]

The beauty of competition .. choice, support with your wallet. What will your next phone be?

Yup. There's no need to be overly pissed. If it doesn't work out, just move on.

 

[senseamp]

The beauty of competition .. choice, support with your wallet. What will your next phone be?

I don't know, maybe a used iPhone 5. I'll evaluate value vs price when it's time to buy, which won't be for a while. Not ruling out a Nexus 100%, but their value rating has taken a big hit, since their touted OS updates have been worthless before or nonexistent now, so the price will have to reflect that.

 

[Sheep]

For the brave .. Reddit/Android Police have APK rips to sideload updated Hangouts, Keyboard, email APP,

I'm running the 4.4 Hangouts, Email, Gallery, Search and Launcher on my Galaxy Nexus just fine--they work flawlessly with no crashes so far. I particularly like the improvements to Email and Gallery. I've read that the Camera and Calculator apps have issues, though, so I didn't bother installing those.

 

[Sid59]

I'm running the 4.4 Hangouts, Email, Gallery, Search and Launcher on my Galaxy Nexus just fine--they work flawlessly with no crashes so far. I particularly like the improvements to Email and Gallery. I've read that the Camera and Calculator apps have issues, though, so I didn't bother installing those.

Gallery isn't being replaced by the Photos of G+ (aka the shortcut that was formerly G+ Photos that went to G+)?

 

[poofyhairguy]

so the price will have to reflect that.

To be fair, it has since the GNex.

 

[Sheep]

Gallery isn't being replaced by the Photos of G+ (aka the shortcut that was formerly G+ Photos that went to G+)?

I'm guessing because I'm sideloading the APKs on a 4.3 ROM, some of the old apps like Email and Gallery weren't replaced on my phone. The new Photos app acts as a gallery replacement of sorts, allowing you to use it to select photos to append to an MMS or email message, for example. You can disable the G+ sync which basically makes it a gallery replacement and nothing more which is what I've done. IMO, the Photos app interface is an improvement over the old Gallery app.

 

[ponyo]

Well the value of direct Google updates have become less important since Google decoupled apps from the system update and allow users to update from the Playstore. I imported Galaxy Nexus and paid $650 because prompt Google update was important back then. It's no longer the case. Since 4.1 JB, I think all updates have been minor. During my two year ownership of the GNex, I enjoyed the phone and stock Android but many times I felt like beta tester for various rushed Android versions. One version would be great and two month later Google would push bug fixes that would screw up the battery life. Then another update month or two would fix it but bring new sets of problems. And so on. I too am upset GNex isn't getting the 4.4 update. But I've moved on from GNex and currently using iPhone 5s. If and when I switch back to Android, it won't necessarily be Nexus 5. I rather have phone with stellar battery life and camera than the latest Android version.

 

[StrangerGuy]

I'm happy Google is trying to push 4.4 into older hardware but even the slightest cynic would see the phone vendors won't play along because having higher version numbers is a key pulling factor in selling new hardware.

 

[poofyhairguy]

I'm happy Google is trying to push 4.4 into older hardware but even the slightest cynic would see the phone vendors won't play along because having higher version numbers is a key pulling factor in selling new hardware.

Soon 4.4 will be the old version.

 

[thedosbox]

- APK breakdown of new smart dialer has an option to show ads.

Yeah, the ability to display local search "results" in the dialer was leading to this. I hope both "features" can be disabled without root on a non-nexus device.

 

[zerocool84]

I still have my old Nexus S but that got the best support so far of any Nexus phone. From 2.3 all the way to 4.1.1 which are huge changes. Granted 4.1 ran like crap on it.

 

[lopri]

In all honesty this release is incremental at best. There are a lot of under-the-hood tuning and updates for the future but none of them stands out immediately. I personally think 4.1 and onwards are good enough for majority of tasks while 4.3 is more future-proof with TRIM support and added security stuff.

Of course it is a very much of my curiosity as to what has changed in 4.4 so that it can run on lesser hardware but the explanation is scant as of now.

 

[gmaster456]

I got it less than 18 months ago, and all the updates starting with 4.2 were sluggish and were never really properly optimized for Galaxy Nexus. So, no I didn't get what I paid for. Effectively, I never got a proper update at all, the best the phone ran was with 4.1.2 that I got it with. So the whole Google Nexus update promise has pretty much been less than meaningless for me. They released some "updates" that were not properly tested and optimized, and now they stopped, leaving their customers with worse phone experience than the one we had when we bought the phones. It's amateur hour, and it shows. And that is the best update situation on Android, so that tells you where Android is relative to iOS. I used to be a big Android supporter, but it's time to face reality. Their best isn't good enough.

It's 18 months of support from release. Not from when YOU bought it :whiste:

Quit bitching and move on because there's nothing any of us on this forum can do about it. And besides, it's not like your phone just shut off and stopped working. You can still download apps, listen to music, text and make calls no?

 

[StrangerGuy]

In all honesty this release is incremental at best. There are a lot of under-the-hood tuning and updates for the future but none of them stands out immediately. I personally think 4.1 and onwards are good enough for majority of tasks while 4.3 is more future-proof with TRIM support and added security stuff.

Of course it is a very much of my curiosity as to what has changed in 4.4 so that it can run on lesser hardware but the explanation is scant as of now.

I have tried 4.2.2 on an Optimus Black with is a 1GHz A8 / 512 MB phone. Saying it doesn't run pretty is an understatement. No way 4.4 would work kindly on those devices let alone seeing official updates.

 

[poofyhairguy]

I still have my old Nexus S but that got the best support so far of any Nexus phone. From 2.3 all the way to 4.1.1 which are huge changes. Granted 4.1 ran like crap on it.

Jeez I remember you getting that phone. I wonder how well it would run 4.4?

 

[gmaster456]

I still have my old Nexus S but that got the best support so far of any Nexus phone. From 2.3 all the way to 4.1.1 which are huge changes. Granted 4.1 ran like crap on it.

I'm curious to see how 4.4 runs on it given that it's supposed to run well on devices with 512mb. What I'm wondering is if that's with a dual core processor or single core.

 

[StrangerGuy]

I'm curious to see how 4.4 runs on it given that it's supposed to run well on devices with 512mb. What I'm wondering is if that's with a dual core processor or single core.

I can't recall a single android phone with 512MB RAM that also has a dual-core, though Samsung might a few of them out of their bazillion low end models.

EDIT: Okay, I'll take my word back on the awfulness of Jelly Bean on the single-core era phones. The same Optimus Black now runs amazingly fast on stock 4.2.2 with custom kernel and code optimizations. Goes on to show how much performance of Android is held back by it's own code.

 

[lopri]

I can't recall a single android phone with 512MB RAM that also has a dual-core, though Samsung might a few of them out of their bazillion low end models.

I have a Chinese iPhone 5 knock-off that rocks dual A9s and 512 MB. ^^

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2307109&highlight=mtk6577

 

[poofyhairguy]

I can't recall a single android phone with 512MB RAM that also has a dual-core, though Samsung might a few of them out of their bazillion low end models.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009W49ALA

 

[cbrunny]

http://phandroid.com/2013/11/03/verizon-galaxy-nexus-android-4-4-kitkat-rom/

Android developer baldwinguy77, known for his OTA-like builds for the Verizon Galaxy Nexus, has released a brand new, “Shiny” Android 4.4 KRT16M ROM for the Verizon Galaxy Nexus (toro). What does OTA-like mean? For starters, it’s built from AOSP with very few modifications done to the ROM, besides those needed to make it work. Next, he’s included the standard set of Verizon apps and Google apps you’d likely find on an official update. And lastly, because this is OTA-like, this ROM is not rooted (yet, it can easily be done if you choose).

So... there's that....

 

[Sid59]

Verge kitkat review
http://www.theverge.com/2013/11/4/5063490/android-4-4-kit-kat-review