By now you must have heard that Google's next version of Android is called KitKat, as in the candy bar. Here are some of the cool new features of the latest OS.
Google has slightly tweaked the look of Android 4.4 KitKat as a subtle change that gives the OS some nice visual changes. The transition from Jelly Bean to KitKat is not as dramatic as the one from iOS 6 to iOS 7. One of Google's main focuses was to try and get rid of the term "Android fragmentation", which is a term that Apple has been using to take jabs at its rival. So many Android devices out don't receive OS updates or even access to Google's Play Store, and are usually sold at a very cheap price. This keeps a large segment of the Android population on older versions of Android from years ago, something Google has now addressed with KitKat. The company is bringing the latest and greatest from Android to low-end devices with at least 512MB of RAM. The move should help improve Android fragmentation, but it would still depend on manufacturers to release it.
Google added support for allowing any device with NFC to pair up and use the technology for payment in any Android apps that support the feature. There's a new full-screen immersive mode that will remove any distractions, such as the status bar, signal, battery, etc. Users will be able to enjoy an app full-screen, as long as the developers update the app for KitKat, of course.
Android 4.4 KitKat also takes screen capturing to the next level. Users will now be able to Screen record, which allows you to video record anything on your display. Just as the iPhone 5s includes special sensors to keep track of movement, this feature allows the Nexus 5 also to monitor and keep tack of sports activities, has the ability to detect steps, and more without taking an expected battery hit.
Moreover, the latest Android OS now brings support for built-in IR-blaster technology. This will allow users to turn a device into a universal remote control. You can check out a complete list of all the new features of Android 4.4 KitKat here.
