Android 4.4 KitKat Specs Roundup

Android 4.4 KitKat promises impressive features. According to reports, the upcoming Android update may give iOS 7 a real run for its money. What can people expect from the 4.4 update?

Exclusive Cloud-based system

Cloud storage is not new. There are already services like Box, Dropbox and Google Drive. Nonetheless, it looks like Google wants to integrate this feature more closely with Android. Reports say the technology will work similarly like Apple’s iCloud. Google may include a backup system to its Android 4.4 KitKat.

People can already backup their photos through Google+. Users can also restore specific settings in Android devices so long as they sign in using their Google account. However, there is still room for a more organized or streamlined system. People may see this in the Android 4.4 KitKat.

Google Play Newsstand

Another reported feature of the KitKat update is the Google Play newsstand service. It would now be possible to download anything from magazines to television shows using Google Play. Thus, people should not be surprised to see newspaper subscriptions available on Android. According to Android Police, there is a high possibility Google will be introducing “Newsstand” in Android 4.4.

Lg Nexus 5 Release Date & Specs

There is no question that Google’s design for the 2013 Nexus smartphone is not only to challenge the Android-based rival devices out there but also to pick a fight with Apple, making the Nexus 5 a definite foe of the recently rolled out iPhone 5S.

But what exactly this vanilla Android toys has on its armoury to back its expected skirmish with the extremely popular Apple hero phone?

A white Nexus 5

One thing going for the LG-built device, according to CNET, is the probable inclusion of a while model, which obviously is aimed to ride on the bestselling handset colour. Arguably, a pristine-cased handset catches the eyes of buyers regardless of the brand.

From the iPhone 5S to the Samsung Galaxy S4, a white-draped mobile is a sure-fire recipe for the cash register to ring incessantly so Google is stuffing the Nexus 5 with a winning formula.

Android fans could only hope that Google will let out a pristine-looking Nexus 5 that is able to warrant more than a second look when pitted with the white versions of the 5S, the GS4 and other high-end rivals.

And that is something to look forward to but besides the hue-factor, the Nexus 5 menu is actually bulging with irresistible features, confirmed and unconfirmed, some of them are listed below:

Killer camera

If indeed the Nexus 5 gets the fine prints coming from the LG G2, then its camera capabilities will of the upscale level, headlined by a 13MP primary shooter and enhancements such as optical image stabilisation. Such combo assures that the gadget will produce top-notch images and clips, regardless of the users’ capturing skills.

Jaw-dropping specs boosts

From the previous build, numerous reports seem to insist that the Google and LG are bringing giant upgrades with the new Nexus. And it is indeed huge with a 5-inch display that boasts of a 1080p screen resolution, a 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 CPU that works in tandem with a 2GB of RAM and a massive battery – all conspiring for a monster phablet that dwarfs over the 5S and measures up with humungous Android phones.

Even on the storage department, Google did not scrimp. The space available would be 16GB and 32GB, which are paired with superfast Wi-Fi and LTE connectivity for the gadget to easily access the Google Drive in case users would require more room for their files. Yes, the phone is without a memory card slot like its predecessors.

Also, set to govern this year’s Nexus serving is KitKat or Android 4.4, which used to flash the codename Key Lime Pie.

Reasonable price hike

Google dangles immense improvements with the Nexus 5 and they will cost, which explains the higher price tag for the basic unit that leaked recently via the Google Play Store. The 16GB configuration will allegedly sell for $350, from last year’s $300, while the 32GB will hit the market at around $400. It is said that the latter version will carry a higher battery rating.

Release date of the LG Nexus 5 should take place in the immediate days after its supposed intro on Oct 24, pointing to a Big Day between late October and early November 2013.

LG Nexus 5 Specs, Price Rumours

The Nexus 5 will be Google’s next flagship Android smartphone. It will probably be joined by a new version of the Nexus 10, too. So naturally, we’re keen to know what it will offer and when it will be available.

Although the Nexus 4 has had issues with stock shortages, it’s been well received and popular with punters. A high-end smartphone for £239 is a bargain even if it’s a bit limited on storage.

Thoughts are turning to the Nexus 5 and what it has to offer to rival the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S4, Sony Xperia Z and HTC One. LG is the most hotly tipped manufacturer to make the Nexus 5 but Google is also considering other vendors.

Nexus 5: Release date

Google has announced that the next version of Android will be 4.4 KitKat, not 5.0 Key Lime Pie. We still expected the Nexus 5 to come with the latest version but there has been no hint as to when KitKat will arrive.

Google hasn’t announced when the new Nexus 5 will be revealed, or even if it is making one but here are the rumours on when it will arrive.

The first possibility was that Google would announce the Nexus 5 at its Google I/O (input/output) developer conference which takes place in May in San Francisco. However, the event came and went with no Nexus 5 or even Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie.

At last year’s Google I/O which took place in June, the firm unveiled the Nexus 7, its first tablet running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. It seemed likely new hardware would be revealed at this year’s conference but this wasn’t the case – unless you include the Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Edition.

Google announced an updated Nexus 7 tablet with Android 4.3 but there was no mention of a new smartphone at that launch event.

So, it’s highly likely that we’ll see the new Nexus 5 arrive around a year after the Nexus 4, in October or maybe November. The Galaxy Nexus was announced in November and the Nexus S in December.

The Nexus 4 price has been reduced from £239 for the 8GB model to just £159 signalling that Google wants to shift remaining stock before the Nexus 5 arrives. In fact, the smartphone is ‘out of inventory’ on the US Play Store.

The Nexus 4 is now out of stock in the 8 GB and 16 GB models and Google is reportedly not planning to restock the device.

Droidlife is hinting at a release date of 31 October citing anonymous sources. Another possible launch date is 28 October.

This the Nexus 5 in the flesh?

In Google’s unveiling video of the Android KitKat statue, an unknown device with a Nexus logo was spotted (below left). Google has taken down the clip only fuelling the suggestion that the smartphone was the unannounced Nexus 5.

Following the KitKat statue unveiling, the Nexus 5 has been spotted in the wild. The owner happily left it charging in a bar unattended but a keen eyed employee snapped it up.

The Nexus 5 has been spotted once again, looking exactly like the photos from the bar . The lucky handler said the rear cover feeling similar to that of the Nexus 7 and the device is smaller than the recently launched LG G2.

“The screen was ok, didn’t wow me like the Note 3. The bezel is very small.” he added.

The Nexus 5 has been shown in great detail in this seven minute long video. Although the device has no Nexus logo on the back and therefor a prototype, it’s the clearest look at the phone we’ve seen so far.

Nexus 5: Price

Sources suggest Google will keep the price of the Nexus 5 the same as the Nexus 4. That’s £239 for 8GB and £289 for 16GB.

However, the price of the Nexus 7 went up from £159 to £199 for the cheapest model so there’s no guarantee.

Update: The accidental Play Store listing of the Nexus 5 (see above) had the device priced at $349, the same as the Nexus 4 before its price cut.

Nexus 5: specs

Rumoured specifications for the Nexus 5 include a Full HD screen either 5in or 5.2in in size, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor clocked at 2.3GHz and a whopping 3GB of RAM.

A line-up similar to LG’s recently announced LG G2 smartphone, so we could see the Nexus 5 based on this stunner.

There’s also been suggestion it will feature a 16Mp camera made by Nikon. Other sources suggest a smaller 4.5in screen with a 720p resolution.

There are fresh rumours about the camera on the Nexus 5, suggesting it could use a MEMS (microelectromechanical system) module. That might mean it can shoot first and focus later like the Lytro camera.

A service manual for the LG D-821 (aka the Neuxs 5) has been leaked online showing full specifications of the smartphone and a blueprint (above). The document is 281 pages long but here are the key bits:

•    4.95 in Full HD (1080×1920) IPS display
•    16/32 GB internal storage
•    2 GB RAM
•    2.3 GHz Qualcomm MSM8974 Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor
•    8 Mp OIS rear camera, 1.3 Mp front camera
•    2300 mAh battery
•    Sensors: Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Compass, Proximity/Ambient Light, Pressure
•    Slimport compatibility
•    Micro SIM slot
•    Notification light
•    Wireless charging
•    NFC
•    Bluetooth 4.0
•    4G LTE support
•    133.9×68.7×9.1 mm
•    139.5 g