Google has decided to stop providing support or updates for its decade-old Android KitKat operating system. The reason behind this move is Google’s current focus on newer and more secure versions of its Android OS. The company aims to offer a better user experience and enhanced security to its users. Citing the reason behind the decision to stop supporting KitKat in future releases of Google Play services, the tech giant, in an official announcement on the Android Developers Blog, said the declining active device count has dropped below 1%. As a result, Google Play services will discontinue updates for KitKat (API levels 19 & 20) starting from August 2023.
The blog post reads, “As of July 2023, the active device count on KK is below 1% as more and more users update to the latest Android versions. 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.”
Android KitKat Lacked Innovative Improvements
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Over the last few years, the Android KitKat lost the significant popularity that it had garnered earlier. Released in 2013, the Android KitKat is no more in demand as it fails to support the security and improvements related to new technology. Additionally, the dramatic growth and advancements in technology over the years have provided better security features to users, which was missing in the KitKat OS, making it more vulnerable to potential security risks for users.
“The Android KitKat (KK) platform was first released ~10 years ago and since then, we’ve introduced many innovative improvements and features for Android, which are unavailable on KK,” noted Google in its blog post.
Furthermore, the decision of Google to work on the newer versions of its Android OS is in line with improving the security and functionality offerings for the users.
Upgrade Or Switch Your Phones
Here, the question arises — What are users supposed to do? Well, users can just upgrade their Android devices to a newer version such as Android 10 or the latest Android 11. The upgrade will introduce users to the latest features and bug fixes while allowing them to enjoy the earlier Android services.
For those with phones that do not support the latest Android versions, Google recommends considering buying a new smartphone, as it’s important to avoid security risks.