Android Kitkat users must update their phones before August 2023.
There has been an announcement by Google that it will not support Android Kitkat operating system. Andriod Kitkat was launched 10 years ago in the year 2013. The number of active users having Android Kitkat in their mobiles have decreased. So finally there has been an announcement by Google that it will no longer support Kitkat in future releases of Google Play services. Google will end support for older Android Operating systems starting from August 2023.
In the year 2021 Google had discontinued updates for Android Jelly Bean OS due to the same reason of decrease in the number of active users. Now Google wants to focus on newer and more secure versions of its Android OS for a better user experience and enhanced security.
In an official announcement on the Android Developers Blog, Google revealed that it will stop releasing support for KitKat in future releases of Google Play services. The reason was the declining active device count, falling below 1%, as the primary reason behind it. Now Google Play services will be discontinuing updates for KitKat (API levels 19 & 20) starting from August 2023.
The active device count on Kitkat in the month of July is below 1% as more and more users update to the latest Android versions. So Google has decided to not support Kitkat in future releases of Google Play services. Kitkat devices will not receive versions of the Play Services APK beyond 23.30.99.
Why Google is ending support for Android KitKat?
The Android Kitkat, which was released in 2013, enjoyed significant popularity at the time. With the rapid advancements in technology over the years, Google notes that the Kitkat OS has become outdated and can no longer support the security and improvements related to new technology. Also without these updates, the OS also becomes 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 Kitkat,” notes Google.
Furthermore, the decision of Google to stop support for Kitkat OS is also in line with its commitment to provide a safer and more reliable experience to its users. By ending support for older versions, Google plans to focus its resources on improving the security and functionality of its newer Android OS offerings.
What Android Kitkat users can do?
Google is advising users to upgrade their Android devices to a newer version, preferably Android 10 or the latest Android 11. This is to ensure optimal performance and security. By upgrading, users will not only get the latest features and bug fixes, but they will also be able to continue using Android services.
Users who are still using Android KitKat, Google recommends that they consider upgrading their devices or getting a new smartphone that supports the latest Android versions. This is important for security reasons, as older Android versions are more vulnerable to cyber attack and other bad actors online. Notably, Google earlier removed its support for Jelly Bean OS at API 16 and 18 back in 2021.
How to check mobile android version and update the version?
In the setting section go to about device , in about device you can see the current mobile version of your mobile. Click on the current mobile version. If any update is available click on the update. On the update is downloaded you can update your mobile’s android version.