Google continues to focus on newer and more secure versions of its Android OS for better user experience and improved security.
In their official announcement to Android developers, Google revealed that it will stop rolling out support for KitKat in future releases of Google Play services. The tech giant cited declining number of active devices, falling below 1%, as the primary reason behind the move. It has been mentioned that Google Play Services will stop receiving updates for KitKat (API levels 19 & 20) from August 2023. "As of July 2023, the number of devices active on kitkat is less than 1% as more users update to the latest Android versions. Therefore, we will no longer support kitkat in future releases of Google Play Services. KK devices with Play Services APK versions above 23.30.99 Won't," says the official blog.
Android kitkat released in 2013 gained significant popularity at that time. However, with the rapid advancements in technology over the years, Google notes that KitKat OS is outdated and can no longer support security and improvements related to new technology. Also, without these updates, users will be exposed to security risks and the OS will be vulnerable. "The Android KitKat (KK) platform was first released 10 years ago, and since then we've introduced many innovative improvements and features to Android that are not available in KK," notes Google.
Also, Google's decision to end support for KitKat OS is in line with its commitment to provide a secure and reliable experience to its users. By ending support for older versions, Google plans to improve the security and functionality of its new Android OS offerings. Google also advises users to update their Android devices to the latest version. Android 10 or the latest Android 13 to ensure optimal performance and security. By upgrading, users will get the latest features and bug fixes, but they will still be able to use Android services. Also, Google recommends that users who are still using Android KitKat 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 vulnerable to cyber attacks.
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