KitKat is rolling out now!

[El Presidente]

Sony details Android 4.4 KitKat rollout for more smartphones

And the official word from Sony here: New Sony software upgrade, including Android 4.4; KitKat, rolls for Xperia Z Ultra, Xperia Z1 and Xperia Z1 Compact | Sony Smartphones

Anyone got this yet? Build number 14.3.A.0.681 apparently.

 

[BigBrisy]

Looking forward to it, hopefully we get our hands on it soon

 

[El Presidente]

UK always seems to lag behind with updates, we're probably last in the queue.

 

[BigBrisy]

Sometimes that's not a bad thing, lets the other countries suffer the bugs and glitches first

 

[psyxologos]

Nothing here yet. Unbranded Z1

 

[SavageRobot]

Nothing yet on EE...waiting with bated breath...

 

[El Presidente]

It'll probably go O2, Vodafone, Unbranded, EE. Not sure where 3 fit in there.

Every handset I've owned, EE/Orange are always the last to update.

 

[kevinlufc]

I'm sat in a hotel lobby in the Dominican Republic waiting to go home and have got a notification of a system update. Only problem is the wifi is really poor and won't download.

 

[stuters]

Just popped up on my phone this morning, will have to wait till I get home tho as no wifi at work. On 3 network and branded..

 

[SavageRobot]

Looking at the thread on xda about the update, general census makes me think I may just leave it until the z2 comes out and see if they push another update as this one seems quite buggy and not all that feature packed... http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2687466

 

[stuters]

Its ok did mine yesterday does seem smoother camera is quicker and the music launcher thing now appears to work properly other than that I can't really see any major changes.

 

[El Presidente]

Its ok did mine yesterday does seem smoother camera is quicker and the music launcher thing now appears to work properly other than that I can't really see any major changes.

Any glaring bugs so far?

 

[stuters]

None that I can see.... so far. If anything has Improved the performance slightly camera is quicker to focus and in my opinion takes a slightly better picture. It also appears to have sorted out the home start music function as it now starts and plays when I plug my headfones in.. not the most feature packed update one or two tweeks nothing super special tho.. if I do find any bugs will let you know..

 

[El Presidente]

None that I can see.... so far. If anything has Improved the performance slightly camera is quicker to focus and in my opinion takes a slightly better picture. It also appears to have sorted out the home start music function as it now starts and plays when I plug my headfones in.. not the most feature packed update one or two tweeks nothing super special tho.. if I do find any bugs will let you know..

Cool, thanks.

I'm running a custom ROM based on 4.3 at the moment. Because I inadvertently did something stupid, it's a pain/relatively lengthy process for me to upgrade. I'd rather stay on 4.3 if the initial 4.4 is full of bugs.

What's the exact version btw? 4.4, 4.4.1 or 4.4.2?

 

[stuters]

4.4.2
Battery life doesn't seem as good now i've had a play but that could be down to me playing with the phone a lot..

 

[SavageRobot]

Looking on XDA the people that have updated is 4.4.2 but I'm not sure if these are custom ROMs after further reading. They are reporting that there is some sort of problem fetching data from the ext SD (from what I gather you can't read/write to it or something) which will be a major headache for me as that is where I store all my music / videos / photos.
Also some people reporting that the phone is overheating. But like I say a lot of the people are talking about wiping Dalvik etc so could be that these are unofficial custom ROMs.
@stuters, you mentioned that you haven't noticed any flaws so obviously yours isn't overheating etc, some people have said that it is faster and smother and reports camera is better, so reports over there are very hit and miss but hopefully there will be a few more people have tried it by the time it available to me. Have you noticed if there is problem apps fetching data from SD card? Is your update an official UK release? What network?

 

[El Presidente]

The issues accessing data on the SD is a 4.4 thing. Google changed the way access to the SD Card is handled. My understanding is that it shouldn't have any impact on pics/MP3's etc, just anything else that accesses the SD Card.

It's discussed a bit and there's a little more info here: http://androidforums.com/android-lounge/831664-kitkat-external-sdcards-what-changes.html

 

[stuters]

i have all my music and photos on the sd card i haven't had any problems accessing them I don't have any apps on the card all mine are on the internal memory mainly due to just over 4000 songs on the sd card, no problems with overheating either. it was official release from 3 uk, popped up yesterday in the update centre.
i havent had a proper play/look yet (i am at work 12 hour shift ) however i'm not working friday so can and will have a better look in the mean time i will post any bugs i find.

 

[stuters]

Ok so far the biggest problem I found is when the phone rings plays videos or text notifications all seem to be coming from the earpiece not the speaker, however music does play through the speaker..

update:managed to cure this by rebooting the phone did a quick trawl on the tinterweb and it seems to be a recurring problem, whether rebooting my phone will cure it or it just happens at random intervals only time will tell....

 

[SavageRobot]

Sounds like the bug in 4.3 me and many others seem to be up against when receiving a call it automatically goes on loudspeaker. But that could be rather annoying, when in a loud pub or something now I often miss texts / calls as it is.
You say that videos through earpiece too? Is that videos on device and Youtube, anything?

 

[stuters]

you can answer the calls no problem IE it doesn't automatically go through the speaker unless you want/need hands free, however any sound notifications video (whether you-tube, web or on board ring tones etc) all play through the earpiece the exception being music played with pay music.. however i did a quick scan of the web and turning off the phone and waiting a minute or two and restarting it seems to have worked. it hasn't done it again today if it just a one off or a I'm going to bugger about at random intervals only time will tell..

 

[xacto]

Have had the .681 notification on my phone for the past week, but no way I am updating to 4.4.2. After reading on XDA about this update's bugs, compared to what it brings to the table in terms of a real upgrade, I realize it is just not worthy for me right now.

Overheating, battery drain, camera either slow or not working at all, third-party apps not getting to read the SD card, sound coming through the earpiece instead of the loudspeaker, dang, the list just goes on and on. There are so very few people not having these problems that it seems this update is more or less a lottery. So, no, thanks, for me, at least not yet.

 

[stuters]

 

[El Presidente]

Edit: have just finished chatting with Sony customer care they have confirmed they have identified issues and will be issuing a software update hopefully this week depending on market and operator.

It's very imminent/rolling out now for most of Europe as far as I can tell, 14.3.A.0.757.

I finally updated to KK earlier tonight. It's a custom ROM based on the .681 release (the only difference is it's rooted, everything else is the same). Virtually as soon as I'd flashed it, I noticed there was another update available....

Any one noticing it takes longer to charge?

 

[stuters]

hadn't noticed to be honest normally mine will last most of the day, i only charge it at night normally (might have to give it a boost during the day) as a former one x user the battery life on the Z1 is much better anyway