Google drops Play Services support for Android KitKat 4.4

One of the sweetest Google OS updates, the Android KitKat 4.4, will no longer be supported by Google Play Services. The message came from the Android Developers Blog, where it was revealed API levels 19 and 20 will not receive APK versions beyond 23.30.99, starting August 2023. This means devices with KitKat will not get the latest version of the Play Store, which will essentially not allow users to update apps, and their devices will slowly be rendered unusable.

Android KitKat introduced updates that are still valid today, over ten years after the OS was launched. The system brought improvements to device performance with limited resources and paved the way for what is now Android GO - a proper OS iteration for low-powered smartphones.

KitKat was the first Android that allowed users to pick their own launcher, introduced full-screen video playback, UI elements got transparent for the first time, and there was finally native support for IR blaster. We also saw the NFC functionality gain traction, and this is the technology today that allows us to pay with our smartphones, start our cars, and unlock our homes.

Currently, active devices with Android KitKat 4.4 are under 1% of the total mobile devices, making it a completely understandable move from Google, although we are quite emotional and nostalgic to see the end of one of our favorite Android versions.

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