Google has announced that it will no longer support Android 4.4 KitKat on new versions of Google Play Services after August 2023. Released in October 2013, KitKat will lose support shortly before its 10th anniversary.
Google says less than 1% of active Android devices are still running on KitKat. Therefore, continuing to support the aging platform in Play Services requires more developer time with no significant user benefit.
Play Services allows Google to provide new features and regular updates to its apps and services on Android devices regardless of operating system updates. The discontinuation of KitKat means that future Play services released after 23.30.99 in August will not be available on devices running Android 4.4.
In a new blog post, Google said, “The Android KitKat (KK) platform was first released nearly 10 years ago, and since then we have introduced many innovative improvements and features that are not available in KK for Android. As of July 2023, the number of active devices in QC is below 1% as more and more users update to the latest Android versions. Therefore, we no longer support QC in future versions of Google Play Services. KK devices will receive versions of the Play Services APK at 23.30.99.
Google last ended support for an older version of Android in 2021, with Jelly Bean released in 2012. Like KitKat, the number of active Jelly Bean devices had dropped below 1% before support was discontinued.
KitKat was a major release for Android, offering key features like immersive full-screen mode, cloud printing integration, and a “Google Now” page on the home screen. However, nearly 10 years later, Google is prioritizing supporting more modern Android platforms that allow for more advanced features and security updates.
Users currently using KitKat-based devices may consider upgrading to a newer Android phone or custom ROM to ensure continued access to the latest Google apps and services. Apps may also lose support for KitKat over time, as Google Play Services no longer supports the aging platform.
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