

What's new for developers in Android 4.4 KitKat - 6thSigma
http://developer.android.com/about/versions/kitkat.html

======
Tarang
Finally the webview uses Chromium instead of the native android browser. I've
been waiting so long for this.

I hope they find a way to roll it to more devices really quickly so more
people use the latest version. I guess its a big problem but there's plenty of
value to google in finding that solution.

~~~
AshleysBrain
It doesn't support WebGL or WebAudio though, according to
[https://developers.google.com/chrome/mobile/docs/webview/ove...](https://developers.google.com/chrome/mobile/docs/webview/overview)
\- a big shame, since this still means it'll be poor for gaming, especially
since HTML5 audio won't play unless in a touch event...!

~~~
double051
This is only for the WebView object embedded in Android apps. Chrome and
Firefox have supported WebGL on Android for a long time.

~~~
cheapsteak
Have they made it so users don't have to go to about:flags to manually turn it
on anymore?

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suprgeek
The Step Detector and Step Counter platform support is an especially
interesting addition.

Perhaps a nod to the wearables market, with the upcoming Google watch hooking
into it for some Fitness tracking smarts?

~~~
mikeyouse
Must be a response to Apple's inclusion of a dedicated movement-sensing M7
processor on the iPhone 5s.

[http://www.technologyreview.com/news/519531/what-
apples-m7-m...](http://www.technologyreview.com/news/519531/what-
apples-m7-motion-sensing-chip-could-do/)

~~~
glhaynes
Surely it was scheduled for inclusion previous to the M7's announcement 6
weeks ago.

~~~
mikeyouse
Surely it was, but 'rumor' sites were writing about the dedicated movement
processor in late August (at a minimum of 10 weeks ago) and I'm sure there are
enough moles at either company so that Google / Apple know what their
competitors will do several months in advance.

* * * Late Edit * * *

So I looked through the Google public Git repo, and it looks like the initial
Step_Counter functions were added in Dec 2012.[1] The hardware must've been
wrapped more than 6 weeks ago, so I was probably wrong. Google must've been
working on this for months ahead of time.

[1][https://android.googlesource.com/platform/hardware/libhardwa...](https://android.googlesource.com/platform/hardware/libhardware/+/a455772)

~~~
lnanek2
I doubt Google has anything to do with the hardware for this. Qualcomm has
been pushing movement tracking and user context recognition using sensors with
their chips without using a lot of power at conferences for over a year now.
This is probably just Google throwing in a cut down version of their Pivot
functionality. It's basically a chipset feature, just like how the chipsets
are who pushes the OpenGL ES drivers and demos each version.

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sergeykish
> Android now supports the Common Encryption (CENC) for MPEG-DASH, providing a
> standard, multiplatform DRM scheme for managing protecting content.

wow, discussion of web DRM was much louder

~~~
promoCode
Well, yeah. Because you don't have to root/jailbreak normal computers.

The true horror of "appified-zomg-everyting-in-teh-cloud" tablets, smart
phones and other mobile devices is that the walled garden model leaves most
people benumbed to the concept of DRM, as if it were a novocaine injection.

Then, to top it off, the combination of shitty cell phone reception along with
the price of a required data plan behaves like some continuous supply of
laughing gas, and net neutrality just goes out the window.

It's different when you use a real computer, because you haven't acquiesced to
all the limitations of cramming every last tidbit of computation and
networking into the space of a 3' x 5' index card. People stop caring about
standards compliance, page rendering consistency, and the whole works. Most
people are still amazed that full motion video, megapixel cameras, the
internet, and gigabytes of storage can fit in the palm of their hand, and then
get put on pause and stuffed in their pocket for later. We don't complain as
much because we're so happy for the convenience.

The Web does not exist within the mobile domain as it does among laptops and
desktops. Your standards are 1,000 times higher, sitting at a desk in a
controlled environment, than they are while standing in a train station or an
airport, or sitting in the back of a taxi cab.

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scottmp10
Anyone know if NFC emulation will let me create an app to replace my Clipper
card and work key fob? I would have guessed that NFC chips would have an
embedded secret that you can't get directly.

~~~
ge0rg
I would really like to know on which devices the host emulation API will be
available at all.

~~~
vshastry
Most Android devices with NFC will probably support the API assuming they are
running or are upgraded to KitKat.

Edit: including link to source:
[http://developer.android.com/about/versions/kitkat.html#44-h...](http://developer.android.com/about/versions/kitkat.html#44-hce)

"Support for HCE is already widely available on most NFC controllers, which
offer dynamic support for both HCE and SE transactions. Android 4.4 devices
that support NFC will include Tap & Pay for easy payments using HCE."

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elwell
KitKat isn't trademarked?

~~~
DanBC
There's a deal between Google and Nestle. This has caused some consternation
because many people see Nestle as Evil.

Nestle engage in really shady practices - pushing formula milk in developing
nations, ignoring wide spread international laws and drives to encourage
breast feeding. This isn't just "giving mother's freedom to chose", it's
killing little babies.

~~~
moutarde
They were not "killing babies" they were "monetizing the vast network of
uniformed African's who were potential baby killers". If they were technically
doing anything wrong then Google wouldn't have partnered with them, because as
Eric Schmidt said:

“If you have something that you don’t want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn’t
be doing it in the first place.”

~~~
ars
Um, wasn't this like 3 or 4 decades ago? It might be time to move on.

------
weixiyen
> Android 4.4 is designed to run fast, smooth, and responsively on a much
> broader range of devices than ever before — including on millions of entry-
> level devices around the world that have as little as 512MB RAM.

Does this mean that it will run the same as it is running now, but just on
more devices, or does it mean that KitKat is even more responsive than
JellyBean?

