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Moto G receiving Android 4.4.2 KitKat update ahead of schedule

Moto G receiving Android 4.4.2 KitKat update ahead of schedule 

Motorola has announced that its Moto G budget smartphone has started receiving the Android 4.4.2 KitKat update over-the-air (OTA).
Motorola at the launch of Moto G had revealed that the smartphone would be receiving a 'guaranteed' Android 4.4 KitKat update in January; however it seems the Google-owned Motorola has rolled out the update ahead of schedule.
Punit Soni, vice president of product management, Motorola Mobility, confirmed the news in a blog post, and stated that Moto G smartphones bought via the company's online store and Amazon US will receive the Android 4.4.2 KitKat update starting Thursday. The blog post also did not reveal the details of Android 4.4.2 update for other carriers and countries but said, "KitKat will come to other Moto G carriers and regions soon as well."
Motorola notes that the update brings the latest version of the Android OS (Android 4.4.2 KitKat) and also introduces new features, enhancements and bug fixes for the Moto G. Some of the new features include enhancements such as restyled status and navigation bars; new colour emoji support; new full-screen mode; enhanced phone dialler app; improved 'touch to focus' and new photo editing features in the default Gallery app.

Motorola has also added support for printing photos from Google Docs, Gmail, and other content on phone via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and hosted services like Google Cloud Print and HP ePrinters. The Android 4.4.2 update for Moto G also incorporates new Google Hangouts version that supports messages and MMS.
It's worth pointing out that the Android 4.4.2 update has been rolling out to Nexus devices, making the Moto G becomes the first non-Nexus device to get the update. In November, Motorola rolled out the Android 4.4 update for Moto X.
The Motorola Moto G features a 4.5-inch HD 'edge-to-edge' display with a resolution of 720x1280 pixels (translating to a pixel density of 329ppi) and boasts of a Corning Gorilla Glass 3 screen. Powered by a quad-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor coupled with an Adreno 305 GPU, the Moto G features 1GB of RAM. The Moto G sports a 5-megapixel rear camera along with an LED flash and also includes a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera. The rear camera supports HD (720p) video recording.

Moto G smartphone

Moto G smartphone 

 NEW YORK: You're not getting the best or the latest technology with Motorola's $179 Moto G smartphone. What you do get is a great price for something close.

Motorola bills the Moto G as the phone for the rest of us -- the ones who can't afford $500-700 for a high-end smartphone. That's a big deal overseas, where carriers don't subsidize phones with two-year service contracts the way they do in the United States. But even in the US, more people are moving to contract-free plans and ones that offer frequent upgrades, meaning the full retail price is what's going to matter.

The Moto G started shipping in the US this week, initially for the GSM networks used by AT&T and T-Mobile. I spent the past week testing the Moto G, comparing the phone primarily with its more expensive cousin, Motorola's $500 Moto X. I also put it up against another lower-cost phone, Google's $349 Nexus 5, as well as the premium, $649 iPhone 5S from Apple.

Where the Moto G fell short was in its camera, battery life and inability to access faster, 4G LTE cellular networks. For everything else I tested, the Moto G stood up well.

Motorola, which is owned by Google, doesn't skimp in equipping the Moto G with a speedy processor. Apps launch almost as quickly as they do on the phone's pricier rivals. The Moto G runs a fairly recent version of Google's Android system, with a promised upgrade to the latest, KitKat, early next year.

The Moto G also has a decent screen. It's about as sharp as the Moto X's and the iPhone's, enough for 720p video, though the Nexus and various Samsung phones do better by offering full, 1080p high definition. The Moto G's screen measures 4.5-inch diagonally, which is larger than the iPhone's but small for Android. Colours aren't as rich as on the Moto X's display, but if I want a superb visual experience, I'd turn to a tablet, a TV or even a movie theater. For a phone, the Moto G's screen delivers video quite well.

The Moto G doesn't win points on size and weight. Although the screen is smaller than the Moto X's 4.7-inch display, the phone overall is a tad bulkier and 10% heavier. The Moto G has a larger frame surrounding the screen -- something phone makers have been trying to shrink.

As for the other shortcomings:

* Cellular access: The Moto G delivers 3G performance at best. Many parts of the world are moving to 4G, but Motorola points out that many of its target markets are still upgrading to 3G. Even in the US, many regions lack 4G. If I'm doing a lot of things requiring top-notch speeds, I'm better off finding a Wi-Fi network anyway.

* Battery life: The Moto G has 6% less battery capacity than the Moto X. I got about up to eight hours of streaming video on Hulu with the Moto G, compared with 9-10 hours on the Moto X. Although the Moto G has a removable plastic back, the battery can't be exchanged with a spare. That said, eight hours for streaming video is a lot, and you can stretch it to a full day with more moderate use.

* Camera: The main camera has a resolution of 5MP, less than the 8MP on the iPhone and the Nexus and the 10MP on the Moto X. There's more to a good camera than the pixel count, but the pictures I took with the Moto G weren't particularly good, especially in low light. They are passable for selfies and Facebook posts, but you'll want a better camera for keepsakes. Perhaps the money you save on the phone can go to a point-and-shoot camera that takes better pictures.

The Moto G is also short on frills. Part of that stems from Motorola's philosophy not to tinker with the Android operating system too much. Many rival phone makers do just that and wind up creating more chaos and confusion.

Instead, Motorola tries to limit what it adds. In the case of the Moto X, you can twist the phone to automatically launch the camera. You can initiate voice commands by saying, "OK, Google Now." The Moto X also offers unprecedented customization when you order; you can choose everything from the colour of the power button to a personalized message on the back cover.

The Moto G has none of that. The frills are limited to an FM radio tuner, something rare in smartphones. Just plug in a pair of headphones, which serves as the antenna. You can swap the back with a new plastic cover, but the phone isn't assembled at the factory to your specifications.

Be aware that the $179 price gets you 8GB of storage, half of what most phones offer. Given all the room your photos and video will need, pay the extra $20 for a 16GB model. Unfortunately, there's no slot for memory cards, as some Android phones offer.

Motorola sells the phone unlocked, meaning you can switch carriers as long as they use GSM.

Phone makers have been trying to set themselves apart by loading phones with more and more features, only some of which are useful. Motorola doesn't try to do that with the Moto G, apart from including an FM tuner. Instead, it's distinguishing itself through price. No one can question whether that's useful.