Android 4.4 KitKat Release Date Coming: ‘Google Experience Launcher’ Proposes OS Cross-Compatibility Feature

The latest Android 4.4 KitKat rumors suggest the coming operating system may be compatible across several platforms.

Piggybacking off the previous Android 4.4 KitKat log file leak, which revealed evidence of a Google Home app of some sort that may serve as a one-stop locale for all Google services, Android Police has stumbled upon image evidence of such an app. The tech website shared a heavily cropped screen capture of a prompt referring to the “Google Experience,” which alludes to a launcher that may operate within Android 4.4. The Google Experience, further evidence indicates, could be a feature that extends outside of Android 4.4.

Similarly citing information derived from the Android 4.4 KitKat log file, tech website Myce previously suggested that changes in the structure of app names indicate that in Android 4.4 certain Google-specific apps would be available in the Google Play Store to be downloaded independently from the operating system.

The app names have gone from "com.android.APPNAME" to "com.google.android.APPNAME," and Android Police discovered the package com.google.android.gel, which it believes could be the abbreviation for “Google Experience Launcher.” The GEL abbreviation has reportedly surfaced in other sections of the log file, including the aforementioned Google Home app. From this evidence, many suspect that the Google Experience Launcher would open up the prospective Google Home hub.

Google Experience For Other Devices?

Google announced the name of its next operating system as Android 4.4 KitKat in early September, and other than a vague reference to reducing fragmentation within the Android line, the Mountain View, Calif., tech giant has not divulged any further information about Android 4.4.

“It’s our goal with Android KitKat to make an amazing Android experience available for everybody,” reads the company statement. This clue, coupled with the information from the log files and other leaks, has led many to believe that one way Android 4.4 will bridge the gap with previous Android versions is by having the most up-to-date Google-specific apps available at the Google Play Store.

Such apps as the Google Calendar have long made their way to the Google Play Store and have similarly seen their package names change to the new com.google.android.APPNAME structure. It is believed that since the “Google Experience Launcher” is already being filed in this fashion, it too may be available at the Google Play Store to be downloaded by non-Nexus Android users when Android 4.4 releases.

Possible Google Experience Features

As Android 4.4 KitKat and Nexus 5 leaks have surfaced in recent days, many new features have now been linked to Google Experience or Google Home. Tech website TuttoAndroid in particular has revealed a number of Android 4.4 features, which are reportedly specific to the Google Experience and listed below. Many are certain these features will be seen in Android 4.4, but note that with no confirmation from Google, things can change by the time the system is released.

Transparent navigation and status bars in Google Experience.

Google Search/Now integrated within Google Experience.

Leftmost home screen reserved for Google Search/Now.

Google Search/Now has a “one-touch button to set a reminder.”

Google Search’s voice input prommpt is “kind of transparent on the bottom and floats instead of occupying the whole screen.”

Users can set up an unlimited amount of home screens (previous limit 5).

Users can set up an unlimited amount of folders (previous limit 16).

Widgets to be added from the home screen menu by long-pressing menu instead of from the App Drawer.

Do you think the ‘Google Experience Launcher’ will be featured on Android 4.4 KitKiat as a cross-compatibility feature? Let us know in the comments below.

Follow me on Twitter @FionnaatIBT.