Android 4.4 KitKat Problems: HTC UK Speaks Out About HTC One Update Issues

Android 4.4 KitKat originally appeared to have a seamless rollout onto HTC One models around the world as well as in the U.S., but HTC U.K. now reports it has suspended its carrier rollout of the update following a number of “difficulties” with the software.

HTC U.K. released a statement to Android Central about the matter, but has not detailed the specific issues with Android 4.4 that have caused the manufacturer to pull the update.

We are aware that a limited number of HTC users are experiencing difficulties with the KitKat update. As a result, all FOTA updates have been temporarily suspended. HTC is committed to providing customers with the best possible mobile experience and we are working hard to resolve the issue quickly.” – HTC U.K.

Several HTC One users in the U.K. have reported excessive battery drain and their handsets automatically switching to speakerphone during calls, among the most common problems. Not all users have come across issues with the Android 4.4 update, and some of the more tech-savvy have been able to remedy some issues (like battery drain) with a hard reset or by clearing cache. Still issues have been severe enough for HTC U.K. to pull the update with no indication of when rollouts will resume.

The European HTC One models were among the first to update to Android 4.4 KitKat in late January, as promised by the Taiwanese manufacturer. Notably, U.S. carrier models of the HTC One experienced a short rollout delay due to certification protocol by mobile networks, but Sprint, Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T have all updated to Android 4.4, in that order. System rollouts do tend to be staggered, so it is possible that some handsets on the U.S. carriers may not have received the update. Some U.S. HTC One owners have also reported issues after updating, but as of now HTC U.S. has not indicated any plans to halt its rollout or send out any patch updates.

Meanwhile, HTC U.K. has set all its HTC One models back to “integration” on its software updates page. Many may remember the "Anatomy of an Android OS Update" infographic that HTC released in late December, explaining how it goes about preparing a new Android system for rollout. HTC detailed the phases of an Android update as: Evaluation, Development, Integration, Test/Certification, and Push to Customer, with the Integration phase being where the manufacturer adds its own branded software to the new Android system. Luckily, HTC did not have to go too far back into its update process, which could indicate that the rollout may not be suspended for long.

Follow me on Twitter.