Android 4.4.2 KitKat Update: HTC Droid DNA Gets The New Firmware With Sense 5.5 Via Custom ROM

Users of the HTC (TPE:2498) Droid DNA waiting to try their hands on the Android 4.4.2 KitKat will now be able to do so as a custom-ROM build based on the new Android version has been released with HTC Sense 5.5.

According to a report from XDA developers, the new Sense 5.5-laden build of Android 4.4.2 has been ported over from the HTC One to the Droid DNA. Last week, the Droid DNA acquired the ability to boot multiple ROMs with the help of an unofficial MultiROM port, a feature that could be beneficial while flashing the new ROM.

The new Android 4.4.2 ROM and Sense 5.5, developed by a group of XDA developers, are currently stable and running on the Linux 3.4.18 kernel. Because both software have been ported from the HTC One, users of the Droid DNA are expected to be able to benefit from many of the same software features.

Although the ROM does not come pre-rooted, users can simply root it after the installation. It enables both CDMA and GSM device support and there are three download options provided -- an odexed build, a deodexed build and a patch for CDMA.

In November, HTC reportedly said that owners of the Droid DNA could expect the official Android 4.4 KitKat update to be released by the end of the first quarter of this year. While no specific date was reported at the time, a recently leaked roadmap suggested a timeframe of March or April for the firmware update.

Meanwhile, Sprint has become the first of the four major carriers in the U.S. to release the Android 4.4 KitKat update for the HTC One through manual download. The carrier is expected to roll out the over-the-air update on Feb. 11.

The Android 4.4 update for the HTC One weighs in at 308 MB and adds support for Bluetooth profiles along with cloud printing.