Android 4.4.3 KitKat Update Arrives: Incremental Software Brings New Issues, Major Ailments Remain

Not everything is worth the wait. After hanging on for several months for the Android 4.4.3 update, some users are finding new problems with the software and realizing that already-known bugs have not been fixed.

Google(NASDAQ: GOOG) and T-Mobile US Inc. (TMUS:NYSE) confirmed on Monday that the new software was coming to the Nexus 4 and Nexus 5 smartphones and the Nexus 7 tablet. T-Mobile’s software support pages say the Android 4.4.3 update focuses on security enhancements and various bug fixes. Tech website Funky Android compiled a list of over 7,454 changes to be found in Android 4.4.3 -- mostly minor tweaks and bug fixes. But reports indicate that the update has also brought fresh problems.

Members of the XDA Developers Forum report a number of issues with Android 4.4.3, including one with the LED notifications light, which blinks when a user has a message of some sort: the light does not blink after a phone call is missed. XDA users also report problems with LTE connectivity on various Nexus devices.

One major Android 4.4 issue that remains from previous versions has to do with battery drain caused by the Nexus 5 camera. The issue is localized within the mm-qcamera-daemon system code, which allows third-party apps (like Snapchat or Skype) access to a device’s camera. The mm-qcamera-daemon process continues to run even when those apps are closed, contributing to battery drain.

There's no word yet on when these new and remaining issues will be fixed. After Nexus devices updated to Android 4.4.2 in December, it took five months for the Android 4.4.3 update to arrive.

Despite the frustration, enthusiasts are likely to update to each new Android version. T-Mobile’s Android 4.4.3 update for the Nexus 4, Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 will be available over-the-air through next Monday. Users can check to see if the update is available for their device by accessing Settings > About Phone > System Updates. After next Monday, the update will only be available as a download for manual installation.

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