Early build of Android 4.4 KitKat leaks, features native printing support and fancy white icons

BY Stefan Constantinescu

Published 3 Oct 2013

Later this month, Google will formally unveil Android 4.4 KitKat to the world and detail all the new features within. Today, however, we got a sneak peek at KitKat courtesy of GadgetHelpline, who somehow managed to score a build of Android 4.4 from August 28th. Back then, the OS was still known as Key Lime Pie, but I digress.

So what’s new? Printing support is now baked into the operating system itself. All you people who hate trees will love that. There’s also a new payments feature that suggests Google is building mobile payments directly into the OS, though that’s not been elaborated. The icons in the notification shade are also no longer various shades of blue and green, they’re all white, adding a hint of class to an otherwise nerdy operating system. There’s a new Wireless Displays option in the settings menu too, so that’s nice if you have a Miracast enabled TV, which no one actually does. Dammit.

Anything else? The dialer is a hell of a lot easier on the eyes, no longer looking like it was designed by a 19 year old who just finished watching The Matrix for the first time. And other than that, nada.

Like I said earlier, this is an early build, and an official announcement will happen soon anyway.