Owners of the Sony Xperia Z3 series should look out for a new system notification alerting them of a new Android 4.4.4 Kitkat update. The build number associated with this edition is 23.0.1.A.5.77. Both the standard Z3 and the Z3 Compact are finding the new software. Those of you with the D6603 and D6653 model numbers of the full-size smartphone are the ones who will see this version. Furthermore, the Compact owners with the model numbers D5803 and D5833 are finding it rolling. You can always check your number by navigating your way to Settings > About Device.
The 23.0.1.A.5.77 firmware comes with the Portrait Retouch app originally found in the Xperia C3. Moreover, it hides updates to the applications you have disabled. That way you don’t have to look at unwanted notifications. Improving notifications is important for Sony going forward since Android are including some amazing features in the Android 5.0 Lollipop that vastly set the new notifications apart from those running KitKat. Z3 owners can understand all that soon when they find the official Lollipop OTA rolling out to their devices. You may recall us asking the Lollipop question when we reported that the same build number was officially certified by the PTCRB. You can read up on that report here.
Sony did not list any official change-log yet so we don’t know what other features are inside the update. There is no report on the total file size. You should avoid the mobile data and download the update using the WiFi connection to avoid unwanted data charges. Additionally, you bypass the network traffic which creates a less stable experience.
You can make a backup of the data if you like doing things by the technology book. Applications such as Helium are available from the Google Play Store to help Android users sync the contacts, backup the market apps and SMS messages.