Last Updated on April 6, 2017 by Mathew Diekhake
If you own the Sony Xperia Z1, Z1 Compact or the Xperia Z ultra, you should keep your eyes on the notifications panel for a new Android 4.4.2 KitKat update with the build number 14.3.A.0.681. It’s the first batch of 4.4.2 software updates for the Xperia devices. As usual, all OTA roll out in stages to devices so we don’t know when you are getting it coming to the Update Center. You can always navigate to Settings > About Phone > Software Updates and check that way. Otherwise, find the USB cable coming out of the box with your device and connect it to the Windows PC. Now look for the new firmware via the PC Companion utility.
Android 4.4.2 KitKat comes with heaps of new features including the updated Easter Egg, new location menu, immersive mode, white and transparent status and navigation bars, new lock screen enhancements such as full screen album art and movie art, new color emoji, wireless printing and more. In addition to those universal features for all devices, Sony are updating the native stock apps and tweaking their own UI to appear different. The Walkman app comes with some changes, including sharing songs that are playing on Facebook and a toggle for turning “Music Unlimited” on and off. The Movies app changes to work with KitKat and users can edit their own videos.
Since we are covering this post from the beginning of 2015, we now know that the same devices saw a future 14.3.A.0.757 build number update. It comes with bug fixes over the original update which we are posting here. That means a few known bugs are available after accepting this installment.
We recommend downloading the new OTA using the WiFi network and skipping the mobile data to avoid unwanted data charges and high traffic over the networks. It is a major update, and as such, a great deal of people are using the network for installing the file. That results in a less stable connection. By using the home WiFi or any other WiFi you can find, you are only subject to the traffic that’s coming from the connection.
Android 4.4.2 KitKat is the biggest update under the KitKat name that comes with the most features. Android 4.4.3 comes with a focus on improving system performance, stability and fixing known bugs. Likewise, the last stage of 4.4.4 KitKat comes with the OpenSSl security patch, other bug fixes and a revamped phone dialer. The Sony brand did issue several native tweaks for users on their specific platform which you’ll no doubt find out about later. One of the main features was PS4 Remote Play.