Android 4.4 KitKat and Updated Developer Tools

Dave Burke, Engineering Director for Android Platform, just dropped Android 4.4 KitKat with a game-changing focus: making flagship Android experiences run smoothly on entry-level hardware. Project Svelte proves that performance optimization isn't just about speed, it's about accessibility.

Google announced Android 4.4 KitKat alongside the Nexus 5, introducing Project Svelte to dramatically reduce Android's memory footprint. This release targets a broader device ecosystem by enabling Android to run comfortably on devices with just 512MB RAM, a significant departure from previous versions that demanded more resources.

Key Takeaways

• Project Svelte reduced memory needs to run on 512MB RAM devices
• New immersive mode uses every pixel for content and touch events
• WebView rebuilt on Chromium engine for modern web content
• RenderScript now accessible via C++ API in Android NDK
• Hardware-integrated step detector works even with screen off

The printing framework and storage access framework hint at Android's push toward productivity features that would define later enterprise adoption.