Android 4.4-powered Sony phones on the way?
An over-the-air update for Sony’s Gallery app is rolling out to Xperia phones today, updating the app to to version 5.4.A.0.12. The update includes performance enhancements and “various” improvements for Sony’s PlayMemories service. But more interestingly, the changelog notes that the new version adds “updates for Android 4.4/KitKat.” As Sony doesn’t currently have any Xperia phones running the latest flavor of Android, this is a sure sign of future devices being prepped with the new OS version. (Indeed, one of the preview images for the app shows a KitKat-style notification bar with a new battery icon and font.)
After loading the updated Xperia Gallery onto a Nexus 5 we’ve already spotted one such change — the app supports KitKat’s immersive mode for fullscreen viewing. Besides that, the app functions much as it did before. Recent leaks have pointed to a Sony phone codenamed “Sirius” appearing in the near future with KitKat onboard, so we’ll be watching out for that as Mobile World Congress approaches.
Xperia owners can grab the new Gallery app from Sony’s Update Center app on their devices.
