Android 4.4 KitKat: Top ten features for users

After months of waiting, Android 4.4 is finally here. Announced yesterday without much fanfare, KitKat is the biggest Android release since the launch of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

Set to reach Nexus devices and Google Play edition phones in the coming days, Android 4.4 brings a lot of new features and plethora of improvements. We have already covered the top ten features for Android developers and now it is the turn of consumer-centric changes.

Take a look at the top ten features of the new Android 4.4 KitKat for consumers:

1. Ok Google: When on your home-screen or in Google Now, just say “Ok Google” to launch voice search, send a text, get directions or even play a song
2. Intelligent Phone app: The new phone app automatically prioritizes your contacts based on the people you talk to the most. You can also search for nearby places and businesses, your contacts, or people in your Google Apps domain.
3. Smarter Caller ID: Whenever you get a call from a phone number not in your contacts, your phone will look for matches from businesses with a local listing on Google Maps.
4. Emoji in Google Keyboard: Emoji are not available system-wide on Google Keyboard

5. Cloud Print-Support: Now you can print photos, documents, and web pages from your phone or tablet. You can print to any printer connected to Google Cloud Print, to HP ePrint printers, and to other printers that have apps in the Google Play Store.
6. Revamped Email app: The redesigned Email app has a fresh new look with nested folders, contact photos and better navigation.
7. Low-power audio playback: Android 4.4 on Nexus 5 lets you listen to music for longer – up to 60 hours of audio playback.
8. Revamped Downloads app: Downloads app has finally be updated with match the design-language of other Google apps

9. Built-in QuickOffice: No need to look for office-suites in Google Play anymore. Android now comes with QuickOffice, which is a quite decent offering.
10. Music and movie-seeking from lock screen: Jump to a specific part of a song or video from your lock screen. Just long press on the play or pause button and then select the point you want.