Android 4.4.3 update wreaks havoc on Nexus devices

The Android 4.4.3 update is continuing to cause issues for Nexus smartphone and tablet users, with further reports of Wi-Fi connectivity issues, random reboots and slow download speeds post-upgrade.

The KitKat 4.4.3 update started rolling out to Nexus 4,5 and 7 users earlier this month, and was designed to improve the overall stability of the mobile operating system.

Furthermore, it also aims to improve battery life of devices, eradicate camera issues and introduce a new dialler app.

However, according to a recent report on Android Origin, the update has been linked to the development of a number of performance issues in Nexus devices.

For example, some Nexus 4 and Nexus 5 smartphone users now have Wi-Fi connectivity issues, random system reboots, notification issues, and in-app bugs.

Since the story broke, Nexus tablet and smartphone users have inundated IT Pro's comment section with reports Wi-Fi trouble, markedly shorter battery life and screen orientation problems.

Other issues that have also come to light include Bluetooth connectivity issues, particularly when users try to make in-car calls, and missing contents within the Gallery app.

In the case of the latter, the missing items are often easy to locate on the device after a bit of digging around the file manager menu.

In a similar vein, users have also reported problems when backing up their photos to Google+.

Some Nexus 5 users have noted a decrease in call quality since upgrading to Android 4.4.3, and that missed call notifications are failing to appear.

The Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 tablets are also said to be affected by some of these issues, but to a lesser extent.

IT Pro contacted Google for a comment on this story, but had not received a response at the time of writing.

The Android 4.4.3 update is being steadily pushed out to other devices, including the Motorola Moto X, Moto G and Moto E smartphones.

Meanwhile, Android Geeks has reported that Samsung Galaxy S5 user should also be getting the update later this month, while Galaxy S4 devices will have to wait until July for it.

This article was originally published on 16 June, but has since been updated to include further details of the bugs Nexus users have experienced since updating to Android 4.4.3.

Caroline Donnelly is the news and analysis editor of IT Pro and its sister site Cloud Pro, and covers general news, as well as the storage, security, public sector, cloud and Microsoft beats. Caroline has been a member of the IT Pro/Cloud Pro team since March 2012, and has previously worked as a reporter at several B2B publications, including UK channel magazine CRN, and as features writer for local weekly newspaper, The Slough and Windsor Observer. She studied Medical Biochemistry at the University of Leicester and completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Magazine Journalism at PMA Training in 2006.