Google is ending Play services support for Android 4.4 KitKat

Google will stop supporting Play services for Android 4.4 KitKat in August. Certain apps will therefore no longer receive updates for the 2013 operating system.

Nexus 5 with Android 4.4 KitKat

Ending support means that the Play Services APK will no longer be updated after version 23.30.99. This apk includes APIs for authentication and location services. Now that that apk is no longer updated, KitKat smartphones can no longer simply install updates for apps that use that apk unless developers make an update specifically for Android 4.4. Since it is a relatively old operating system, developers will probably not do this anytime soon.

KitKat is now used on less than 1 percent of all Android smartphones, according to Google. Google often stops Play services support when operating system usage falls below 1 percent; the company previously did this with 4.3 Jelly Bean and 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.