14 DAY TRIAL // In early September, Google hinted at the next flavor of the Android operating system, called Android 4.4 KitKat, but did not provide specific info on what it might include in terms of features.
However, speculation on the matter did emerge, and enthusiasts started dreaming of what the upcoming OS version might have to offer to them.
The consensus appears to be that Google will go for a lighter Holo theme in the new platform release, which would make it more visually appealing.
Starting from this, Google+ user Nikolai Prettner came up with a series of mockup photos that show what Android 4.4 KitKat could offer in terms of visual design.
The images that he published show a different Gallery app from what Android 4.3 (and older) users can enjoy at the moment.
Furthermore, the mockup photos show a redesigned Settings menu, also featuring the Holo/cards aesthetic that recent apps sport, as AndroidGuys notes.
The proposed interface comes with a certain simplicity that is surely highly appealing, and which also resembles a lot something that Google would design.
As the designer of said images notes, the Settings menu in Android 4.4 KitKat should be tabbed, allowing users to easily swipe left and right, just as Google Now does.
Describing the new Gallery app, Nikolai Prettner notes that it should allow users to create custom icon folders. He also suggests the inclusion of a side drawer in the OS.
“One of those features I really want is being able to lock albums. Once you lock an album, the first image gets blurred and decorated with a nice little lock icon. You can lock it with either a pattern or a pin, number, etc.,” the designer notes, referring to the Gallery app.
It’s still uncertain whether Android 4.4 KitKat will indeed include such visual changes, but many would certainly like it to. Hopefully, it won’t be long before Google makes an official announcement on the matter, so stay tuned to learn the news.
