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  • could you please answer point to point “yes/ no/ explain” will be very helpful for me-
    1. what is the use of binaries here? Is this a hardware driver like what we do after windows install in pc?
    2. Do I need to install the binaries along with the Factory Images?
    3. if not then what is the significance of Binaries here.
    4. if I want to install the latest binaries anyway then what is the procedure? and please also tell me install the binaries after or before installing factory image?
    I have nexus 4 and it is running 4.3 via OTA (bought 1months). I am new (first time in android!)!

  • Ok….no I’m starting to get pissed. It’s been almost a week since Google offically starting “rolling out Kitkat 4.4 to Nexus 7 Wifi devices” and so far I haven’t seen 1 American thats actually received the OTA update…this is getting crazy. So it is possible that Google forgot to flip a switch or something cause you’d think somebody would’ve gotten the update by now. We know damn sure that we’re not ALL gonna get the update at the same time cause that would probably shut down Google’s servers so whats the deal? With all the rumor mills going around can’t we find an inside source out there somewhere that actually knows whats going on? I think I’m starting to make a divet on my Nexus 7 screen from hitting “Check Now” button so many time!!!

  • So do I flash just the factory image or the factory image and the binaries?
    It has been a while since I have done this, and I do not want to brick my phone.

      • Ok, I found another article on this, and it said to just flash the factory image. Sorry, I do not have the link but it was at the top of a google search of “Nexus 4 flash factory image”.
        I hate it when I have to answer my own question. 🙂

  • Dear all, suppose the Nexus 4 OTA starts rolling out today; how many days (maximum) will it take to reach every device? Thank you.

  • This one app i got suddenly notified me about 4.4 being available to me, yet i see no update even after trying the services framework trick…

  • I shouldn’t have to flash something onto my N7 when Google is supposed to push OTA updates to device. It is, ya know, a Nexus..

  • Has anyone been able to download the 2013 Nexus 7 Wifi factory image or been able to receive it OTA? I can’t download the factory image for 4.4 because the file listed is only 1KB in size. Something tells me that KitKat is a little bigger than 1 KB. Anyone else having better luck with the 2013 Nexus 7 Wifi?

    • Same here, the download from Google lacks the img file and such. And OTA is nowhere to be seen for me.

      2013 Nexus 7 Wifi.

      • Why would they even post the img link on the factory image page if there was no img to be downloaded? Makes no sense!

  • I must say, without the Google Experience Launcher, Kit Kat feels just like Jellybean. I even had to go into my setting to make sure it actually updated.

  • Still no OTA for N7’12. Hell they dont even have the Sprint Gnex 4.3 image on there yet. 😛

  • Just worked to download Factory image for 2012 wifi N7. I’ve been going back and clicking the link every few minutes.

  • Has anyone actually received an OTA for this? It seems the only ones who have gotten it are those who manually installed it. Wonder what takes google so long

  • My girlfriend’s N7 got transparent nav bar. Mine did not. What gives?
    Same exact update method. Used the link from Droid Life to sideload both launcher and new search apks.

    • The search bar is off when you turn it horizontal on hers. However I do like that you don’t get that black bar on the side.

      • The search bar is messed up (overlapping the top row of icons) on mine too. It seems that this launcher simply isn’t ready for prime time???

    • I was having trouble getting my N7 (2012) updated to 4.4 as well… But I did a lot of research, because the troubles I was havng was with Win7(64) not recognizing the tablet once I was in recovery. I could get ADB through eclipse to recognize it and everything else, but when I put the tablet into recovery (where it was waiting for the ‘sideload’) Win7 stopped recognizing it.

      Found this…

      http://blog.dantup.com/2012/10/fixing-adb-device-not-found-with-nexus-7-in-recovery-mode/

      It’s a hack on the INF file And Boom. It worked like a charm.

      Stock recovery, no root, nothing else special like that. I’ve kept my N7 as green as the day I bought it. Personal preference.

  • I’m about ready to give up on Android after the hell I’ve been through. 24 hours later and I’m still running 4.3 on my nexus 7. It was completly stock except it was rooted and had TWRP and it wouldn’t accept the update! Failed every time. I messed with that until today when I flashed the factory 4.3 image. FIgured it was smooth sailing from that but nope for some stupid idiotic unknown reason ADB won’t work in recovery so I can’t sideload the update! FInally thought I was saved when these factory images got posted but NOPE THE LINK IS BROKEN! AHHHHHHHHHHHHH

    • Replacing your recovery is not stock. You need to be COMPLETELY stock to do an OTA update. This is your own fault, not Google’s.

      Your phone isn’t detected in ADB either because you need to install the drivers.

      • Are there some kind of special “adb recovery drivers”? If adb works in android and in the bootloader, why wouldn’t it work in recovery?

      • Does this include radios for the Nexus 4? I’m rooted and have flashed the 33/84 hybrid radio (everything else is stock), will the OTA update work?

        • How is that working for you? I’ve been meaning to get CM10.2 and then flash the 33/84 hybrid radios, but I’m concerned about battery life.

          • It’s worked great. I get much better latency (down to about 40ms from about 150ms before) and 3-4 times the download speeds (about 10x upload speeds). I’ve not experienced any excessive battery drain, and I think it actually might be slightly better. I can usually get through a day of work (with about 1-1.5 hrs screen time) and the battery will be at about 60-70% after 10-12 hours, but I don’t do a lot of synced notifications and keep the apps on my phone to a minimum.

    • You could have just downloaded the factory image for the build you had on the device. Flash the recovery and boot images. Run your OTA.
      Bam!

    • If you have a 2013 Nexus 7 just download it from xda and flash in recovery. Scott already posted ODEX and DEODEX version of it that you can flash from recovery.

      And don’t blame Google because you can’t pull an OTA.

  • i just update my N4 but what a surprise i got when i saw it has the same launcher as 4.3 and not the one that the N5 has …. shame on you google!!!!

  • Is there a difference between flashing the OTA Update .zip and the factory image? I know what both do, but will my device be exactly the same as far as the bootloader, binaries, and system go? Will the end result be the same?

    • Factory image will reset your device to stock, including a data wipe. The OTA is just the changes between your current version and the new version.

        • In the end you’re running the same version of Android, but with an OTA you keep all of your data. Factory image is just that: an image that will restore the device to the state it was in when it left the factory.

  • This is why I love my Nexus devices (N7 and N10)! They now have 4.4 before my S3 has 4.3. heh heh

  • My finger hurts from all the times I’ve pressed the check for updates button on my Nexus 7. I think I’ll just install these factory images and call it a day.

    • i have yet to even see the OTA on my nexus 7 (2012), even tried the google services framework trick

      • I should try the Google services framework trick as well, but I don’t want to get my hopes up about it working. None of the people I know that have the Nexus 7 Tablet have received the OTA yet either.

          • Wait,there is a switch to turn on the OTA ? What are the steps/procedures to do this ? I did not know there was an option to do this.

          • No he means GOOGLE forgot to flip the swtich to send OUT the update..it was a joke. You personally can do nothing to force the OTA to your device….just wait.

      • I tried that about 10 times and still nothing. I am wondering if Google forgot to flip the switch because usually some people would have gotten it by now, but nope not the case.

        • I’m looking at two Nexus 7’s, one being my Uncles and the other of course being mine. Kept hitting check for updates now on both of them and neither have the OTA update.

          • That is one thing apple definitely does right. Once an update is out it is out, not taking weeks for you to be lucky enough to have the OTA pushed to your device.

          • I agree with you, these staged updates I can understand for applications from the Google Play store, but for OTA updates I just can’t seem to fathom it. Apple seems to be able to send everyone OTA updates all at the same time without any impact on their networks or serves.

        • No ota here either, in the midwest, and I did the Google service framework trick about ten times too. I wonder what regions and sections they break it down into for rollouts? I also switched to a couple different wifi networks with browser proxies in other states and it did nothing.

      • I have never done that before thus making me weary of doing it. I don’t want issues to happen like I’ve been seeing happening to people that have been flashing the OTA and Factory Images through these comments and the other Nexus 7 related post.

        • Do not delete Google services frame work, I am a developer and I know for a fact that you will be causing yourself problems by deleting Google services framework…just be patient if you don’t want to sideload it yourself, which is different from flashing a custom ROM BTW. Hopefully you didn’t do what you said you were going to do, I try to help people as much as possible when I see things like this… If you did do it, and the problems arise that go along with that, go into settings, click on Google account, re sync everything one at a time, which ever ones come back with an error, delete and re install, or the fast way, delete entire account and re sign into account, if you have two accounts, delete secondary first, then primary last! And then re sign into primary first, hopefully you didnt put yourself in this spot, but if you or anyone else has, follow the above instructions

        • If you have a custom recovery (you already unlocked your bootlader and flashed a recovery) it’s simple. There is a stock rooted 4.4 flashable zip on xda. If you don’t have your bootloader unlocked, you could always unlock it, but it will completely wipe your device.

  • What is the Nexus 7 Mobile ? I see Nexus 7(2013) Mobile Factory Images and Nexus 7(2013 Wi-Fi) Factory Images.

    • The WiFi tablet OTAs are already rolling out. No word yet on the N4 or Cellular Tablets, but it would be safe to assume they will be out “soon”.

      No word yet on GPE devices, but they should not be far behind.

      • Supposedly, HTC’s should be tomorrow. There was quite a bit of nervousness in some camps regarding whether HTC would actually beat Google and get 4.4 on a GPe before Google had gotten it to the supported Nexus devices.

        Would have been interesting to say the least.

        • That would have been quite the SNAFU on Google’s part. Their devices, with their software, there was really almost no excuse for them to not have all the Nexus software ready two weeks ago. It does call into question if Nexus devices really have shifted in focus from a developer/enthusiast device to the most Google-ified devices that run Android, especially with them pulling so much out of AOSP in general.

          • I had originally thought putting as much functionality as they could into the Play Store as app/framework/services was a great idea for timely updates and to reduce the “fragmentation” whining. This will only hold water if they eventually push GEL to the Play Store….which looks promising with the latest Search Update that fixed some GEL issues on the Nexus 10.

            They lost Rubin and JBQ, so there’s bound to be some changes…I was really hoping that they’d make damned sure this went off without a hitch though to prove to their fans that the loss of these two wasn’t hurting them…which it apparently is.

          • Whenever you lose key project drivers like Rubin and JBQ, and product managers like Hugo Barra, it will have negative repercussions in the short term on the devices and software, especially when they happen over such a short period. However, what will be interesting to watch is how things continue moving forward. I think the 5.0 update will be the truest test of where Android as a platform is headed, and how much those key departures have affected things.

          • ” it will have negative repercussions in the short term”

            Well, that’s the rub. The point is to make those transitions as seamless to the end-user/customer as possible.

            But you’re right. 5.0 will be the one to watch.

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