Can I revert from 4.4 to 4.3 on the Moto G?

[mirrormirror]

So I upgraded yesterday my Motorola Moto G from 4.3 to 4.4 but I'm very dissappointed.

1- the new home screen with the cloudy/fading color looks on top and in the bottom is fugly. like old tvs of the 60s. It gives the impression that the screen is faulty.
2- the same goes for the right bottom button which displays the recent apps, it shows an even worse assymmetrical cloudy semi transparent grey when opened
3- the new dialer is worse, very dysfunctional (compared to 4.3) and its white theme sucks [redaction].
4- the UI feels less snappier, for example when I click apps' shortcuts it takes more time to open the apps.

So I was wondering if there is some way to downgrade to 4.3 (motorola customer help said it's not possible) but that doesn't make sense to me, or at least remove the fugly features mentioned above.

 

[stenk]

+1
Mirrormirror can you post a home screen screenshot ?
Here is mine and really gives the impression that the screen is faulty :

 

[mirrormirror]

That's exactly the one I have stenk.

home screen (4.4):



original 4.3 home screen with clear cut colors (the first is a photo and the second a screenshot, both retrieved from the internet):




dialer (4.4):



recent apps (4.4):


you can see in the last screen, that the up right quarter is brighter than the rest of the screen

 

[Sizzers]

I never use the stock launcher and firstly I'd advise trying an alternative. I can highly recommend Nova Launcher: it's free, hugely customiseable, no bloat, quick and slick (especially if you select the right settings). For even more customisation you can upgrade to Nova Prime for gesture controls, properly organise your app drawer with folders etc, hide apps you never use.

I think the KK dialler is terrible and there are plenty of alternatives out there on the Store. However, I came across this one https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...ils?id=com.mb.swipedial.donate&token=6pHRy7BV and it's awesome. There's a free version, but the Pro version is in a sale at the moment so well worth grabbing.

 

[mirrormirror]

Thanks Sizzers I will check both out. I guess there's no way to downgrade to 4.3 eh ?

 

[Sizzers]

Thanks Sizzers I will check both out. I guess there's no way to downgrade to 4.3 eh ?

The only way you can downgrade is by rooting your phone and flashing a ROM of the old OS which I guess isn't what you're looking for.

I'm really not happy with the 4.4.2 update either, as for me it's given nothing and only taken away. Apart from the dialler I intensely dislike the status bar. Now I usually have it hidden away, but looking at it with all the stock icons in anonymous bland and boring white is a true eyesore.

Edit Just noticed I forgot to include that its broken some very useful apps for me and two very important ones.

 

[Harvinder Sunila]

Hi mirrormirror,
I talked about the KitKat screen in a previous post, the overall brightness of the Moto G screen is lower than it was with Jellybean...it looks even darker on the home screen due to the top and bottom bars being graduated and not completely transparent. Here's the comparison I posted of my home screen before and after the update.

Maybe this will be fixed in a future KitKat update ?
I agree about the KitKat dialer which is just crap...it's like so many updates, it's been made more complex for no real reason.
I think there should be an option in Android to revert back to the previous OS, I'm sure it's easy to say and complicated to impliment but still, it should be an option.
My only soloution for the dark homescreen is to take the image you use as your background and make it slightly brighter using photo software, then use that as your background.
My eyes are starting to get used to the vignette after a couple of days, I'll see how I get on with it and decide if I need to change it.
I wouldn't call KiKat an update, more a side-date, slight lag and jerkiness on some things and slightly faster on others...If the update was from KitKat to Jellybean instead of the other way round I think many would have been happy with the changes.
Anyways, it's just a phone...don't let it annoy you too much.
Depending on how long you've had it you could take it back and say it's not working properly...they migh give you a new one in exchange which is still running Jellybean ?

 

[rwalton159]

I see no benefit with kitkat and there's loads of chatty about battery life being decreased.

I use Windows 8 launcher and it works well with all apps etc being on hand on one screen.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[stenk]

I fixed the problem by choosing a pic from my Gallery as wallpaper
Now the home screen looks like this:

 

[shmotog]

I fixed the problem by choosing a pic from my Gallery as wallpaper
Now the home screen looks like this:
http://i39.tinypic.com/102wbjp.jpg

nice background

 

[westiewanderer]

I really dont mind the update. I run custom roms all the time..and many of them have looked like this...I actually prefer the graduating look as apposed to a bar on the top and bottom...thats always bothered me...I guess its each for their own, eh? lol, lets just hope they give us another update soon...I DO miss the blue in the status bar!

 

[Caz42]

I really dont mind the update. I run custom roms all the time..and many of them have looked like this...I actually prefer the graduating look as apposed to a bar on the top and bottom...thats always bothered me...I guess its each for their own, eh? lol, lets just hope they give us another update soon...I DO miss the blue in the status bar!

Interesting that that almost everyone wants the blue icons back, whatever made them think that bland white was the way to go :-\

 

[Graham Thomas]

I agree that the blue icons were nicer. But also, with the network and wifi icons, the blue used to change to white if you weren't fully connected. Now you have to open Settings and see if the network/wifi icons are orange to get an indication that something's wrong. That's a backward step.

 

[shmotog]

by the way how do you guys take pics of your phone screen so nicely? is there some app that does this?

 

[anon(847090)]

Interesting that that almost everyone wants the blue icons back, whatever made them think that bland white was the way to go :-\

white is neutral and it would help OEM who build skinned Android like Touchwiz and Sense

 

[anon(847090)]

by the way how do you guys take pics of your phone screen so nicely? is there some app that does this?

press and hold Volume Down + power button at the same time. hold it for 2 seconds

 

[shmotog]

press and hold Volume Down + power button at the same time. hold it for 2 seconds

wow thanks!!!