As Android system versions continue to be updated, so does the Linux kernel, which serves as its foundation. However, there is typically a delay of 4-8 months before these updates are reflected in Android. For instance, Android 4.3 still relies on the Linux 3.4 kernel codebase.
However, Android will soon adopt the latest Linux 3.10 kernel, and it has only been four months since its release.
In the past few weeks, new code has been continuously added to the android-3.10 branch under AOSP (Android Open Source Project) kernel/common, which is at the heart of the Android device system.
Moreover, there is also separate 3.10 code for NVIDIA architecture under kernel/tegra, likely prepared for the 2012 Nexus 7.
Nevertheless, this is just the first step. Evidence from the new Nexus 5/4 devices indicates that Android 4.4's kernel remains at version 3.4, with very little likelihood of an upgrade to 3.10 later on. After all, the transition from 4.3 to 4.4 represents only a minor change in Android versions, despite the introduction of a new designation.
Therefore, to see the new 3.10 kernel, we may have to wait for the rumored Android 5.0.
The Linux 3.10 kernel brings significant changes, including improvements in performance, battery life, and stability. Notable enhancements include increased reliability of the ext4 file system, better support for ARM big.LITTLE architecture, and improved compatibility with 64-bit architecture. For more details, click here.