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Samsung Galaxy S4: What to Expect After Android 4.3

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The Samsung Galaxy S4 Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update has been released for numerous carriers in the United States which means that soon, the hype for Android 4.3 will clear out and make way for anticipation for another big time Android update, Android 4.4 KitKat. The Samsung Galaxy S4 Android 4.4 KitKat update hasn’t been announced yet but users are already looking toward the future, some even beyond KitKat.

In September, Samsung announced a trio of big updates for its Galaxy line of smartphones. In October, the company confirmed them to be Android 4.3 Jelly Bean updates for the Galaxy S4, Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2. As expected, the Galaxy S4 was the first to receive its update as the roll out began just a few short days after Samsung confirmed its arrival.

Surprisingly, Sprint and Verizon were on the forefront of this update, releasing their Galaxy S4 upgrades in late October, well before their rivals. Weeks later, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular and AT&T joined the fray though AT&T and U.S. Cellular were forced to halt their upgrades due to some issues plaguing the software. Those issues were never made public but we had heard about a number of issues from those who did manage to get the upgrades before the stoppage. Owners complained about connectivity issues though those were never confirmed as the source of the stoppage.

Now that the Galaxy S4 Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update has reached the United States, users are likely engaging their new features which include Samsung Knox and a number of enhancements to software already on board. Like any update though, it will soon lose its luster and Galaxy S4 users will once again be wondering about what’s next.

The what’s next is likely going to be Android 4.4 KitKat, an update that Google released in November and an update that should bring a number of features to Galaxy S4 owners. But what about between now and KitKat? What about after Android 4.4? Here, we take a look at what Galaxy S4 owners should expect from the future, after the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update.

Lingering Galaxy S4 Android 4.3 Problems

Again, we’ve been hearing various complaints about the Galaxy S4 Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update. For instance, Verizon Galaxy S4 owners are complaining about random crashes, charging issues, UI performance problems, and more. We’re hearing about issues with other Galaxy S4 variants as well. Problem is, we expect these problems to linger around for Galaxy S4 users.

While the Galaxy S4 Android 4.3 update was pulled, likely due to issues, the new update likely won’t fix everything for everybody. What’s even worse is that massive bug fix updates usually don’t see fast roll outs on U.S. carriers. Instead, they can take months, if not longer. We will likely see small little bug fix updates like the one that rolled out today for the Sprint Galaxy S4, but nothing more major that that.

So there is no guarantee that Galaxy S4 users will see a wide-sweeping bug fix update between now and Android 4.4 KitKat, an update that is rumored for early 2014, possibly in January.

We could see a metal Samsung Galaxy S4 in early 2014.

Instead, we expect Android 4.4 KitKat to serve as the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean bug fix update, at least on some carriers. While there is a chance that carriers like Verizon could push out a smaller bug fix update for Android 4.3 ahead of Android 4.4, we wouldn’t be surprised, given how close the release is said to be, if they attached fixes on board Android 4.4 instead.

At the very least, don’t expect anything to roll out soon. Those who have owned an Android phone before know that these bug fix updates don’t just appear overnight. It’s going to take some time which means that Galaxy S4 users should expect these issues to linger.

Android 4.4 KitKat Update & Much More

The Samsung Galaxy S4 will get Android 4.4 KitKat. It’s not confirmed, it’s rumored, but it will get Android 4.4 KitKat. How do we know this? Well, Samsung isn’t going to update the Galaxy S4 with one major Android update which is all it has received thus far. Android 4.3 represented the first major update for the Galaxy S4 and there is simply no way that it will be the last.

android_kitkat

Android 4.4 KitKat is a given and we expect there to be more updates after that. Typically, Samsung devices get two years of support which means that we expect it to get any and all Android updates that roll out in 2014 and there is a distinct chance that it could get another update after that though the odds are slim given that it arrived in April and Google likely won’t announce an Android update until the middle of 2015, more than two years after the Galaxy S4’s release.

So at this point, users will want to expect at least two more major Android updates for the Galaxy S4, updates that should also entail major upgrades to the device’s TouchWiz user interface.

Summer/Fall Release for Post-Android 4.4 KitKat Upgrade

Android 4.4 KitKat is rumored for January, a rumor that may or may not hold up. If it doesn’t, we still expect the Galaxy S4 to be the first Galaxy device upgraded to Android 4.4. We also expect that upgrade process to begin at some point during the first or second quarter of next year. But how about after that?

Samsung-Galaxy-S4-Micro-SD-Card-Worthless

Google has shown a willingness to debut new Android software in the middle of the year. This year it was Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. Last year, it was Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Next year, who knows, but it’s likely going to arrive in the middle of the year. That means that Galaxy S4 owners should be expecting an update in the beginning of the year, to Android 4.4 KitKat, and another update in the summer or fall.

Samsung usually takes a few weeks or months, to upgrade their devices and so we expect an arrival at some point in the summer of fall of next year. Things could certainly change but at this point, expect updates early and late in 2014 with a possible bug fix or TouchWiz enhancement update in between.

Same Update Process

When it comes to these roll outs, Galaxy S4 owners should expect to see a familiar release process emerge. Here is how we expect the release processes for both of these updates to play out:

  • Early rumors about a release window.
  • In the weeks after those rumors, a substantial release date leak that all but confirms Samsung’s plans and narrows down a window.
  • A Galaxy S4 update leak, likely test firmware, a sign that the update is getting closer.
  • Almost no communication from Samsung or the carriers that host the Galaxy S4.
  • Samsung to finally confirm the update when its weeks away.
  • Another update leak, closer to the final version.
  • International Galaxy S4 variant or variants to see the update first.
  • U.S. Galaxy S4 next.

The Galaxy S4 was announced in the United States and thus, it should be among the first to get Android 4.4 KitKat and any other updates that Samsung rolls out. Typically, we’ve seen Samsung push updates to the launch region first, so it could be that the United States gets the software a few days, or weeks after the international push rather than months after.

More Issues

Software updates are very rarely flawless and Samsung updates are no exception. We’ve seen Galaxy S4 owners complaining about Android 4.3 bugs and those problems don’t just extend to the Galaxy S4. Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 owners are seeing issues as well. This is not uncommon, it happens after almost every software update, Samsung or otherwise.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Flip Cover Review -  004

So, Galaxy S4 owners should expect to see Android 4.4 KitKat problems, should expect to see problems from the update that comes after Android 4.4. It’s just a fact of the update process and at this point, we expect the trend to continue into 2014 and beyond. Hopefully, the bugs are smaller and less pesky than the Android 4.3 issues that have plagued Samsung’s roll outs.

No Need to Upgrade in 2014

Finally, Samsung Galaxy S4 owners should expect not to have to upgrade in 2014. What we mean is that Android 4.4 KitKat and whatever lies ahead after that, should help to make the Galaxy S4 experience fresher, and better, than it is right now. More features, improved features, and more will ensure that the Galaxy S4 lives well beyond its first birthday. In fact, it will likely hold up until 2015 and beyond.

The Galaxy Note 3 could feature an improved camera with a 13MP sensor like the Galaxy S4.

Fantastic software support is one of the keys to Apple’s success with the iPhone. Users can buy an iPhone knowing they will have three years of solid iOS support. Samsung is doing its best to emulate that. And while it may not be a three year plan for the Galaxy S4, the future is looking extremely bright for those that have already bought or are planning on buying into the Galaxy S4 in the future.

12 Comments

12 Comments

  1. Ed

    12/02/2013 at 2:21 pm

    Live in London. Got 4.3 update on sat – majority of apps no longer have access to data :-(

    None of the bugs have been resolved either – google play music still launches continually, still drops 4g/3g connectivity randomly, still get “not registered on network” error when phone has good reception.

    My S4 was full of bugs before the 4.3 update, now it’s borderline unusable. Not data whatsover for some apps and nothing to be done but wait for service Patch that Samsung UK have no ETA on yet. Samsung UK well aware of the issue and say hey “are working on it”.

  2. Hose

    12/02/2013 at 3:25 pm

    It destroyed my Sprint Galaxy 3…….My flash setup got screwed….unintendent halts by the browser and downloaded files show up for clear every 10 minutes like a pest…..

  3. Cay

    12/02/2013 at 5:52 pm

    I HATE this update. Hate is a very strong word, and I HATE it. It looks SO sloppy, and they made all the simple features very confusing.

    Whoever thought this update was a good idea should be put in jail for 59 life sentences. SCREW HIM FOR MESSING IP MY PHONE.

  4. Ariana

    12/02/2013 at 6:29 pm

    My dad is having the same issue with his phone. I am kind of timid to allow it to update on mine now :/

  5. tambolista

    12/02/2013 at 7:48 pm

    I cant even install this update everytime it fails in tge middke of instalation. Not to mention it takes forever to download.

  6. Matt

    12/03/2013 at 7:36 am

    I got this update a week ago, haven’t had any problems whatsoever on my S4.

  7. Rie B.

    12/03/2013 at 5:01 pm

    You know I find it funny that people have complaints of issues on this phone from latest update yet I have Verizon SG4 and have had 0 issues with it compared to my last Samsung issues from the first month till I got this one.

  8. George

    12/03/2013 at 6:09 pm

    Wow. The article started off ok and degraded into nonsense. You need a proofreader. Did you copy/paste random news articles from the web and put your name on the compilation? Yuck.

    • Ron

      12/20/2013 at 12:08 am

      I agree 110% George, totally useless write up and total nonsense

  9. James

    12/04/2013 at 12:27 pm

    Jelly Bean 4.3 pushed out by Verizon in US for Samsung Galaxy S4 and now I CANNOT connect to secure WiFi at all (endless authentication error messages, though it keeps trying). 4G also unreliable and slow. Had to turn off WiFi entirely to prevent battery drain.

  10. Jody P.

    12/07/2013 at 7:23 pm

    Firmware update on my Samsung Galaxy s3 two days ago – since then, many issues. Despite having my text notification alerts turned on, I hear nothing when someone texts me. I cannot use my Blue Tooth in the house nor in my car, despite it also being enabled and paired. I also cannot receive a picture text now… Any suggestions???

  11. Ron

    12/20/2013 at 12:04 am

    This was one of the most useless write ups i have ever read, we will get an update but expect bugs, then more bugs than another update, more bugs and then another update, but than no more updates but still bugs..what a waste of time to read…..

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