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Samsung Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat Update Roundup

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Many weeks ago, Samsung confirmed that it would be delivering a Samsung Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update. Since then, the Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update has become a flashpoint thanks to rumors and leaked details. With rumors and information swirling, we want to take an updated look at where the Samsung Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update currently stands.

The Samsung Galaxy S3 has taken an extremely interesting path to Android 4.4 KitKat. In May of 2012, the Samsung Galaxy S3 debuted on stage in London. And like all Galaxy S smartphones, the device arrived with the latest Google Android update on board. At the time, the latest update was Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

In September of the same year, several months after it first arrived on shelves, the Galaxy S3 received an update to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. This turnaround was pretty quick given that Android 4.1 had debuted only in July. As the months went on, Samsung and its carrier partners upgraded the Galaxy S3 with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, even after Android 4.2 made its debut alongside the Nexus 4 in November.

Many believed that the Galaxy S3, one of the most popular devices in the world, would be among the first to Android 4.2. As we found out, that wasn’t to be the case. Rumors suggested that Samsung was having problems with Android 4.2 and that it might skip the update in favor of Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, an update that debuted in July of last year.

As it turned out, rumors were spot on because the Galaxy S3 did not receive Android 4.2 and made the jump straight to Android 4.3. While the wait was long, Android 4.3 brought a number of big time features to the table. Android 4.3 Jelly Bean continues to land for the Galaxy S3 but it does so with another Android update looming in the distance.

Earlier this year, Samsung confirmed the Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update for arrival. However, the company was careful not to confirm it for everyone. The first announcement came from Samsung USA and the other announcements came from Samsung Poland and a U.S. carrier. As time has gone on, we’ve started to hear more and more about Samsung’s supposed plans and for many, it’s not looking pretty.

With that in mind, we want to take an updated look at everything we know about the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update, an update that from the look of things, may not make it to everyone.

Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat Confirmations Still Scarce

This week, we’ve seen carriers update their Android deployment schedules. Vodafone Australia, SFR in France, Optus in Australia, just to name a few of the carriers that like to keep their customers in the loop. While we haven’t seen a ton of movement overall, we also haven’t seen any carriers confirm upcoming Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat updates.

Maybe the most glaring absence is SFR’s. The French carrier releases a monthly Android update schedule that clues its users in on its plans for the upcoming month and beyond. SFR lists a number of updates on its schedule for April including an Android 4.4 KitKat update for the Samsung Galaxy Note 2.

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While it doesn’t plan to roll the update out in April, it does plan to roll the Galaxy Note 2 Android 4.4 KitKat update out in May. That’s a pretty big look into its future and unfortunately, its future, for the moment, doesn’t include the Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update. It’s strange to say the least but it’s a pattern that we’re seeing. Other than Sprint, we haven’t seen any of the usual suspects confirm Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat updates.

It’s surprising given that we’ve seen a number of Galaxy Note 2 Android 4.4 confirmations but it’s not the end of the world at this point. We imagine that things are still being sorted and carriers will deliver information when they’re ready. Still, it’s not an encouraging sign.

Galaxy S3 GT-I9300 Android 4.4 KitKat Details

It’s not encouraging because all signs, up to this point, suggest that the Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update may be limited to the 2GB Galaxy S3 LTE model. And yes, Sprint’s version of the Galaxy S3 is the LTE model that runs 2GB.

Weeks ago, we saw Samsung Poland tell its customers that it would not be upgrading the 1GB version of the Galaxy S3 to Android 4.4 KitKat. And this week, a very credible source threw his weight behind that information with some new details.

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SamMobile’s Faryaab Sheikh, who is as plugged in as anyone to Samsung’s software plans, claims that the company hasn’t started testing Android 4.4 KitKat for the GT-I9300 version of the Galaxy S3. That’s the 1GB, international version of the device. Furthermore, he claims that the update is not coming. Flat out, says that it’s not coming.

Until Samsung says something, there is still a chance that the 1GB Galaxy S3 could get Android 4.4. Things just aren’t looking very good at the moment. At this point, Galaxy S3 owners who use the 1GB model would be wise to start tempering expectations.

Rumored Release Dates

All along the Samsung Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update has been rumored for April or May. We’ve seen that time frame rumored numerous times and we saw it emerge once again earlier this week. A report out of Korea, citing a Samsung customer service representative, suggests that the Galaxy S3 roll out could be close.

According to the rep, the company could begin deploying the Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update in late April or in early May. Again, this isn’t confirmed, but it does line up with everything that we’ve heard about the Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update.

With the Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy S4 Android 4.4 KitKat updates clearly winding down and Samsung’s confirmation now extremely old news, we have to be getting closer.

Galaxy S3 Review Best Of

Keep in mind, not all Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update release dates are going to be equal. While a carrier in Korea or a carrier like Sprint might roll out its update right off the bat, there are going to be some other carriers that are far off in the distance.

Take for example Vodafone Australia. Not only has it not announced a Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update, it still hasn’t rolled out its Galaxy S3 Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update. Earlier this week, the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update hit a snag and the carrier was forced to re-test the update due to changes made by Samsung.

In other words, it could be several weeks before Vodafone is able to push out Android 4.3. Android 4.3 Jelly Bean completed its roll out in the United States all the way back in December of last year.

8 Comments

8 Comments

  1. Jacob

    04/18/2014 at 4:54 pm

    If you want Android 4.4, just flash CM 11 on your phone cause we all know touch wiz is terrible anyway.

    • Rob

      04/19/2014 at 1:56 am

      Hi. Which release are you using? There is no CM11 stable yet but want to try it anyway

      • asd

        04/19/2014 at 5:25 am

        use nightly they are pretty stable so far
        and in-case there is some problem just update they post nightly version every night

      • Jacob

        04/19/2014 at 2:53 pm

        The nightlies work fine.

  2. Josh Levent

    04/18/2014 at 9:10 pm

    Idk about you but when my father got S3 on Wind in Canada. He started with stock Android 4.2.2 later upgraded to 4.3.

  3. SomeoneNice

    04/19/2014 at 1:15 am

    Please stop posting same stuff over and over. This is ridiculous. There is no new information.

  4. Ro

    04/19/2014 at 3:19 pm

    If you want a fluid Touchwiz experience, I highly recommend installing Pure Performance X Stock Edition XXUGNB6 custom rom. It has the Samsung Galaxy S5 Touchwiz user interface which vastly improves the user experience, at least in my opinion.

  5. ေက်ာ္ျကီး

    06/05/2014 at 11:58 am

    i wanted to kitkat update software how to download

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