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Samsung Galaxy Android 4.4 Update Breakdown (August)

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August has been an interesting month for owners of Samsung’s Galaxy S5, Galaxy S4, Galaxy S3, Galaxy Note 2, and Galaxy Note 3 as we’ve seen Android 4.4.2 KitKat updates roll out and Android 4.4.3 KitKat and Android 4.4.4 KitKat update details emerge. With KitKat details swirling, we want to recap the month of August and breakdown what we’ve seen from the Samsung Galaxy Android 4.4 KitKat update process.

Since January, Samsung has been pushing out Android 4.4 KitKat, the Android update that Google introduced last September and released last November. Specifically, Samsung has been concentrating on a number of Android 4.4.2 KitKat upgrades for its top devices including updates for its Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy S5, Galaxy S4, and Galaxy S3.

We’re now eight months removed from Samsung’s first Galaxy Android 4.4.2 KitKat roll out and we’re still seeing the company push out a number of new Android 4.4 KitKat updates to Galaxy smartphone owners. We’ve also seen a number of new Android 4.4 KitKat update details emerge in recent weeks as we get closer to the fall and the release of brand new Galaxy smartphones.

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In June, Google released Android 4.4.3 KitKat and Android 4.4.4 KitKat, two bug fix updates aimed at squashing Android 4.4.2 KitKat problems. Unlike some companies, Samsung has remained relatively quiet about these two updates for its older devices. As we’ve pointed out, Galaxy S5, Galaxy S4, Galaxy S3, Galaxy Note 3, and Galaxy Note 2 users are struggling with Android 4.4.2 KitKat problems themselves so these updates are seen as being extremely important.

Fortunately, in the last few weeks, Samsung’s walls have come down a bit and we’ve seen a glimpse at what’s to come. With Android 4.4 KitKat details swirling, we want to recap the month of August for Galaxy S5, Galaxy S4, Galaxy S3, Galaxy Note 3, and Galaxy Note 2 users and paint a broad picture of where we’re at with Samsung’s Galaxy Android 4.4 KitKat roll out.

Galaxy Android 4.4.2 KitKat Updates Making Progress

The Samsung Galaxy Android 4.4.2 KitKat roll out is now at eight months and counting but it has showed no signs of slowing down during the month of August. Earlier this month, the company pushed out the AT&T Galaxy S4 mini Android 4.4.2 KitKat update. We’ve also seen the update push out for the international version of the Galaxy Note 3 Neo, the Galaxy S4, Galaxy Note 3, and the Samsung Galaxy Note 2.

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In particular, the Galaxy Note 2 Android 4.4.2 KitKat update has been rampant in the month of August as Samsung works to complete the update that is started rolling out at the tail end of April. We suspect that the Android 4.4.2 KitKat push will carry into the month of September even as we get further away from the Android 4.4.3 KitKat and Android 4.4.4 KitKat releases and closer to Android L.

Samsung’s Android 4.4.2 KitKat update hits new devices every single day and we’re expecting that trend to continue into the fall as we slowly see some of these key Galaxy smartphone updates start to taper off. We’ve already seen a significant slow down with the Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy S4 Android 4.4.2 KitKat updates and we should see the same from some of the lesser known variants.

Galaxy Devices Still Stuck on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean

There are still a number of key devices that remain stuck on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. In the United States, the T-Mobile Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2, C Spire Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S3, Cricket Galaxy S3, and MetroPCS Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S3 Android 4.4.2 KitKat updates remain missing in action. And the problem is, none of these carriers have spoken up about these upgrades this month.

These devices aren’t the only ones on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. Aussie carriers Optus, Telstra and Vodafone still have their Galaxy Note 2 Android 4.4 roll outs listed for release in August or September. The Android 4.4 KitKat update remains missing for Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S3 mini variants in Canada. And the Galaxy S3 Android 4.4.2 KitKat update release remains in limbo, months after it first started rolling out.

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As we pointed out, Vodafone Australia continues to list the Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update amongst its Android update plans though it has not provided any concrete information regarding its release date or its testing. Other carriers haven’t been as forthcoming and key players remain silent about their Galaxy S3 LTE upgrades.

This month though we finally saw a little tidbit emerge. Vodafone Spain, another carrier that keeps its customers in the loop as far as Android updates are concerned, explained that it still hasn’t received word from Samsung in regards to the Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update. Here are the carrier’s exact words regarding the missing update:

Today Samsung Spain has not confirmed or denied officially that the Samsung Galaxy S III will be upgraded to Android 4.4.2. For now, the latest version available for the Samsung Galaxy S III 4G (GT-I9305) Vodafone is Android 4.3.

So despite being MIA, these comments seem to imply that the Samsung Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update is not dead in the water and that it could potentially roll out for devices outside of the United States and Canada at some point in the future. At this point, we doubt that that will take place during the month of August.

Galaxy Android 4.4.3 KitKat Update Details

While some Galaxy users are still looking for Android 4.4.2 KitKat in the month of August, those that have been boosted up to Android 4.4.2 KitKat already are looking for Android 4.4.3 KitKat or Android 4.4.4 KitKat to help solve their problems.

Earlier this month, Australian carrier Vodafone announced that it had a Galaxy S5 Android 4.4.3 KitKat update in testing. According to the company’s latest Android update update, the Galaxy S5 Android 4.4.3 KitKat update is still in testing without a confirmed release date.

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The listing was and still is extremely interesting given the Galaxy S5 Android 4.4.3 KitKat update rumors that emerged earlier this year. The confusion doesn’t stop there. A new update to Rogers’ Android update schedule lists upcoming Android 4.4.3 KitKat updates for the Galaxy Mega, Galaxy S4 mini, Galaxy S3 mini, and Galaxy Note 8.0 at some point in the future.

As we’ve noted, the listing is curious because the company also lists a number of other devices like Galaxy Note 2 and Galaxy S3 as having Android 4.4.3 KitKat. when those devices are actually running Android 4.4.2. The company does make the distinction between Android 4.4.4 KitKat and Android 4.4.3 KitKat, however.

Sadly, we may not see this confusion get cleared up until September or perhaps, even later than that.

Galaxy Android 4.4.4 KitKat Releases

The Samsung Galaxy Android 4.4.3 KitKat situation isn’t clear but what is clear is that Samsung is planning to release new devices with Android 4.4.4 KitKat on board.

The upcoming Samsung Galaxy Alpha, a new mid-range device with a design that combines plastic and metal, will be arriving in September with Android 4.4.4 KitKat on board. SamMobile also reports that the European Galaxy S5 LTE-A (SM-G901) Android 4.4.4 KitKat firmware is now available, ahead of the device’s anticipated release.

Galaxy Note 4 S Pen

What’s more is that we’ve seen Galaxy Note 4 benchmarks point to a device utilizing both Android 4.4.3 KitKat and Android 4.4.4 KitKat behind the scenes in testing. In other words, there’s a good chance the Galaxy Note 4 will come with something newer than Android 4.4.2 KitKat.

Sadly, this doesn’t mean much for owners of the Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy S4, Galaxy S3, Galaxy Note 2, and Galaxy S5 dealing with Android 4.4.2 KitKat problems. Samsung has been known to outline its Android update strategies at major launch events and with a Galaxy Note 4 launch confirmed for September 3rd, it’s possible that we’ll see Android 4.4.3 or Android 4.4.4 KitKat details emerge on stage. We just wouldn’t bank on it.

Galaxy Android L Update Update

Samsung still hasn’t announced its Android L update plans so it’s not clear which devices will be moving from Android 4.3 Jelly Bean or Android 4.4 to Android L in the future. With Android L out in the open, we could finally see Samsung announce some details at the Galaxy Note 4 launch event though that too remains unconfirmed.

To sum it up, August has been an extremely crazy and hectic month for Samsung Android 4.4 KitKat updates and we don’t expect things to slow down in September as we push closer to the release of the Android L update from Google. Stay tuned.

1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. Darwin Bryant

    08/28/2014 at 10:51 am

    ever since the last update what’s the deal with my location I can’t disable it

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