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Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat Update Hits More Users in U.S.

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The Samsung Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update is now available for more users in the United States as another major carrier has pushed out the highly anticipated update and one that could serve as the last major Android update for one of the world’s most popular smartphones.

Several weeks ago, Samsung USA announced that it would be deploying the Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update at some point down the road. The company, as it typically does, left the release date open ended. Release dates are dependent on internal testing and thus, they can shift around before an update actually arrives.

Earlier this month, the first Samsung Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update landed. Unsurprisingly, it was the Sprint Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update that landed first. Sprint was also the first carrier in the world to push out the Samsung Galaxy S4 Android 4.4 KitKat update back in February.

Samsung Galaxy S5 vs Galaxy S4 vs Galaxy S3 - Display HERO

A few days ago, Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile pushed out their Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat updates. Both are operated by Sprint. Historically, we’ve seen a large gap between Android updates for major carriers and updates for smaller pre-paid and regional ones so these two roll outs came as a bit of a surprise.

Just a few short days ago, the U.S. Cellular Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update appeared on Samsung’s website. This was not the first time that we’ve seen an update appear on the company’s website ahead of release and as we pointed out, the listings typically don’t have any baring on the release date. Not the case of the Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update for the U.S. Cellular model it seems.

Samsung Galaxy S5 vs Galaxy S4 vs Galaxy S3 - Comparison

Today, U.S. Cellular updated its software support page to reflect the transition from Android 4.3 Jelly Bean to Android 4.4 KitKat. The update is Android 4.4.2 KitKat, not Android 4.4.3 KitKat and it appears that U.S. Cellular Galaxy S3 owners have a variety of ways to update to the latest version of Google’s operating system.

The U.S. Cellular Galaxy S3 joins the Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy S4 on Android 4.4 KitKat and the updates, according to the carrier, will mirror one another. That means that the software for the Galaxy S3 will likely be light on the TouchWiz upgrades and heavy on the changes to the Android OS itself.

The nation’s fifth largest carrier becomes just the fourth carrier to push out the Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update. AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and many others have yet to roll out the highly anticipated update and it’s not clear when they will get around to it. Typically, those three are weeks behind U.S. Cellular and Sprint though at this point, nothing is set in stone.

Samsung Galaxy S5 vs Galaxy S4 vs Galaxy S3 - Features4

U.S. Cellular will likely also be pushing out a Galaxy Note 2 Android 4.4 KitKat update at some point down the road though it’s not clear when that roll out might take place. Sprint’s Galaxy Note 2 Android 4.4 KitKat update appears to be imminent and could land as soon as this week. A specific release date is still unknown. Sprint typically announces its roll outs on the day of the release which means that an announcement will likely come out of the blue.

It’s not clear if this represents the end of the road for the Galaxy S3. The device is approaching its second birthday in the United States which means that it now sits in a very gray area. Google recommends 18 months of software support while Samsung typically offers 24 months. In other words, this could be it for a device that was once considered to be one of the best smartphones on the market.

Google is rumored to be working on an Android 4.4.3 KitKat update but it’s not clear if it will be landing for either the Galaxy S3 or Galaxy Note 2.

10 Comments

10 Comments

  1. John

    05/28/2014 at 6:34 pm

    AT&T has in their site that the samsung galaxy s3 mini is running android kit kat and for the regular samsung galaxy s3 is running jellybean is that a mistake or is the SGH I747 never getting kit kat :( come on AT&T

  2. Devin

    05/28/2014 at 10:32 pm

    AT&T seriously sucks huge ones when it comes to updates.

  3. cabana

    05/30/2014 at 5:57 pm

    Why are you calling it 4.4 when it is 4.4.2..that shits annoying no offense. Call it how it is so people don’t get confused. 4.4 was the original kitkat and it has been out for ages

  4. Monique Epperson

    05/31/2014 at 9:19 pm

    When will virgin mobile S3 receive the kit Kat update

    • Jason Wilson

      07/15/2014 at 7:53 pm

      already has…

  5. Candice Gregg

    06/01/2014 at 12:10 pm

    I have a Galaxy S3 through Boost and it says all over the web that Boost & Virgin have rolled out the update days ago but yet I still haven’t received it.

  6. kyle

    06/09/2014 at 9:07 am

    Because you suck dick that’s why you didn’t receive it

  7. Lady Zero

    06/11/2014 at 9:48 am

    I have the S3 and sadly, Verizon. I’m locked into my contract and ineligible for an upgrade for 8 more months. The “update” in December royally screwed up the damn phone. Now, the GPS says I’m in the wrong town, sometimes the wrong state, or it will show me as being in the middle of a lake. The battery? I’m lucky to get 4 hours on a full charge with minimal use. The current operating system uses almost half of the phone’s RAM so whenever I try to open a browser or an app, the damn thing freezes and crashes. It also like to randomly drop calls and shuts off whenever it feels like it.

    Now, I’m forced to either continue to wait, not so patiently, for Verizon to release Kitkat for the S3 and hope that it fixes the problem…or pay full retail price for another phone.

    SCREW YOU, Verizon. You suck.

  8. Tater

    06/18/2014 at 11:01 pm

    I got the update on Tuesday. My phone is jacked up. It didn’t update everything. It’s making all of my apps stop. Supposed to have the option for”hotspot” but, don’t have it. It made my phone seem like I exceeded my data so I had NO data to use for internet. I called VM and they tried to help with the data issue. I have 3g now but, NO 4gLTE!!!! Idk what to do or if it will be fixed. My phone was fine before this shitty update! What’s the point in buying the Samsung Galaxy s5 if your just going to try and update all the other versions. I’m just so frustrated with this BS!

  9. Curt

    06/23/2014 at 3:18 pm

    This update came out a month ago and I still haven’t gotten it!

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