Galaxy S5 Android 4.4.4 KitKat Update Spotted for U.S.

It looks like at least one Samsung Galaxy S5 Android 4.4.4 KitKat update will land for users in the United States as the Sprint Galaxy S5 Android 4.4.4 KitKat update has been spotted lurking on Sprint’s website ahead of its release.

In June, Google rolled out two new Android 4.4 KitKat updates in Android 4.4.3 KitKat and Android 4.4.4 KitKat. Both are bug fixers aimed at quelling Android 4.4.2 KitKat problems and we’ve seen several Android manufacturers make it a point to deliver these two updates in a timely manner. Samsung is not one of those companies.

While HTC, Motorola and Sony have pushed out a number of Android 4.4.3 KitKat and Android 4.4.4 KitKat updates, Samsung has stood still, content with pushing out Android 4.4.2 KitKat despite pleas from Galaxy S5, Galaxy S4, Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy Note 2, and Galaxy S3 users dealing with Android 4.4.2 KitKat problems.

Despite the silence, Samsung has offered a few glimpses at its plans. Samsung’s Galaxy Alpha and rumored Galaxy S5 LTE-A for Europe are both running Android 4.4.4 KitKat. We’ve also seen the Android 4.4.4 KitKat update pop up for the Galaxy Note 4 and just yesterday we saw Australian carrier Optus confirm an Android 4.4.4 KitKat update for its Samsung Galaxy S5. That update is expected in the near future.

Today, we’re finally seeing some details for Galaxy users in the United States. The Sprint Galaxy S5 Android 4.4.4 KitKat update has been discovered inside a User Agent Profile string on Sprint’s website. The listing, first discovered by users on XDA-Developers, lists the Galaxy S5 with Google’s latest Android 4.4.4 KitKat update on board. This confirms Sprint’s plans and it also means that a roll out could be close.

Sprint is well known for being first to major Android upgrades and it would not be surprising to see it beat out its fellow U.S. carriers to the Galaxy S5 Android 4.4.4 KitKat upgrade.

It’s not clear what Sprint’s Galaxy S5 Android 4.4.4 KitKat update will have on board though we suspect that it will include Google’s bug fixes for Android 4.4.2 KitKat. And with Galaxy users complaining about a handful of Android 4.4.2 KitKat bugs, we could see Sprint and other carriers deliver specific bug fixes for Galaxy smartphones and tablets.

Samsung has been known to deliver Android update news at its launch events which means that we could perhaps see the company roll out some details on stage during tomorrow’s Galaxy Note 4 Unpacked 2014 event in Berlin. Last year’s Android 4.3 Jelly Bean updates, for instance, were announced on stage alongside the Galaxy Note 3.

While the Galaxy S5 Android 4.4.4 KitKat update has popped up not once but twice, other Galaxy Android 4.4.4 KitKat updates haven’t been as fortunate. We haven’t seen any details regarding Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy S4, Galaxy S3, or Galaxy Note 2 Android 4.4.4 KitKat upgrades surface and it’s not clear if Samsung has any plans for them ahead of Google’s Android L update.

Google’s Android L update was first announced at Google I/O 2014 back in June. And while the update is available in beta form for developers, it’s still without a public release date. Rumors point to an arrival later this year though that remains unconfirmed.

HTC has confirmed Android L for its HTC One M8 and HTC One M7 and Motorola recently confirmed Android L for its former flagship, the Moto X. Samsung on the other hand still hasn’t confirmed anything for its stable of Galaxy smartphones and tablets though high-end devices like the Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy S5 and others should get the update down the road.

Android L will deliver design changes, new features, and more when it arrives to replace the Android 4.4.4 KitKat and Android 4.4.3 KitKat updates sometime in the future.