Connect with us

Android

New Samsung Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat Update Confirmed

Published

on

A new Samsung Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update confirmation should give hope to Galaxy S3 users around the world.

Several weeks ago, Samsung USA confirmed plans to push out a Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update in the future. That future arrived at the beginning of May when Sprint rolled out its Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update.

Soon after that, Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile, both operated by Sprint, rolled out their Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat updates. While the Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat push is in full swing in the United States, it’s moving slowly in other regions.

Carriers outside of the United States have been slow to confirm Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat upgrades. The usual suspects like French carrier SFR and Australian carrier Optus, two carriers known for confirming updates well ahead of time, have left Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat upgrades off of their most recent Android update schedules.

We’ve seen a few carriers like Canadian provider Rogers confirm the Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update but the confirmations are few and far between. And that, right there, is what makes today’s confirmation so important to the Galaxy S3 community.

Samsung-Galaxy-S5-vs-Galaxy-S4-vs-Galaxy-S3-Display-Hero-2-620x380

Today, Vodafone Australia confirmed a Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update for the 4G version of its Galaxy S3. The device carriers a model number of GT-I9305T. The carrier points out that while update is coming, it currently has ETA in regard to the release. It says that it’s still awaiting the software from Samsung.

This likely means that the roll out is several weeks away at best. Internal testing at Samsung is unpredictable and even after the company delivers an update, carriers must ensure that the software is ready for public release. In other words, an Android 4.4 release for the Samsung Galaxy S3 4G isn’t just around the corner.

The confirmation is important because it’s one of the first that we’ve seen outside of North America. And while it doesn’t confirm an arrival for other Australian or international carriers with the 4G LTE version of the Galaxy S3, it does mean that there is a very good chance that other LTE models will be upgraded to the software.

It’s still not clear where the Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update will be heading next. Rogers says that the update will be coming soon though it hasn’t offered a specific date and U.S. carriers like AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon remain silent about their plans for the Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 update.

U.S. Cellular recently announced an Android 4.4 KitKat update for its Galaxy S3 though the carrier seems to have retracted that roll out and now says that the device is still on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. Samsung’s website, which tracks Android 4.4 KitKat updates, does not list the U.S. Cellular Galaxy S3 as having Android 4.4.

android_kitkat-575x383

When the remaining Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat updates arrive, they will likely mirror the Android 4.4 KitKat updates that have already rolled out to the Galaxy S3. The updates have been dominated by Android 4.4 KitKat features though we’ve also seen Samsung tack on Samsung Knox 2.0 for improved security.

It’s still not clear if this will be the last update for the popular Samsung Galaxy S3. Google recommends just 18 months of software support though Samsung typically offers 24 months of support for its flagship devices. So, the Galaxy S3, which recently turned two, could find itself stuck on Android 4.4 KitKat.

It could be worse. The international version of the Galaxy S3, which features 3G data and 1GB of RAM, will likely remain on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. Samsung recently announced that it will not be rolling out the software to the GT-i9300 due to performance issues.

15 Comments

15 Comments

  1. Qadir Siddiqui

    06/05/2014 at 12:09 pm

    Plz my s3 kitkat android aupdate plllllllzzzzz

  2. Geo Cruz

    06/05/2014 at 1:53 pm

    Got the 4.4 kitkat update for my Galaxy S3 3 days ago and it’s pretty cool! Virgin Mobile rocks

    • shaunbloodsworth

      06/06/2014 at 8:20 am

      Good to know it’s actually rolling out on Virgin Mobile. Unfortunately I’m still waiting.

  3. Ron P.

    06/05/2014 at 2:23 pm

    I have had my GS3 Kitkat 4.4.2 update on U.S. Cellular network on Wednesday May 28th around 6 a.m. and I am lovin’ it!

  4. john har

    06/05/2014 at 2:24 pm

    Well I’ve been rocking 4.4 on my gs3 since November thanks to cyanogenmod. Only reason why its taking so long is because companies want to put their bloatware on the phones which is one reason why the international variant my not see 4.4 because it doesn’t have enough RAM for their stuff.

  5. Josh Levent

    06/05/2014 at 4:14 pm

    What happens to the Canadians with SGH T999V models? We have 1.56 GB of RAM. Do we get the update?

  6. iqandroid

    06/05/2014 at 7:15 pm

    Its nice to see the Samsung Galaxy S3 getting the update to KitKat. Ive had it with a custom ROM for months instead of waiting for US carriers to decide. The S3 is a great device even though the newer S4 and S5 overshadow it specs. The design is elegant and smooth.

  7. Krzysztof Bryk

    06/08/2014 at 1:15 am

    samsung announecd no kk for s3 back in march

  8. kyle

    06/09/2014 at 9:17 am

    That is bull shit Krzysztof Bryk they are releasing in less than two months on Verizon. I know this because I have the official 4.4 kit Kat update on the s3 and it is way better than all others it looks even better than the s5 from T-Mobile so shut the hell up

    • Krzysztof Bryk

      06/09/2014 at 9:28 am

      read with understanding mate. i guess youre not reading till the end of the articles.
      soooooo i refer to that part at the very end:

      “Samsung recently announced that it will not be rolling out the software to the GT-i9300 due to performance issues.”

      as ive reported back in march on my samsung blog (and what was copied by other blogs), samsung polska specified back in MARCH that only LTE (2GB == all us variants) will get KK update so it is not possible that Samsung Developers learned it just week or two ago.

      so if you have not catched it. all us variants has 2GB so it means that those will get KK update as long as individual carrier will decide otherwise.

      i hope you understand now =)

  9. vzwuser76

    06/11/2014 at 1:20 am

    Krzysztof Bryk, you said the S3 wasn’t getting the update, which would tend to include ALL versions of the S3 if you didn’t specify which variant of the S3. Maybe if you had said the S3 GT-i9300 isn’t getting the update, there wouldn’t have been any confusion.

  10. siddharth dhanure

    10/06/2014 at 1:30 am

    Samsung Galaxy S3 is update in KitKat in India .

  11. siddharth dhanure

    10/06/2014 at 1:34 am

    any budy tell me can i update KitKat my S3 in India ..

  12. Cejuste Jacques Romuald, Slim Jay

    11/23/2014 at 4:10 pm

    Need that update for my T-MOBILE SGH T999 Android 4G

  13. ishita

    08/25/2015 at 2:15 am

    i have samsung s3 4g mobil…bettry chargibg problm is there……so it is not good

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.