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5 Things to Expect from the Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop Release

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With the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop update gaining steam in countries around the world, we continue to get bombarded with questions about the roll out. With Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop update making significant moves, we want to make some Lollipop release predictions to help set the expectations of Galaxy Note 3 users moving forward.

In late January, Samsung started rolling out the Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop update. The move came as a huge surprise because Samsung hadn’t rolled out Android 5.0 Lollipop upgrades for the Galaxy Note 4 or Galaxy Note Edge, two flagship smartphones. The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is going on two years old and aging former flagships are typically further down the totem pole when it comes to major software releases. Not the Galaxy Note 3 though.

Since January, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop update has hit a number of variants in a number of different countries including here in the United States. In the US, Samsung has managed to get the software out to all of its Galaxy Note 3 variants including the U.S. Cellular Galaxy Note 3 update that arrived just today for its users.

While we’ve seen the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop update make substantial progress, there are still plenty of people out there on Android 4.4 KitKat. And while some carriers are in communication about their plans, others remain silent. That’s where we come in.

Galaxy Note 3

We’ve been covering Samsung’s Galaxy Lollipop roll out like hawks and we feel like we have a pretty good read on the future. Today, we want to take a peek into our crystal ball and offer you our Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop release expectations as April comes to a close. Here’s how we see Samsung’s Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop release playing out.

Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop Release to Pick Up in May

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop update has made substantial progress in the month of April and we expect that pace to continue next month.

It’s clear that Samsung’s finally worked out the kinks and is pushing out its Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop update in full force. For instance today, Samsung rolled out its final Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop update in the United States. U.S. Cellular’s update might have been last in the United States but it’s certainly not last in the grand scheme.

Don’t expect Samsung to slow its roll out down next month. There will be some stragglers yes but we expect a great number of people to get the bump from Android 4.4 KitKat to Android 5.0 Lollipop next month.

If you have a carrier-branded model, you’ll want to keep an eye out for information from your specific carrier. If you’re on an unbranded model, you’ll want to keep an eye out for your update. Don’t expect Samsung to relay any concrete or specific details for individual Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop releases.

Galaxy Note 3 Neo Lollipop Release

Samsung France has confirmed a Galaxy Note 3 Neo Lollipop release so it should come at some point down the road. Our best guess is that it will finally start rolling out soon.

The company did not outline a specific timeframe for the release but with the Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop update making a huge push in key markets and Lollipop updates rolling out to other niche variants like the Galaxy S4 Active, it should only be a matter of time before Samsung gets its Galaxy Note 3 Neo Lollipop up and running.

We can’t possibly predict the exact date but our best guess is that it will roll out sometime in May or June. We wouldn’t expect anything worse than that given the progress that Samsung’s made with its other Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop release.

Don’t Expect the Roll Out to End Soon

While the Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop release is taking big strides, don’t expect it to finish up anytime soon.

Samsung’s Android updates can take six months or more to complete and that appears to be the path that the Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop update is on. While we’ve seen a number of updates roll out, we haven’t seen a whole lot of information emerge in key regions like Australia. Optus, Vodafone and Telstra in Australia all remain silent about their Galaxy Note 3 plans. And that silence likely means a bit of a wait for users.

galaxy-note-3

Now that could change soon but we typically see these carriers post details once software is in for testing. Testing is unpredictable and it can take several weeks. Sometimes it can even take several months. So while it would be nice to see everyone get their Galaxy Note 3 updates out in May or June, that’s just not realistic at this point.

The most telling sign is the fact that some carriers are still pushing Android 4.4 KitKat updates to their Galaxy Note 3 variants. Android 4.4 KitKat started rolling out for the Galaxy Note 3 more than a year ago.

Bug Fix Updates

We’ve heard about a number of Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop problems in the days since its release. If you need an example, have a look at Verizon’s Galaxy Note 3 forums where users are complaining about all sorts of problems. Verizon Galaxy Note 3 users aren’t alone. Lollipop is causing problems for other Galaxy Note 3 owners in the United States and on carriers around the world.

With Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop problems clearly a problem for many Note 3 users, we expect US carriers and carriers around the world to push out bug fix updates to the device. It’s impossible to say when, bug fix updates typically roll out out of nowhere, but we wouldn’t be surprised if most carriers issued post-Lollipop release bug fix updates a few months after the initial release.

Bug fix updates, like major updates, have to go thru the testing process and carriers like Verizon will want to ensure that the fixes on board actually fix the problems. That takes time.

In the meantime, if you’re running into Android 5.0 Lollipop problems on the Galaxy Note 3, we suggest taking a look at our list of fixes for common Galaxy Note 3 problems.

Cloudy Future

Don’t expect the Samsung to clear up the Galaxy Note 3’s software future anytime soon. Samsung usually doesn’t talk about new updates until it’s ready to roll them out. So with Android 5.1 still early in development and a successor to Android 5.0 Lollipop non-existent, you’re just going to have to settle for Android 5.0.1.

Galaxy Note 3 vs iPad mini 2-5

Some believe that Android 5.0 could be the last major update for the Galaxy Note 3. That’s entirely possible. The Galaxy Note 3 is a widely adopted smartphone but Samsung hasn’t shown a willingness to offer much beyond the two year mark. Sure, we’ve seen occasional bug fixes but we typically don’t see major updates push out once a device moves past the two year mark. The Galaxy Note 3 turns two in September.

Once you get Android 5.0 Lollipop on your device, that’s probably going to be it for awhile. So get used to it and keep those fingers crossed. The Galaxy Note 3 is a powerful device but there’s no guarantee that it will move past Android 5.0.

7 Comments

7 Comments

  1. David

    04/28/2015 at 4:22 pm

    Unfortunately or not, customers of Wind Mobile in Canada are still awaiting the Lollipop update for the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. Seems like we are the last to get updated.

    • Walter

      05/04/2015 at 3:56 pm

      You dont want it. IT IS HORRIBLE!! Battery life sucks even with a new battery horrble. Apps just restart for no reason after being stopped. Apps start for no reason…I hate 5.0 with a pssion!!

  2. David

    05/01/2015 at 11:15 pm

    How could anyone say so little in so many words! Any competent editor would have reduced this article to two sentences.

    • Deadass

      05/02/2015 at 6:40 am

      Hey you must be a real dick to use the same name as the 1st responder. Complete Jerk. Just
      leave your idiot comments somewhere else.

  3. cyler

    05/28/2015 at 9:50 am

    I have seen no updates…tsup!!??

  4. Palanisamy

    08/09/2015 at 4:48 am

    other headset is not working in latest version software..

  5. Vic

    08/24/2015 at 7:13 am

    The Lollipop update was a huge fail and Samsung should do the necessary on their end to fix this fail. The problems are flowing out of this powerful smartphone and this is not a good move as we speak of a flagman model well advertised before its official release. Sporadic restarts, bugs like volume down after you’ve accepted a phone call, the phone gets stuck and you have to reboot it. Nothing is solved by clearing the cache as advised. Nothing is solved by a full re-install of the device, too. This will be the end of Samsung if they forget all the owners of this model because the negative comments will drown this company. I will personally avoid Samsung in the future.

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