Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop Release: 5 Things You Need to Know

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop update is finally making some progress which means that Galaxy Note 3 users all over the world are now on high alert. With the Galaxy Note 3 Android 5.0 Lollipop update starting to pick up speed, we want to take a look at five things we think Galaxy Note 3 users need to know about their second big Android update.

In September, 2013, Samsung took the stage in Berlin, Germany and announced its third-generation Galaxy Note. The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 replaced the Galaxy Note 2 and it did so with a number of new features attached including a new impressive display, faux leather design, new camera, faster processor, and brand new software that included Android 4.3 Jelly Bean.

Several months later, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 became the first Galaxy device to get upgraded to Android 4.4 KitKat which at the time was Google’s most current version of Android.

While most Samsung Galaxy Note 3 users still sit on a version of Android 4.4 KitKat, Samsung’s begun rolling out a brand new operating system that brings sweeping changes to the Galaxy Note 3 and the company’s other big name smartphones.

In December, Samsung released Android 5.0 Lollipop, an update that serves as Google’s new operating system. The first Android 5.0 Lollipop update went to the flagship Galaxy S5 and since then, the update’s landed for the Samsung Galaxy Note 4, Samsung Galaxy S4 and yes, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 Lollipop release began on January 28th and it’s currently rolling out to some Galaxy Note 3 users. The Android 5.0 Lollipop update is the Galaxy Note 3’s second major update and it brings a whole lot to the table in terms of features, enhancements and more. It’s the Galaxy Note 3’s biggest update yet.

With the Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop release now making moves, we want to take a look at the five most important things to know, right now, about Samsung’s Android 5.0 Lollipop release. If the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is your first Android phone or first Galaxy device, this will also fill you in on some of Samsung’s well known practices, something that will help you keep a level head moving forward.

Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop Release Limited

Up until late this week, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop update was limited to one international variant in Poland. That all changed just a short time ago and the Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop release is now starting to pick up some steam two weeks after it first started pushing out.

According to SamMobile, the Galaxy Note 3 LTE, also known as the SM-N9005, is starting to get the Android 5.0 Lollipop update in the United Kingdom, Hungary, Czech Republic, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Romania. It’s a massive push for an update that was very stagnant in the weeks after the initial push. Right now, that’s all Samsung’s released, though we should start to see it pick up the pace in the days ahead.

As a reminder, this is a substantial update for the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. Once it arrives on your phone, it may require a ton of free space to install Over-the-Air. Samsung Kies will also be an option for those that wish to skip the OTA and install the update manually.

Roll Outs Are Random & Unpredictable

If you’re new to the Galaxy Android update process, there are a couple of basic rules that you need to know about now that the Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop update is starting to roll out in force. These are unwritten rules but they are worth keeping in mind as the Galaxy Note 3 starts to make progress both inside and outside the United States.

The first thing you need to know is that Samsung’s Android roll outs are extremely unpredictable. There’s really no telling where the Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop update will land after these initial countries. Prominent countries like the United States, Korea, and India usually see major updates first, but there’s really no way to confirm Samsung’s plans ahead of time. The roll outs are random and dependent on testing.

These initial roll outs essentially serve as a sort of unofficial beta test. Samsung keeps its initial roll outs isolated so that it can ensure there are no major issues on board. If it determines that these Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop updates are working out, then we’ll start to see it hit more users in more areas around the globe.

We usually see a gap of two weeks between the initial release (that’s exactly what we saw here with the Galaxy Note 3 release) and the next set of updates so owners of the international Galaxy Note 3 will want to keep an eye out during the month of February. We should see more updates touch down before everything is said and done.

The Roll Out Will Take Months

The other thing that you Galaxy Note 3 users need to know is that this is going to be an extremely slow process. If you’re coming over from the iPhone, note that Samsung doesn’t roll its updates out in a single day. Instead, this company takes several months to deploy its updates and that means that some Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop updates are probably months away at least. Some carriers may get it within a few weeks, others will probably not get it until the summer or perhaps later.

This is how every single Samsung Android update works. Just look at Android 4.4 KitKat. Samsung’s first KitKat update started pushing out in January of 2013. The update is still rolling out to Galaxy smartphone and tablet users with updates pushing for devices like the Galaxy S5, Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2. It’s a very slow process.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3users, especially those of you on specific carriers, will need to remain patient as Samsung works to deliver hundreds of updates to users around the world. It’s a process that takes a lot of time.

In the meantime, we recommend preparing your device, especially if you’re on an international variant. Your update is probably coming soon. While we haven’t put together a guide specific to the Galaxy Note 3, our Galaxy S5 preparation guide will serve as a solid substitute.

Carriers Are Silent

While we’ve seen carriers start to spout off details about the Samsung Galaxy S5 Lollipop update and the Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop update, we haven’t seen anyone confirm a Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop update or Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop release date. Usually, carriers like SFR and Rogers Canada deliver update information well in advance but we haven’t seen anything pop up yet.

This could mean that carrier-branded Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop updates are still a long ways out. We’ve seen some carriers outline their Android plans through the month of March and with Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop details missing for most carriers, some users could certainly be in for a long wait.

Know that over time, we’ll almost certainly start to see carriers relay some details. Samsung almost never relays early details for unbranded international variants but many carriers love to keep their customers in the loop when it comes to Android software update releases. That’s why we’re a little bit surprised that we haven’t seen someone offer early information.

It’s important to know that early release details from carriers like SFR and Rogers serve as Estimated Times of Arrival (ETA) and not concrete release dates. You can’t hold carriers to these release windows and here’s why.

Everything is dependent upon the testing process and when it comes to carrier-branded models, it takes several rounds of testing before an update can be released to the public. Samsung must do its own testing before it hands off the software to the carrier itself for additional testing.

More often than not, we see Android updates hit snags in internal testing. These snags lead to delays. Keep this in mind once we start seeing more Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop release info emerge.

Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop Confirmed for U.S.

U.S. carriers haven’t offered any official details regarding the Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop update but thanks to Sprint, we know that a Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop release in the United States is extremely likely.

Sprint’s website reveals the company is working on a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop update behind the scenes. The Sprint Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop update for the SM-N900P is listed as Android 5.0 and not Android 5.0.1 Lollipop.

The listing doesn’t confirm anything else specific but it does point to a release at some point in the future. It’s also a good sign for variants on other U.S. carriers. If Sprint is planning an update, they probably are too.

The United States is typically one of the leaders when it comes to Galaxy Android update speed so we would not be surprised if Sprint was among the first to deliver this update.