New Galaxy Note 2 & Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 Update Details Emerge

New Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Android 4.4 KitKat update and Samsung Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update details have emerged today and they include another Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update confirmation for users in North America.

Several weeks ago, Samsung USA confirmed that it would be releasing a Galaxy Note 2 Android 4.4 KitKat update and a Samsung Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update. It didn’t confirm any other release details, leaving those up to individual carriers. And while Samsung Poland confirmed Android 4.4 KitKat updates for the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2, details were initially hard to come by in other parts of the world.

Shortly after these confirmations, U.S. carrier Sprint came right out and confirmed both the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 Android 4.4 KitKat upgrades though it did not offer any specific details. Weeks later, we started to see more Galaxy Note 2 Android 4.4 KitKat update details emerge. Carriers like Optus, Vodafone Australia and French carrier SFR all confirmed Android 4.4 KitKat updates. They did not, however, confirm Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat updates.

The Samsung Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update has been a bit of a flashpoint given the lack of confirmations and given the fact that some people believed that the update would never roll out. While details do remain relatively scarce, we are starting to see some movement in a positive direction for both Android 4.4 KitKat updates.

Last week, Sprint started rolling out the Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update, the first Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update worldwide. We expected new Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update details to start emerging after the roll out and sure enough, another carrier today confirmed a Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update for arrival.

Rogers, a Canadian carrier, says that its Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update is “coming soon.” It doesn’t provide a specific time frame but typically updates roll out within a few weeks after being given this kind of timing. Rogers’ confirmation is only the second confirmation inside North America as Canadian carriers and U.S. carriers have been slow to deliver details.

The Canadian carrier also has confirmed a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Android 4.4 KitKat update for arrival. Rogers says that the update will be “coming soon.” Specific release dates do remain out of reach. Rogers typically will offer specific release dates once the roll outs get closer so those who operate the Galaxy Note 2 and Galaxy S3 on its network will want to keep an eye out.

Rogers isn’t the only carrier that’s confirmed the Galaxy Note 2 Android 4.4 KitKat update for arrival. A number of other carriers have said that they plan to roll it out in May and June.

This confirmation is great news for Galaxy S3 owners in Canada and in the United States. We expected the Samsung Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 Android 4.4 KitKat updates to roll out across North American carriers and this is a sign that points in that direction. Carriers typically don’t confirm updates ahead of time but this should instill confidence in Galaxy Note 2 and Galaxy S3 users all over the continent.

While the confirmation did not allude to the feature set of these two updates, Rogers Galaxy Note 2 and Galaxy S3 owners can expect these updates to mirror what the carrier did with the Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy S4 Android 4.4 KitKat updates. Those two updates were dominated by Android 4.4 KitKat features. Sprint’s Galaxy S3 update and the Galaxy Note 2 Android 4.4 KitKat updates that have pushed out all featured the same.

Android 4.4 KitKat could serve as the last Android updates for both the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2. Google recommends that manufacturers pull the plug after 18 months of support though Samsung typically keeps devices updated for 24 months before kicking them to the curb.

In May, the Samsung Galaxy S3 will turn two years old which means that there is a very good chance that it will remain on Android 4.4 KitKat forever. The Galaxy Note 2 is in a little better shape given that it was released in September of 2012 and features more impressive hardware specifications.

Rumors suggest that Google will announce a brand new Android 4.5 update in July alongside a brand new Nexus tablet that is rumored to be called the Nexus 8. Details remain scarce though rumors should pick up as we get closer to Google I/O in June.

While that may be the case, Samsung still has a lot of work to do with Android 4.4 KitKat. The company has promised Android 4.4 KitKat updates to a number of Galaxy-branded devices.

Samsung USA announced a slew of Android 4.4 KitKat updates for the future including updates for the Galaxy S4 Active, Galaxy Mega, Galaxy S4 mini, Galaxy Tab 3, Galaxy S3 mini, Galaxy S4 zoom, Galaxy Light, and Galaxy Note 8.0. The company has not confirmed roll out dates for any of these devices though they’re all expected to arrive at some point before the end of the year.