Samsung Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat: New Key Details Leak

New Samsung Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update details have leaked out today ahead of its anticipated release and unsurprisingly, these new Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update details present conflicting information to Samsung Galaxy S3 owners.

Several weeks ago, Samsung USA confirmed that it would be offering a Samsung Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update in the future. Its confirmation was soon followed by a confirmation from Sprint, one of the United States’ major carriers. Since then, the Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat has been a flashpoint thanks to the uncertainty that surrounds the Android 4.4 update situation.

Shortly after Samsung USA confirmed the Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update for arrival, Samsung Poland claimed that it wouldn’t be rolling out the Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 update to the 1GB version of the device. Instead, it said, it would only roll the update out to owners with the 2GB version of the device.

Since then, we haven’t seen any carriers, other than Sprint, confirm plans to offer a Samsung Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update, something that has left Galaxy S3 owners scratching their heads looking for answers.

Samsung itself hasn’t provided any clarity but we continue to see new information emerge thanks to outside sources. Today, fresh new Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update details have emerged and while present good news for Samsung Galaxy S3 users hoping for Android 4.4, the details don’t come from Samsung itself.

According to Android Geeks, a site with a solid track record, the Samsung Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update will come to a number of devices including the GT-i9300, a device that some have said will likely not get Android 4.4 KitKat. According to this new report, the following Galaxy S3 variants will get the Android 4.4 KitKat. Keep in mind, these have not been confirmed by Samsung.

• GT-I9300
• GT-I9305
• SHV-E210K
• SHV-E210L
• SHV-E210S
• SGH-T999/L
• SGH-I747
• SGH-N064
• SGH-N035
• SCH-J021
• SCH-R530
• SCH-I535
• SCH-S960L
• SCH-S968C
• SPH-L710
• SCH-I939
• SCH-S968C

Among the devices on this list are the AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon Galaxy S3 variants. The three are expected to join Sprint’s Galaxy S3 with an upgrade to Android 4.4 KitKat at some point in the future though we still haven’t seen any U.S. carriers confirm specific release windows for the Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 update.

The site claims that the Samsung Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update will emerge in May which lines up with rumors that we’ve heard about both the Galaxy Note 2 and Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat updates. Rumors have put both roll outs in April or May. The Galaxy Note 2 Android 4.4 KitKat update is rumored to be coming first, followed by the Galaxy S3 roll out.

Despite the new information, the Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat release remains uncertain. SamMobile’s Editor-in-Chief Faryaab Shekih claims that the Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update is “unlikely” to roll out and that “RAM isn’t an issue.” This obviously conflicts with Android Geeks’ information.

It’s also worth mentioning that while we’ve seen a number of carriers confirm Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Android 4.4 KitKat updates, we haven’t seen any, other than Sprint, confirm Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat updates. French carrier SFR recently outlined its update plans through the month of May and the Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat release was nowhere to be found.

The Samsung Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update will be joined by a number of other Android 4.4 updates for Galaxy-branded devices including updates for the Galaxy Note 8.0 and Galaxy Mega.

Samsung’s Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update is expected to be similar to the Android 4.4 KitKat updates that rolled out to the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and the Samsung Galaxy S4 earlier this year. Both updates were comprised of Android 4.4 KitKat features from Google as opposed to major TouchWiz changes from Samsung. Samsung Galaxy S5 software features will likely come to older Galaxy devices at a later date but Samsung still hasn’t specified whether or not it will be delivering some of the new software functionality that it used to enhance its current Galaxy S flagship smartphone.

Carriers will likely put their own unique spin on the Android 4.4 KitKat update by adding their own enhancements, fixes and changes. Those details will likely stay in the shadows up until the day of the release.

With the Samsung Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 both approaching their second birthdays, they sit in a gray area of upcoming software updates. While Google recommends 18 months of software support, Samsung usually offers 24 months of software support. The Galaxy S3 turns two in May while the Galaxy Note 2 turns two in September.

Samsung still hasn’t said when it will cut off software support for these two former flagships but there is certainly a chance that Android 4.4 KitKat could be the last update that lands for Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 owners. Until Samsung confirms, it remains up in the air, but owners, especially Galaxy S3 owners, will certainly want to temper their expectations going forward.