Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy S4 Android 4.4 KitKat Update Breakdown

Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy S4 Android 4.4 KitKat Update Breakdown is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Android 4.4 KitKat update situation continues to evolve and the still unreleased Samsung Galaxy S4 Android 4.4 KitKat update continues to tease. Here, we take a look at everything we know so far about the Galaxy Note 3 Android and the Galaxy S4 KitKat update situations.

Late last year, Google announced the Nexus 5 and along with it, the Android 4.4 KitKat update, an update the replaces the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update as the company’s most current version of Android. The update is not an overhaul to the Android operating system, rather, it builds on the foundation that Android 4.3 Jelly Bean left behind.

The update first landed for Nexus 7, Nexus 10, Nexus 5, and Nexus 4 owners before it shifted to Google’s Play Edition lineup. Soon after, the Moto X and Moto G emerged with Android 4.4 KitKat on board and more recently, we saw the HTC One Android 4.4 KitKat update begin.

We also saw the world’s largest Android manufacturer, Samsung, roll out its first Android 4.4 KitKat update to the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. That roll out is ongoing and Gotta Be Mobile has been monitoring the situation closely.

Samsung still hasn’t confirmed other updates for arrival but it has become clear that the Samsung Galaxy S4 Android 4.4 KitKat update should be next in mine.

With information swirling, we felt it appropriate to take a look at the current Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy S4 Android 4.4 KitKat situations in an effort to present a clearer picture to their users. Here, we round up everything we currently know about the Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy S4 Android 4.4 KitKat updates and their release dates.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3

Update Still Limited

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 takes the prize as the only Samsung Android 4.4 KitKat update currently pushing out to the public. It likely won’t be the company’s only Android 4.4 KitKat update but for the moment, it’s the only update that has been made available.

Problem is, the Galaxy Note 3 update is still limited to only a few areas and models around the world. It initially started rolling out earlier this month, landing in Poland, though the update has since spread to Kazakhstan, Singapore, Russia, Thailand, Vietnam and India. Those updates are for the international SM-N900 model.

We’ve also seen a bunch of Android 4.4 KitKat updates emerge for the SM-N9005 model, the model that uses the Snapdragon processor from Qualcomm. The update has arrived in Czech Republic, Hungary, Switzerland, Singapore, Malaysia, Netherlands, Thailand, Spain, Italy, Bulgaria, Slovenia, and Germany. A few select carrier models have received updates though updates for branded models remain scarce.

Galaxy Note 3 owners who call the device their first Samsung smartphone should know that this is how a typical Samsung roll out works. The company pushes out its updates extremely slow and they can last up to a few months, depending on testing.

We expect to see Galaxy Note 3 Android 4.4 KitKat update start to flow in the days ahead though users should not expect Samsung to detail any release information. Contacting a carrier is more likely to produce specific information.

Bug Fix Update En Route

It’s possible that we could see some delays at this point, now that Samsung has admitted that an issue on board Android 4.4 KitKat is causing issues for owners of third-party accessories.

The debacle started earlier this month when owners of the Spigen version of the S-View case reported that Android 4.4 KitKat effectively killed its functionality. Samsung issued an early statement, denying that it was Android 4.4 KitKat that broke anything, before issuing another statement confirming it to be an Android 4.4 problem.

Samsung claims that it will be issuing a bug fix update to alleviate the problem though it’s not clear when the fix might arrive. It’s also not clear if it will be baked into future updates though we have to imagine that Samsung won’t want widespread complaints about the problem. So, best to just take its time and fix it.

Galaxy Note 3 Android 4.4 Update Confirmed for U.S.

Delays or not, we now know that the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Android 4.4 KitKat update is heading to the United States. A user on xda-developer forum leaked out the AT&T Galaxy Note 3 Android 4.4 KitKat update. The update can be utilized by those with the know-how and it offers at least some of the functionality of the final Android 4.4 KitKat update release. The update is said to be similar to the one that emerged for the public-at-large.

It did not, however, confirm a release date. So all we know, for the moment, is that AT&T is hard at work on the update, preparing it for release. We imagine that the other carriers are now doing the same.

Samsung Galaxy S4

February/March Android 4.4 Release Still Afloat

French carrier SFR came right out of the gate in December, claiming that the Galaxy S4 Android 4.4 KitKat update would arrive in January or February. While it still hasn’t rolled anything out, SamMobile backed up that timing when it said that the update would be landing in February or March. It also said that testing for one of the updates began earlier this month, a sign that Samsung is making progress.

Thus far, those dates haven’t been disputed and for the moment, they’re all that Galaxy S4 owners have to go on. We imagine that SFR will issue new information in a few days with its monthly software progress update so it could be that we see the release narrowed down even further in the near future.

It’s a good sign that nothing has changed though everything is going to depend on how well the software performs in testing. We should hear more about the update soon.

There Is A Way to Get It Early

Those who simply can’t wait can get the update early. SamMobile recently leaked a piece of test firmware for the Galaxy S4 GT-9505. The update is exactly that, a piece of test firmware which means that it’s probably not the final version of the software.

Galaxy S4 owners should proceed with extreme caution, particularly those that haven’t installed a piece of unofficial, but official, software before. There is a pretty good chance that is could mess things up once the final version of the update arrives.

Galaxy S4 Android 4.4 Update Confirmed for U.S.

We’ve also seen the Samsung Galaxy S4 Android 4.4 KitKat update confirmed for the United States. The same xda-developer user leaked the AT&T Samsung Galaxy S4 Android 4.4 KitKat update ahead of the schedule, allowing AT&T Galaxy S4 owners to install the update early. Again, it’s probably not the final version of the software as it’s a build from early January.

The update is important as it not only confirms that AT&T is hard at work on the software but it confirms that the update will be arriving in the United States at some point in the future. Exactly when remains unclear though users should expect U.S. release dates to fall within a few weeks of each other.

So once one update arrives, the others should be close behind. It’s just not clear when that first update will touch down.

Long Wait for Some

Believe it or not, the Galaxy S4 Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update is still rolling out. In the case of Australian carrier Optus’ Galaxy S4 4G Plus, the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update isn’t expected to arrive until late February or even March. The update recently encountered a critical issue that needs to be resolved.

Point is, not all Galaxy S4 variants are primed and ready for Android 4.4 KitKat. And with some carriers apparently still diverting time and resources into Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, we have a hard time believing that every Galaxy S4 update will roll out within a reasonable amount of time. Expect long waits.

Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy S4 Android 4.4 KitKat Update Breakdown is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.