Galaxy S4 Android 4.4 KitKat Update: 5 Things You Need to Know

Galaxy S4 Android 4.4 KitKat Update: 5 Things You Need to Know is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

While Samsung hasn’t announced anything just yet, it’s clear that the Samsung Galaxy S4 Android 4.4 KitKat update is on the way to users around the world. In fact, we know quite a bit about the missing update and here, we take a look at the most important things to know about the Galaxy S4 Android 4.4 KitKat update ahead of its release.

In September, Google surprisingly announced Android 4.4 KitKat, an update that would come to replace the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update at some point down the road. At the time, the company was mum about the update’s features and revealed very little about what the update would bring to Android users.

After a bit of a wait, Google finally detailed what would be on board the Android 4.4 KitKat update and as expected, the update was, and is, an incremental addition to the Android family, bringing some design tweaks in addition to new features. It’s not a complete overhaul of Android and it feels and looks a lot like Android Jelly Bean.

The update started hitting Nexus devices in November and since then, it has spread to other devices including the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, a device that saw its update roll out last week. The Galaxy Note 3 update ended a period of silence from Samsung’s event though the company’s Android 4.4 KitKat plans still remain unclear.

Rumors point to Android 4.4 KitKat updates for the Galaxy S4, Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 and it’s the Galaxy S4 Android 4.4 update that has come into focus in recent days thanks to a number of details that have leaked to the surface ahead of the update’s official release.

Samsung isn’t talking about the Galaxy S4 Android 4.4 KitKat update just yet but we have still gleaned a number of details from leaks and rumors that have sprung up in the new year.

Here, we take a look at five things every Galaxy S4 owner needs to know ahead of Samsung’s Galaxy S4 Android 4.4 KitKat update roll out later on this year.

Galaxy S4 Android 4.4 KitKat Release Date Window

Samsung hasn’t said anything about the Galaxy S4 update just yet though we do have an idea about when the update is going to arrive for owners around the world. While early rumors suggested that the Galaxy S4 Android 4.4 update would mirror the Galaxy Note 3′s update release date, that may not be true.

We’ve seen rumors point to a window that stretches between January, February and March. French carrier SFR says that it will be releasing the software in January or February while SamMobile, a site known to have insider information about software updates, says February or March. The site also claims that at least one Galaxy S4 Android 4.4 update has just entered testing and that it’s not ready for a public release.

March seems a little late in our eyes and at this point, we think owners should be fixated on January or February. Even if that prediction doesn’t pan out, March is probably the worst it’s going to get, that is, unless Samsung delays the update for something bigger and better.

Galaxy Note 3 Release Should Mirror Galaxy S4′s

Galaxy S4 owners who are interested in how the Galaxy S4 Android 4.4 KitKat update roll out process will work need only look at the current state of the Galaxy Note 3 Android 4.4 KitKat update roll out.

Samsung rolls out its major updates in stages. For those unfamiliar, it means that it rolls out major updates slowly. Currently, the Galaxy Note 3 Android 4.4 KitKat update is trapped in Poland. Soon, it should spread to other regions. Carriers are typically a little bit behind the curve and we haven’t seen any American carriers push anything out just yet.

The roll out here was predictable and it’s hard to imagine Samsung using a different style with the Galaxy S4′s Android 4.4 KitKat push. It will likely start in one region. Several days will go by and then it will push out elsewhere. And then, over the course of a month or two, it will land on carriers all over the world.

Don’t Expect Samsung to Talk

Another detail we can pull from Samsung’s Galaxy Note 3 Android 4.4 KitKat roll out is Samsung apparent distaste for releasing details about the Android 4.4 KitKat update. Samsung did not announce the Galaxy Note 3 Android 4.4 KitKat update ahead of time nor did it put forth any kind of detailed release notes. Galaxy Note 3 owners instead had to depend on a leak for details about the update.

It’s possible that Samsung could make a bigger deal out of the Galaxy S4′s Android 4.4 KitKat update but we imagine that it will follow the same route that it took with the Galaxy Note 3. Remain quiet, push the update out on a random date to an unpredictable region, and then remain quiet about the features and any other release dates.

Galaxy S4 Android 4.4 KitKat Update Leaks

Galaxy S4 owners need to know that the Android 4.4 KitKat update has leaked out in recent days. In fact, we’ve seen the update leak out twice, tempting impatient Galaxy S4 users with a piece of test Android 4.4 KitKat firmware. That’s all fine and dandy for those that know what to do with it.

While there are two pieces of firmware floating around, we only recommend them to those who have intense knowledge about installing unofficial software. While it’s nice to have software on board early, there is a good chance that neither update is the official version, particularly if Samsung is still testing the firmware.

This could cause some headaches for novice users down the line when the actual OTA arrives. So, we suggest those who aren’t adept at installing this kind of software hold off and wait for the Over-the-Air update to arrive.

To those that simply can’t wait, for whatever it’s worth, we’ve heard that the update is fairly stable, though, users will need to proceed at their own risk.

Incremental Update

Finally, Galaxy S4 owners need to know not to expect the world from this Android 4.4 KitKat update. It’s likely going to mirror what Samsung did with the Galaxy Note 3. Add in a few design tweaks, a few features and call it a day. Things could certainly change between now and the official release but at this point, it appears that we’re looking at an update that focuses in on enhancing performance, adding some stylistic changes and brings a few new features to the table. That’s it.

Those who became enamored with the brand new TouchWiz UI that leaked out a few days ago are going to have to put their dreams on hold as that new look likely will debut with the Samsung Galaxy S5 and not with the Galaxy S4 Android 4.4 KitKat update.

Galaxy S4 Android 4.4 KitKat Update: 5 Things You Need to Know is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.