A new Samsung Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update confirmation should give hope to Galaxy S3 users around the world.
Several weeks ago, Samsung USA confirmed plans to push out a Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update in the future. That future arrived at the beginning of May when Sprint rolled out its Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update.
Soon after that, Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile, both operated by Sprint, rolled out their Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat updates. While the Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat push is in full swing in the United States, it’s moving slowly in other regions.
Carriers outside of the United States have been slow to confirm Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat upgrades. The usual suspects like French carrier SFR and Australian carrier Optus, two carriers known for confirming updates well ahead of time, have left Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat upgrades off of their most recent Android update schedules.
We’ve seen a few carriers like Canadian provider Rogers confirm the Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update but the confirmations are few and far between. And that, right there, is what makes today’s confirmation so important to the Galaxy S3 community.
Today, Vodafone Australia confirmed a Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update for the 4G version of its Galaxy S3. The device carriers a model number of GT-I9305T. The carrier points out that while update is coming, it currently has ETA in regard to the release. It says that it’s still awaiting the software from Samsung.
This likely means that the roll out is several weeks away at best. Internal testing at Samsung is unpredictable and even after the company delivers an update, carriers must ensure that the software is ready for public release. In other words, an Android 4.4 release for the Samsung Galaxy S3 4G isn’t just around the corner.
The confirmation is important because it’s one of the first that we’ve seen outside of North America. And while it doesn’t confirm an arrival for other Australian or international carriers with the 4G LTE version of the Galaxy S3, it does mean that there is a very good chance that other LTE models will be upgraded to the software.
It’s still not clear where the Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat update will be heading next. Rogers says that the update will be coming soon though it hasn’t offered a specific date and U.S. carriers like AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon remain silent about their plans for the Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 update.
U.S. Cellular recently announced an Android 4.4 KitKat update for its Galaxy S3 though the carrier seems to have retracted that roll out and now says that the device is still on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. Samsung’s website, which tracks Android 4.4 KitKat updates, does not list the U.S. Cellular Galaxy S3 as having Android 4.4.
When the remaining Galaxy S3 Android 4.4 KitKat updates arrive, they will likely mirror the Android 4.4 KitKat updates that have already rolled out to the Galaxy S3. The updates have been dominated by Android 4.4 KitKat features though we’ve also seen Samsung tack on Samsung Knox 2.0 for improved security.
It’s still not clear if this will be the last update for the popular Samsung Galaxy S3. Google recommends just 18 months of software support though Samsung typically offers 24 months of support for its flagship devices. So, the Galaxy S3, which recently turned two, could find itself stuck on Android 4.4 KitKat.
It could be worse. The international version of the Galaxy S3, which features 3G data and 1GB of RAM, will likely remain on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. Samsung recently announced that it will not be rolling out the software to the GT-i9300 due to performance issues.
