After releasing Android 4.3 update for the Galaxy S4, Samsung has finally started rolling out the new update for the Galaxy S III (GT-I9300). Galaxy S III users were waiting for this update for several months now as Samsung didn’t update the Galaxy S III and the Galaxy Note II to Android 4.2, and the devices were still running a year old version of Android. We are still not sure why Samsung skipped the Android 4.2 update as we do know that Samsung did internally test a few Android 4.2 builds for the Galaxy S III but never released them and stopped development in midway.
There are quite a lot of changes and improvements in the new Android 4.3 firmware over Android 4.1.2. Samsung has completely changed the core UI to the one found on the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 3, even the setting app has been completely overhauled
with a new tabbed interface. The bad news is that even though Samsung has changed the core UI elements, it’s still using the same old original Galaxy S III launcher and widgets. Also, Samsung hasn’t implemented Samsung Knox yet, but we may see it in future builds of Android 4.3. Samsung doesn’t provide an official change log for its updates but after testing a few internal builds and this official one, we can give you folks our own list of changes and improvements we have noticed.
Android 4.3 Jelly Bean Features
Samsung finally released the much-awaited official Android 4.3 Jelly Bean for the Galaxy S3 GT-I9300. Owners of the smartphone went through a long-waiting line just to get the next major update. Within 2013, Samsung was suppose to push Android 4.2.2 but decided to skip due to Google’s action of releasing a final version of Jelly Bean – Android 4.3.
The official Android 4.3 software from Samsung brings the following new features and
improvements to the Galaxy S3 smartphone:
1. Core user interface is the same with Galaxy S3 and Note 3
2. Refreshed lock screen interface with multiple widgets support, adjustable clock size and personal message
3. Improved Ripple effect on the lock screen
4. Move to SD card feature enabled
5. Actionable notifications
6. New S Voice application
7. Sound and Shot camera feature
8. TRIM support for faster system performance
9. ANT+ included
10. Galaxy Gear accessory support enabled
11. New Samsung keyboard
12. Updated graphics processing unit drivers
13. New Adapt Display and Professional Photo screen modes
14. Android Daydream feature
15. Driving mode enabled
16. New additions at the notifications centre
17. Updated Samsung apps such as calculator, clock, contacts, gallery and music
18. Full screen Samsung apps
19. New Settings UI exactly as Galaxy S4
20. Various support on other attributes
Android 4.3 Jelly Bean for Galaxy S3 has a size of 1 GB which means, you must free the internal memory to get the update.
How to Get the Latest Firmware
Samsung enabled update support in two ways: Firmware Over-the-Air (FOTA) and Samsung Kies PC Suite.
1. Using FOTA Updater
a. Go to Settings > About phone > Software update > Check for updates.
b. Follow the instructions prompted to you for downloading which will consume 1 GB of the internal storage.
c. Allow installation of the firmware and let the smartphone do restarts if asked.
2. Using Samsung Kies PC Suite
a. Download and install the Samsung Kies from Samsung’s Web site.
b. Launch the software application and connect your Galaxy S3.
c. Let the USB drivers to be installed and wait for the update prompt.
d. Follow the instructions required for the new firmware upgrade.
Make sure that you have created a backup of everything inside your smartphone before updating it as the firmware might erase stored data and your device or PC should be connected to a stable Internet connection to avoid download issues.
Never interrupt the installation process to prevent corrupting the firmware and bricking your Galaxy S3.
To keep track of the countries and carriers receiving the new Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean) update for the Samsung Galaxy S III (GT-I9300), check out our live feed below:
| Country/Carrier | Status | Kies / OTA / Firmware page |
|---|---|---|
| Kenya – AFR | Pending | Pending |
| Algeria – TMC | Pending | Pending |
| Italy (Vodafone) – OMN | Pending | Pending |
| Italy – ITV | Pending | Pending |
| Portugal (Vodafone) – TCL | Pending | Pending |
| Switzerland (Swisscom) – SWC | 05 Nov 11:06:38 | Available |
| Germany (Vodafone) – VD2 | Pending | Pending |
| Netherlands (Vodafone) – VDF | Pending | Pending |
| Greece (Vodafone) – VGR | Pending | Pending |
| Taiwan – BRI | Pending | Pending |
| Germany – DBT | Pending | Pending |
| France (Orange) – FTM | Pending | Pending |
| Austria (Orange) – ONE | Pending | Pending |
| United Kingdom (Orange) – ORA | Pending | Pending |
| Spain (Orange) – AMN | Pending | Pending |
| Poland (Orange) – IDE | Pending | Pending |
| Argentina (Claro) – CTI | Pending | Pending |
| Argentina – ARO | Pending | Pending |
To update your Galaxy S III to Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, connect your device to your computer and use Samsung KIES or simply use Samsung’s OTA service. To download and install the firmware via OTA, go to Settings > More > About Device > Software update > Update.
Model: GT-I9300
Country: Ireland (Vodafone)
Version: Android 4.3
Changelist: 1902166
Build date: Sat, 26 Oct 2013 03:29:22 +0000
Product Code: VDI
PDA: I9300XXUGMJ9
CSC: I9300VFGGMJ5
MODEM: I9300BUUGMJ3
All new Android 4.3 Jelly Bean Firmwares for the Galaxy S III (GT-I9300) are present in our Firmware Section, as well. You can use our Firmware Section to manually update your device if for some reason you can’t officially update your device via Samsung Kies or via OTA as you might be using a Custom ROM or if your country has not yet received the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean Update. Also, bookmark this page as we will keep this page up to date with the latest information on countries and carriers releasing the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean Update.
