The latest Android 4.4 KitKat update is here -- and the much-loved Samsung Galaxy S3 is finally updating to Android 4.3 Jelly Bean.
The S3 has been left behind by Android updates -- it's been stuck on Android 4.1 -- but now skips over 4.2 to 4.3. It joins the rarefied ranks of Android devices boasting features such as souped-up notifications, updated S-Voice voice control, improvements to the TouchWiz interface and support for the Galaxy Gear smart watch.
The update is on its way, but may be delayed reaching your phone as the mobile networks test and approve the new software to make sure it doesn't break their added extras and bloatware.
Jelly Bean took a while to reach many phones, but it's finally on over half of all Android devices.
The very latest cutting-edge Android update, version 4.4 KitKat, was released last week along with the new Android flagship the Google Nexus 5.
KitKat is coming to the most recent flagship phones in coming months, including the Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One. It won't officially find its way to the venerable Samsung Galaxy Nexus, but if you're feeling brave you can install a KitKat ROMs -- entirely at your own risk, of course.
Are you excited about Android updates? Tell me your thoughts in the comments or leave us an update on our Facebook page.
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Richard W Buckley 4 November, 2013 14:05
I've been waiting for the GS3 update, as I want to use the 'new smart low power Bluetooth' that I understand is part of the update and Iphones have had for a year or more... I will be able to use the Heart Rate Monitor I bought and look at what other products I can upgrade...
o5ky 4 November, 2013 14:06
Or you could just install a rom like Cyanogenmod and receive the daily updates and be running 4.3.1 :)
anonymous 4 November, 2013 17:12
So will the S3 Mini be getting updated to 4.3 also?
anonymous 4 November, 2013 21:17
@o5ky: yeah, no. Totally different things. You miss some features with CM, the sound quality and camera quality are worse, same with 3D performance. Heck, even 2D performance is laggy.
Hopefully, with this official release we get the new kernel sources and mali blobs to use with CM10.2 and improve it's performance. But the camera problem will always be there.
anonymous 5 November, 2013 08:28
just updated my phone
smart scrolling not working well
no improvements in camera just one mode added
experiencing lag
smart scrolling not working
air swipe not added
no addition in notification pannel buttons ( old buttons )
settings panel is improved
screen lock is improved
video player and music player is improved
bunch of new apps ( half useless)
anonymous 5 November, 2013 10:06
Jus uppdated my S3 to 4.3, a few more features but my Galaxy seems to be slugish aspecially waking up the phone last twice loger (about 3s) than previous version 4.12.
I'm dissapointed, if there is possibility I'll downgrade.