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  Re: Where's my KitKat???

  stevetjr Sep 15, 2014 11:00 AM (in response to reggietwyn)

  • Member Since: May 20, 2012

  The updates come from Samsung not T-Mobile.  The carriers only test what the manufacture sends to them and either approves it or sends it back as unsatisfactory and what needs to be fixed.  There is a bit of extra programming required for T-Mobile branded phones required for the Wi-Fi calling feature since it has to be embedded in the OS. 
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    Re: Where's my KitKat???

    reggietwyn Sep 15, 2014 11:07 AM (in response to stevetjr)

    • Member Since:

    Thanks for your insight.  Now how is that T-Mobile branded Galaxy S4, Note 3 and other devices are receiving Kit Kat but not the S3???
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      Re: Where's my KitKat???

      stevetjr Sep 15, 2014 11:17 AM (in response to reggietwyn)

      • Member Since: May 20, 2012

      I have a GS5 so you could say I had a "right" to get 4.4.4. before the GS4 just got it since my device is newer but learned along time ago that there is no logical reason (at least publicly known) why the updates are released in what order they are. 

       

      Now one can guess and my guess is that the GS4 had KitKat 4.4.2 already and it was just moved up to the 4.4.4 but since I had the 4 I can tell you that the 4.4.2 update caused a lot of issues on the GS4 and since 4.4.4 contained all the fixes for 4.4.2 I suspect that they felt they needed to get it out to the GS4 to resolve those issues first.  For all we know they had the 4.4.2 update for the GS3 but decided not to release it because of what happened on the GS4 and the delay is just them programming a straight jump for the GS3 to 4.4.4  but that is just my guess.

       

      In any case you can look on many threads here and also search articles on the web from the manufactures and they will all point to the same thing, the carriers are not involved in the programming at all.  They have some "requests/requirements" they want programmed into a device (i.e. Wi-Fi calling) the manufacturer programs it, sends it to the carrier for validation and if the carrier and FCC both approve it they then release it on their schedule.

      1 of 1 people found this helpful
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        Re: Where's my KitKat???

        reggietwyn Sep 15, 2014 11:33 AM (in response to stevetjr)

        • Member Since:

        I guess it doesn't really matter anymore?  I'll be upgrading within the next 60 days.  (After I see the price drops on all the Samsung top Galaxy devices as well as get a personal look at the iPhone 6 & 6 Plus.

         

        Thanks again @SteveTJr!
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          Re: Where's my KitKat???

          stevetjr Sep 15, 2014 11:38 AM (in response to reggietwyn)

          • Member Since: May 20, 2012

          Your Welcome,

           

          I am on JUMP and while rumor has it the Note 4 supports LTE band 12 (700 A block) the specs on the iPhone 6 and + show it supports 20 LTE bands but 12 is not one of them.   My wife is upgrading from the Note3 to the Note4 when it comes out, me I am hoping there is a high end Galaxy Alpha that comes out with a 4K screen and Band 12 that will be my next upgrade, Note is just to big for me and don't get me started on my loathing of Apple lol
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            Re: Where's my KitKat???

            reggietwyn Sep 15, 2014 12:03 PM (in response to stevetjr)

            • Member Since:

             

             

            Sounds like a good move all the way around.  The Galaxy Alpha is another reason why I'm going to wait a bit longer.  I think Samsung would do well if they had kept the Specs on par or improved them on the Alpha Series.
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              Re: Where's my KitKat???

              stevetjr Sep 15, 2014 12:09 PM (in response to reggietwyn)

              • Member Since: May 20, 2012

              I agree, although rumor is that there will be a higher end Alpha at some point as there has been a -500 series announced that a -300 and -700 are also on the drawing board and it is suspected that the -700 will be more on par with GS5 specs but with a 4K screen and hopefully if sold in the US band 12.  One would have to assume that T-Mobile is working on getting some band 12 devices in the pipeline when they announce band 12 going live.
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                Re: Where's my KitKat???

                ethan_boy_ Sep 15, 2014 4:53 PM (in response to stevetjr)

                • Member Since:

                I stole it!
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      Re: Where's my KitKat???

      smplyunprdctble Sep 15, 2014 11:47 AM (in response to reggietwyn)

      • Member Since: Jul 15, 2011

      Different devices have different hardware (which requires different drivers

      and such)

       

      Android isn't as simple as Windows, which has drivers for thousands of

      devices that may be hooked up to your computer, whether or not you use it

      (back in the day, if you replaced a network card, for example, you had to

      install drivers before it would work.  And, if you had to make sure the

      manufacturer had a driver for your OS)

       

      So, since the S3 and S4 have different hardware underneath, getting the

      drivers compiled for hardware devices needs to happen.

       

      Also, adding into that, T-Mobile's additional stuff (WiFi Calling and that)

      requires additional testing.  If Samsung has released an OS for

      International versions of the device, it suggests that there will be an

      update to T-Mobile, it just takes time to get all the testing done.

       

       

      I the biggest question is "how important is this new version of the OS?" --

      many people like to think that there's a bunch of huge OS differences.

      There aren't.  Developers keep their apps for a handful of versions

      supported.  If they're a good developer, they should keep about 2 years of

      Android valid.
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        Re: Where's my KitKat???

        reggietwyn Sep 15, 2014 11:59 AM (in response to smplyunprdctble)

        • Member Since:

        Thanks smplyunprdctble.
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      Re: Where's my KitKat???

      stevetjr Sep 15, 2014 5:22 PM (in response to reggietwyn)

      • Member Since: May 20, 2012

      One variant of the T-Mobile S3 has it already but that is probably what

      complicated it is that T-Mobile launched a newer S3 near the end of the S3

      life cycle and that is the one I believe doesn't have kit Kat