How do I update Android on my S3 Galaxy?

Factual Questions
1

I bought an S3 recently, its my first smartphone and I am still figuring out the basics, so I was wondering, how do I update the android version? I currently have 4.3 and I would like to have at least 4.4.

If I go to ,about device" and try to update there, it says that I already have all updates, but as far as I see on google, 4.4 is also compatible with S3, so should I download it via pc somewhow and then copy the necessary files to the phone or what and if yes, where can I find those files? There’s many videos on youtube showing people installing even 5+ versions on galaxy S3, so I guess that it works, but I don’t want to screw something up.

2

If there’s never been an official release of an Android version for a particular phone, your options are to root it and install either a generic or closely compatible version, and (often) put up with some rough edges.

3

  1. Are you connected to WiFi when you look for updates? Major updates sometimes only roll out over WiFi.

  2. Who is your provider? E.g., Verizon might have an OS update but others might not. (Check your provider’s website for more info.)

4

FYI, this is something Google has had a problem with since the introduction of Android. They failed to require that carriers, or manufacturers, update the devices they make/sell. Google makes sure that all of their ‘Brand’ devices (Nexus) get updates as soon as they are available, however have no way make sure other devices are updated. Some carriers will do updates, but at a very delayed pace.

Google even sends out security updates to it’s devices monthly and makes these updates available to the Samsungs and HTCs of the world (and ATT, Verizon, etc.), but the updates seldom actually make it to those phones.

Apple, though, made regular updates as a requirement to the carriers, and actually does them themselves, bypassing the carriers.

Rooting and loading a ‘mod’ is not necessarily a simple task, but you can do it. Try Cyanogen for further information.

Bob

5

I understand the impulse to upgrade but I’ve had the S3 and now the S5. The effort to cram the latest android onto the phone is not going to be worth any increase in functionality in most cases. If anything some of the latest “features” like restricting file copying I could do without.

6

That reminds me that I was going to say that Samsung, among others, is notorious for adding junk apps, and demo apps to their phones before selling them. They can also make minor changes to their version of Android so that their phones work somewhat differently than others. Adding the junk and demo apps is done for money (the developer pays them a bit to distribute their software) and these things are not deletable.

The minor changes, of course, are for personalization.

I have always bought the Nexus products because they contain the ‘vanilla’ Android and are guaranteed updates for a couple of years, anyway.

Bob