Just yesterday we reported on a leaked list that reportedly details when various Samsung devices will see Android 4.4 KitKat. Interestingly enough, the list also seemed to confirm the notion that the non-LTE version of the Galaxy S3 would be permanently left in the dark.
Now thanks to SamMobile , we have learned that Samsung has confirmed that the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy S3 Mini will not be making the move, due to the fact that both handsets offer just 1GB of RAM and apparently haven’t been able to handle Android KitKat with all of Samsung’s TouchWiz additions. This seems a bit ironic considering stock KitKat is specifically optimized to play nicely with devices featuring as little as 512MB RAM.
Here’s the full Samsung statement on the matter:
In order to facilitate an effective upgrade on the Google platform, various hardware performances such as the memory (RAM, ROM, etc.), multi-tasking capabilities, and display must meet certain technical expectations. The Galaxy S3 and S3 mini 3G versions come equipped with 1GB RAM, which does not allow them to effectively support the platform upgrade. As a result of the Galaxy S3 and S3 mini 3G versions’ hardware limitation, they cannot effectively support the platform upgrade while continuing to provide the best consumer experience. Samsung has decided not to roll-out the KitKat upgrade to Galaxy S3 and S3 mini 3G versions, and the KitKat upgrade will be available to the Galaxy S3 LTE version as the device’s 2GB RAM is enough to support the platform upgrade.
That means the only way you’ll be jumping to KitKat on the Galaxy S3 (non-LTE) and the S3 Mini is if you use a custom ROM to get there. This is pretty disappointing news, if not completely unexpected.
What do you think of Samsung’s decision, disappointed? Ready to jump to a new phone now, and if so, will it be another Samsung device?
