Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S3 owners can expect a system update to the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean OS before the end of 2013. Samsung is set to begin rolling out the updates to select Galaxy series devices, starting this October according to new reports.
As SamMobile reported Wednesday (Sept. 25), Samsung is rumored to have already began testing Android 4.3 Jelly Bean for the Galaxy S3, S4 and Note 2 devices. Samsung Galaxy S4 should receive the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean in October. The Galaxy S3 update is expected to be released in late October or early November. Finally, the Galaxy S3, Galaxy Note 3 may get its update in late November or early December, according to SamMobile.
Earlier reports note that a leaked AT&T Galaxy S3 benchmark test suggests that the update is in it’s final stages before its release. This also hints that Galaxy S3, S4 and Note 2 devices running on AT&T’s network could be among the first to receive the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update.
One of the key purposes for the 4.3 Jelly Bean update is to allow the Galaxy S3, S4 and Note 2 to be compatible with the Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch, which uses Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy (LE) . Samsung confirmed that the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update release dates will arrive before the end of this year, although exact dates were not specified, as the Korea Times reported Wednesday.
“All functions of the Gear will be connected to the Galaxy S4 smartphone by next month and the connection will be expanded to Galaxy Note 2 and Galaxy S3 by the end of December,” executive vice president for marketing at Samsung Mobile, Lee Young-hee said Wednesday.
Other reports forecast U.S. Galaxy S3, S4 and Note 2 devices on AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon will receive the updates sometime in December. Android 4.3 Jelly Bean updates are known to kick off internationally first, followed by U.S. devices.
When available, the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean updates will arrive to select Galaxy devices as an over-the-air (OTA) for installation. As with other updates, Samsung Galaxy device owners also have the option of checking for and downloading software updates via Samsung Kies.
Aside from overall enhancements to the TouchWiz UI and camera app, as per the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean official changelog, here are some of the changes to expect:
Dial pad
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Autocomplete - just start touching numbers or letters and the dial pad will suggest phone numbers or names. To turn on this feature, open your phone app settings and enable “Dial pad autocomplete.”
Graphics
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OpenGL ES 3.0 - Android now supports the latest version of the industry standard for high performance graphics.
Keyboard & input
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Easier text input - an improved algorithm for tap-typing recognition makes text input easier.
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Lower latency input for gamepad buttons and joysticks.
Location
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Location detection through Wi-Fi - use Wi-Fi to detect location without turning on Wi-Fi all the time.
Networking
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Bluetooth Smart support (a.k.a. Bluetooth Low-Energy)
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Bluetooth AVRCP 1.3 support - display song names on a car stereo.
Settings
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Disabled apps tab - check which apps are disabled in Settings > Apps.
System
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Restricted profiles - put your tablet into a mode with limited access to apps and content.
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Setup wizard simplification - getting started on Android is easier thanks to the ability to correct previous input, and because of streamlined user agreements.
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Faster user switching - switching users from the lock screen is now faster.
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Enhanced photo daydream - navigate through interesting albums.
