The situation with Android updates has traditionally been a messy one, with the multitude of devices on the market each receiving the new versions of the operating system at different times, especially when it comes to different manufacturers and carriers. Recently, Google have released the 5.0 “Lollipop” version of Android, and the flagship Google devices were, of course, the first to get the new OS. Meanwhile, users of alternative handhelds have been patiently waiting.
For owners of Samsung Galaxy S3, it seems that the wait will continue for a while. In the US, AT&T has just announced that the 4.4.2 update for Android is currently being deployed to all users of the device. While it’s not the most recent version of the operating system, it’s still something, and a definite upgrade over the previous installments.
Still, those who own a Galaxy S3 probably won’t be able to help feel a bit left out while everyone around them is discussing the new features (and bugs) of Android 5.0. Despite the new version of the OS coming with its own fair share of problems, the overall reception has been very positive, with many claiming that this is the Android people have been waiting for.
Just because the update isn’t available officially doesn’t mean that Samsung Galaxy S3 users can’t get their hands on it – though those who wish to do so would also have to be willing to get their hands dirty, and mess with their devices a bit. The good thing about Android, compared to other platforms, is its openness – an Android device can easily be “rooted” to allow for the installation of custom firmware, which means that an interested user can just download the image for Android 5.0 manually, and deploy it to their device on their own.
This comes with a variety of risks attached to it, needless to say – there’s always the possibility of “bricking” your device if the flashing procedure goes wrong, which means that it would become unusable until it’s fixed by a professional. Of course, following the instructions makes that risk pretty much non-existent, and considering the benefits that Android 5.0 brings to the table, it’s definitely worth taking a shot.
It might take a while until Android 5.0 is officially made available to all interested Android users, so owners of a Galaxy S3 might want to check out the guides on flashing their own custom firmware, and see if they like the “Lollipop” experience better than the old versions of the OS. According to the majority of users around the web, it’s hard to want to switch back after using 5.0 for a while!