4.3 SD write access

[Sasazuka]

I have around 80 installed apps but I haven't come anywhere close to hitting the limit - not sure what constitutes as too much for a smartphone. Are there some other benefits to moving apps to SD? Not being able to write data to SD is a pretty big deal/annoyance, at least to me.

Sent from my GT-I9505G using AC Forums mobile app

 

[kyoo]

I have around 80 installed apps but I haven't come anywhere close to hitting the limit - not sure what constitutes as too much for a smartphone. Are there some other benefits to moving apps to SD? Not being able to write data to SD is a pretty big deal/annoyance, at least to me.

Sent from my GT-I9505G using AC Forums mobile app

it's not the apps per se, but if they store data, then that also gets stored to the memory that the app is in. i.e., there's an app called Track Attack that I've been using that's still in Beta. It can only save to the internal memory for now, but it basically records 720 or 1080p video of me driving, fairly memory intensive. Another is Kakao messenger, which stores photos in "itself" rather than drawing images from the gallery - another memory intensive function - both of these should be installed on the external sd card

 

[Sasazuka]

Ahh, I see. That does make sense. Apps should allow users to choose where they want data saved and the OS should definitely allow it.

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[kyoo]

Can anyone confirm - can I root it, move some of my apps to the external sd card, and then unroot it and everything will be good?

 

[kyoo]

I sent an email to Samsung through their website. I am surprise that it actually looks like they read it. I linked Jerry's article to it so they would understand the issue. I will also call today...

EDIT: I aslo called the mobile customer service number @1-888-987-4357, Mon-Fri: 7 AM - 9 PM (CST), Sat: 9 AM - 6 PM (CST). They did ask me for the IMEI number to my phone. I also told them to Google 4.3 issues with the S4 Google edition to see the issues. He said he would forward up. If you have a S4 GE please call even if this is not a big deal to you. Thanks.

Thank you for contacting Samsung Telecommunications America.

After reviewing your email, we understand that after updating your Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Play edition with the Android 4.3 version, most apps can no longer write anything to the SD card. We apologize for the inconvenience.

We have checked the website you send to us. Thank you for your valuable feedback regarding the same. There might be an enhancement in future software updates.

We will forward your feedback to the concern department for a review. However, you can check our troubleshooting guides on the Samsung website for the resolution in future.

We once again apologize for any inconvenience that might have caused to you.

Please get back to us if you have any further concerns. We will be available 24/7 to assist you.

If you have a minute, please click on the ?Start survey here? link at the bottom of this email to fill out a brief survey to help us serve you better. Kindly note that you can access the survey page only when the pop-up blocker is disabled on the browser. Have a wonderful day!

Thank you for your continued interest in Samsung products.

Sincerely,

Keisha
Technical Support

What e-mail address did you e-mail to?

 

[planoman]

What e-mail address did you e-mail to?

It was through the Samsung USA website. I went to technical support and used the contact us page to send them an email. I had to use a different model number since GT-I9505G was not one I could select. I then put that model number in the subject line.

 

[kyoo]

It was through the Samsung USA website. I went to technical support and used the contact us page to send them an email. I had to use a different model number since GT-I9505G was not one I could select. I then put that model number in the subject line.

Went ahead and e-mailed them as well. I also asked them to giv eus the ability to transfer apps to the SD card the way the normal Galaxy S4 does. Write in everyone!

 

[frobie#AC]

Has anyone seen any issues since making this change? Swiftkey all of the sudden can no longer access the language packs and astro stopped working saying "an error has occured. unable to open database file (code 14)"

 

[Sasazuka]

I've made this change and SwiftKey is working great.

Sent from my GT-I9505G using AC Forums mobile app

 

[Xceptiona1]

Has anyone seen any issues since making this change? Swiftkey all of the sudden can no longer access the language packs and astro stopped working saying "an error has occured. unable to open database file (code 14)"

I was having some problems with winamp after rooting the device, but then uninstalling the root winamp starting performing properly again, is your phone still rooted?

 

[frobie#AC]

I was having some problems with winamp after rooting the device, but then uninstalling the root winamp starting performing properly again, is your phone still rooted?

Yea, still rooted.

 

[spacolin]

I think we should focus on getting the apps writing to the sd card problem fixed because if you bring up the apps to sd card that is gonna get them confused and it is not gonna happen anyway.

The Samsung email address page is a little tricky to find here it is
https://contactus.samsung.com/customer/contactus/formmail/mail/MailQuestionProduct.jsp?SITE_ID=1
This is what I wrote feel free to use all or part
I have a recently purchased Samsung s4 google edition i9505G from the Google play store. After the 4.3 android update my apps have lost the ability to write to the sd card. This has been documented in many articles on the web here is a couple
Android 4.3 update for the Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Play edition breaks SD card writing, but there is a workaround | Android Central

Android 4.3 update for the Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Play edition breaks SD card writing, but there is a workaround | Android Central

I have talked to Google and they told me a fix for this would be your responsibility.
Are you aware of this problem? Are you working on a fix? Thanks!

 

[Sasazuka]

I'm bit confused, when we are talking about SD card, we aren't talking about sdcard0 (internal storage) right?

I started paying attention to where apps are writing data and realized several apps said it wrote to SD card but wrote to sdcard0 instead.

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[planoman]

I'm bit confused, when we are talking about SD card, we aren't talking about sdcard0 (internal storage) right?

I started paying attention to where apps are writing data and realized several apps said it wrote to SD card but wrote to sdcard0 instead.

Sent from my GT-I9505G using AC Forums mobile app

Internal storage is also called sd card sometimes and external sd card is the micro sd card that is put into the phone to expand storage. In this case, we are talking about apps being able to write to the external sd card. If you take a picture, the photo will be saved in your internal camera folder. On several camera apps, you can specify the path where the camera saves the photo such as ext SD card and then picture folder. 4.3 is denying apps from writing (saving) pictures or files to the ext sd card. With the exception of ES file explorer.

 

[spacolin]

Got my response back from Samsung as I feared even through I made it very clear the confused what I wanted with apps to sd.
Thank you for contacting Samsung Telecommunications America.

After reviewing your email, we understand that you after the 4.3 android update on your Samsung Galaxy S4 Google play(GT-I9505)phone, your apps have lost the ability to write to the SD card. We apologize for the inconvenience.

We are sorry to inform you that, this is a Google phone and update was launched by Google and they would have to launch a software update in order for customer to be able to store apps on SD card.

Thank you for your valuable feedback and there might be an enhancement in future software updates.

We once again apologize for any inconvenience that might have caused to you.

Please get back to us if you have any further concerns. We will be available 24/7 to assist you.

Thank you for your continued interest in Samsung products.

Sincerely,

Keisha
Technical Support

So I sent them a second email hope this one is clear enough

This is my second email attempt to solve this problem so let me make one thing clear. I am NOT asking for the ability to move apps to the external sd card.

When I got my Samsung s4 google edition i9505G BEFORE the 4.3 update my apps WERE able to WRITE to the external sd card. For example the camera app i was using (camera jb+) was able to have pictures taken stored directly on the external sd card. After the 4.3 update the ability to write to the extenal sd card was broken for all apps. If you look at the links provided here to articles about this it is explained VERY CLEARLY. PLEASE LOOK AT THEM
Android 4.3 update for the Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Play edition breaks SD card writing, but there is a workaround | Android Central

Android 4.3 update for the Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Play edition breaks SD card writing, but there is a workaround | Android Central

I have talked to Google and they told me a fix for this would be your responsibility.
Are you aware of this problem? Are you working on a fix? Thanks!

 

[maconsultant]

So far we have no acknowledgment from Samsung or Google on this issue.

Sent from another Galaxy..
S4 Google Edition...

 

[planoman]

So far we have no acknowledgment from Samsung or Google on this issue.

Sent from another Galaxy..
S4 Google Edition...

No we do not. I wish they would at least acknowledge it and give us a timeline for a fix.

Sent from my kicka$$ GT-I9505G

 

[maconsultant]

I'm starting to think this was intentional.. If so a class action is in order. I didn't pay $700 for a gimped phone.

Sent from another Galaxy..
S4 Google Edition...

 

[planoman]

I'm starting to think this was intentional.. If so a class action is in order. I didn't pay $700 for a gimped phone.

Sent from another Galaxy..
S4 Google Edition...

I do not. Samsung has been an ardent supporter of the external SD card. Our phone is one of the fewbif not the only pure android device with an external SD card. Like Jerry said they used the Nexus 10 (Samsung) as a reference and that does not have an ext sd card and they may have missed it.

Does anyone know anyone who works for Samsung?

Sent from my kicka$$ GT-I9505G

 

[maconsultant]

I saw that Google acknowledged and FIXED the "Invalid File" error in the play store version 4.3.10 that rolled out not too long ago. This issue was brought to there attention and they acknowledged, reacted and fixed it. Our issue has not even been acknowledged I for one called them and brought it to Google & Samsung's attention. Yet we see not even an acknowledgment from either company. Let me be clear I'm just looking for acknowledgement @ this point..

Sent from another Galaxy..
S4 Google Edition...