Galaxy S4: kitkat 4.4.2 is a horrible update

[JLTEEXO]

Seriously I am so sad. I thought upgrading to 4.4.2 would fix many things for my s4 but it just got worse. I admit that the system is much more smoother now but it's far away from faster. My phone won't unlock/wake up now.. I can swipe on the black screen and it would make the unlock sound but the screen would still not respond/stay black and there is nothing to do unless I pull out the battery. my keyboard is jamming; it happens often that I can't type anything, can't press anything and again, theres nothing to do unless I pull out the battery. I never experienced any of this before the update and it's making me upset because I feel like it's really damaging my only 5 months old s4. I never had to restart my device before and now I have to restart it at least twice a day.. Anyways, I absolutely do not recommend this update.. but for those who their phone seems to be fine, well. you are lucky.



Edit: I'm not the only one!!

http://forums.androidcentral.com/showthread.php?t=364941

http://forums.androidcentral.com/showthread.php?t=374704

http://forums.androidcentral.com/showthread.php?t=390295

Videotron / S4 / SGH-M919V
Posted via Android Central App

EDIT:

After 2 months, I finally might figured out what went wrong with the lockscreen, the warm up problem and the fast battery drain!

1. Google map, GPS or any application that reads your location are what might causing the fast battery drain and the warming up issue.

What I suggest you to do is : go to
settings > more tab > application manager > look for Google Map > clear cache and clear data. Do this everytime after you're done using Google Map only!

If you don't need your GPS, keep it off and try to not allow applications to read your location as it keeps making your device running all the time...

2. Device cleaner, battery saver and antivirus apps are what making the screen stays black (won't wake up) and overheating too.

I don't know why but just uninstall it.. Jelly Bean used to support them but I do not know why it's acting up with Kit Kat..

It's been 1 month now and I got no more problems! Much better battery life (only lose around 1-3% per hour now when idle) , no more excessive warming up and no more blackout! Happy me!!

you don't need to reset your phone. Just make sure to not allow applications to use your localisation and unistall all cleaners apps or antivirus! Then restart it for a last time and it should be fine.


Posted via Android Central App

 

[captain_tinker]

Re: kitkat 4.4.2 is a horrible update

I've been on 4.4 since Friday (so about 3 days now), and today was the first time I noticed that same behavior. It kind of surprised me, as that's not one of the things I'd read about yet. However, I didn't have to pull the battery, I just waited a minute, and it finally came back up and then I just rebooted. I haven't seen it happen again since this afternoon. I did notice that around that time, the phone was getting a bit hotter than normal and suddenly my battery was dropping more than expected. It stopped after rebooting. Not sure what happened, but whatever it was that was causing it to run hot must have been using a lot of cpu or something, and maybe that's why it took a while to turn the screen back on? Other than that, I did do a factory re-set prior to and after updating to 4.4 from 4.3. When I went to 4.3 from 4.2.2, I did not do a factory re-set and had a lot of problems with battery going too quickly. I cannot honestly say that it is a LOT better, but it is better, maybe back to what it was on 4.2.2, and that was ok, it makes it through the day, but at the end of the day, it's about 50% or less. I pull it off the charger each morning at 6 am, and don't often get it back onto the charger until maybe 10 or 11 pm. That's a good 16 to 17 hours. I don't overuse it during the day, maybe a phone call or two, a bit of instant messaging with the wife, sometimes a bit of web surfing and an email or two. I check Facebook on it and once in a while send a text. I don't mind the white icons on the status bar, I think I liked the colored ones better, but these work ok. I do like the few updates I've seen, like the ability to change default apps separately, instead of all at once. I've not really noticed any speed improvements, but the screen does look like it may be a bit more high resolution? Honestly I am prone to think that's wishful thinking, but it does seem a bit nicer. I don't see how though. I did get the camera on the lock screen, but I've replaced it with other icons instead, including the camera, my email, phone app, messaging, and instant message app. So I can't say it's a "horrible" update, its ok. Nothing groundbreaking for me, just the next simple step. I think doing the factory re-set both prior and after the update helped to keep things running smoothly. Though that's a real pain in the patootie to do, and then re-configure everything! ;-) Took me two days to configure all the apps the way I had them before.

capT

 

[sho50]

WARNING!!! Avoid 4.4.2 if at all possible. This is a very flawed, buggy "update" that will destroy your SD card file management (it blocks all write to functions). Workarounds are clumsy and convoluted. The promised improvements in system performance, and the new, gimmicky sensors are useless if basic file management is ruined! Google: shame on you for releasing (and pushing) this buggy beta mess on your customers. FIX THE PROBLEMS IMMEDIATELY and re-release a functional update, else face the ire of your customers, who will flee to better working OSs as the word gets out!

Posted via Android Central App

 

[jwn66]

Weird, mine seems to be running great the few days i've had it so far, battery usage even seems better. Only gripe I have is that the colour is gone from the battery status and wifi/data up/down symbols. It's just plain white? lol

 

[JamesBramble]

I've made a dozen or so phone calls since the 4.4.2 update to land lines and mobiles and over half the calls my phone has dropped the calls half way through. This is with a full strength signal.

Will be doing a factory reset later when I got home later and see if that cures this problem.

Posted via my Samsung Galaxy S4

 

[JLTEEXO]

Forget about the factory reset.. I did it and it didn't change anything! And I've notice the overheat on mine too. -.- so bothering..

CA, MTL / VIDEOTRON / S4
Posted via Android Central App

 

[JLTEEXO]

@jwn66 lol I agree. It looks really plain. I like it with colors better! but for now that is the least of my worries. At least you don?t have to deal with any system problems!

CA, MTL / VIDEOTRON / S4
Posted via Android Central App

 

[Abk92]

Haven't received the update yet but prior to the update getting rolled out I was so anxious about it. Now I'm having mixed feelings. I do want to upgrade when it's available for my device but with the way complaints are flooding in day in day out I'm thinking of just sticking with my 4.2.2

 

[JLTEEXO]

Well, it's really up to you. To me it obviously got worse.. but to some other people the update seems to work well for them and they even found some improvements to their device! Some say that they have now a better battery, internet connection, smoother and faster system. Also, few minor physical changes like the notification bar is going to be all white, the fonts seem to be slimmer and that's about it..

But I still wouldn't recommand you to update it in case you're going to find yourself in my situation which I hope not!! But if you could survive with 4.2.2 until now, then kitkat has nothing to be so excited about. But it's still up to you

 

[Climb14er]

Every day I defer manually to the next day the 4.2.2 on my S4. Don't want 4.3! Now I'm sensing... 4.4 I don't want either. What the you-know-what is going on with Samsung's updates and their smartphones? My former S3 CRASHED hard and VZ replaced it with S4. The S4 is running ok. I do not want any more problems!

 

[JudH]

WARNING!!! Avoid 4.4.2 if at all possible. This is a very flawed, buggy "update" that will destroy your SD card file management (it blocks all write to functions).

Unfortunately that's not a "bug" that will be fixed. Apparently Google is now forcing all manufacturers/vendors to not remove the SD card management junk they put in 4.3 and was promptly removed! It doesn't block "all" writes to the card. 3rd party apps can only write to ONE specific folder (and sub-folders) created during install (and deleted during uninstall). Other 3rd party apps can only read from that folder. So bye-bye decent file management and transfer apps, picture editing apps, music tagging apps, anything that modifies or deletes some other apps files. Bummer.

I know WHY they did it--most cards are formatted FAT which doesn't support ownership flags and they're trying to prevent apps from doing "bad" things to other files. But since this only affects newer phones with 4.4 or above anyway why not just drop FAT support and offer to format a new card with a modern format--plus add the OS part to support prompting the user "app x is requesting write access to app y files, allow?".

I'm probably going to try to block 4.4 if I can figure out what's needed besides root.

 

[jenpossy]

Hi everyone i started a new thread kinda about this before i saw this one. i too am having problems with my S4 since the kitkat update a few days ago. i get dropped signal when i put it in my pocket it will have circle with a line through it. i take it out to check it and it gets back up to 3 bars and gets it 4g back. it also randomly drops its service when put on the counter, my husband has the s3 and his works faster than mine with one bar and 4g. my swiftkey key board freezes, i often have to press the back button more than once until it finally works. it will say i have 2 to 3 bars but no 4g, or it will say emergency calls only and this all only fixed but restarting the phone. worse up date ever. if this continues i will forced to change phones so that i get all my texts and phone calls.

 

[captain_tinker]

Not sure what to say, but I have not yet seen the blank screen issue since I posted two days ago. Also, I've been seeing my battery slowly starting to last a bit longer. Of course, I've also been keeping it off the charger longer, letting it wear down as far as I can before putting it back on. Previously I always had it on the charger if I was at home thinking that it would somehow keep the battery more full. ? I dunno, it actually seems to be doing better in that one regard. I don't really see any better or worse behavior in any other way. In fact, my wife has an S4 and still has 4.2.2 on it. Today we both took our phones off the charger around the same time. I am at 87% right now, she is at 75%, and hasn't been using the phone much more than myself. A few pictures of my daughter at the county spelling bee, and posting it to facebook, but otherwise, that's been it. So maybe there really is something in this update that is good? I dunno, can't speak for anyone but myself, but I've had mostly positive experiences so far with it.

 

[Abk92]

Well, it's really up to you. To me it obviously got worse.. but to some other people the update seems to work well for them and they even found some improvements to their device! Some say that they have now a better battery, internet connection, smoother and faster system. Also, few minor physical changes like the notification bar is going to be all white, the fonts seem to be slimmer and that's about it..

But I still wouldn't recommand you to update it in case you're going to find yourself in my situation which I hope not!! But if you could survive with 4.2.2 until now, then kitkat has nothing to be so excited about. But it's still up to you

I got my phone in December. There's an update available right now. It's about 700MB in size. I've seen that since before the release of Kit Kat. I'm guessing it's 4.3 but I don't see the need to upgrade due to the negative stories I've read about it and the Kit Kat update which is currently being rolled out.

 

[JLTEEXO]

Not sure what to say, but I have not yet seen the blank screen issue since I posted two days ago. Also, I've been seeing my battery slowly starting to last a bit longer. Of course, I've also been keeping it off the charger longer, letting it wear down as far as I can before putting it back on. Previously I always had it on the charger if I was at home thinking that it would somehow keep the battery more full. ? I dunno, it actually seems to be doing better in that one regard. I don't really see any better or worse behavior in any other way. In fact, my wife has an S4 and still has 4.2.2 on it. Today we both took our phones off the charger around the same time. I am at 87% right now, she is at 75%, and hasn't been using the phone much more than myself. A few pictures of my daughter at the county spelling bee, and posting it to facebook, but otherwise, that's been it. So maybe there really is something in this update that is good? I dunno, can't speak for anyone but myself, but I've had mostly positive experiences so far with it.

Yeah.. I know.. not everybody have the same issue. Some is about the battery, other about sd card, apps that disappear or like me, screen problems.. and some do not have any problems at all! Just like you luckily!

:/

 

[JLTEEXO]

I got my phone in December. There's an update available right now. It's about 700MB in size. I've seen that since before the release of Kit Kat. I'm guessing it's 4.3 but I don't see the need to upgrade due to the negative stories I've read about it and the Kit Kat update which is currently being rolled out.

Happy to hear that! You probably made a good choice!

 

[RichardHewlett]

Once you download the update, is there a way to delete it & go back to the original OS? Would a factory reset do this?
Thanks

 

[JLTEEXO]

Once you download the update, is there a way to delete it & go back to the original OS? Would a factory reset do this?
Thanks

There is not :/

 

[anon(8278816)]

I upgraded my firmware on my S4 2 days ago, hooked up to the computer via Kies. Kies downloaded a 1.6Gb file, updated my phone, restored my backup file and I've had very positive results since. I was running 4.3 before which was a battery hog. Now battery is much better, data connection faster, general performance much faster.

Sent from my SGH-I337M using AC Forums mobile app

 

[THEPRFCT10]

I upgraded my firmware on my S4 2 days ago, hooked up to the computer via Kies. Kies downloaded a 1.6Gb file, updated my phone, restored my backup file and I've had very positive results since. I was running 4.3 before which was a battery hog. Now battery is much better, data connection faster, general performance much faster.

Sent from my SGH-I337M using AC Forums mobile app

Would you be so kind as to explain how to use Kies like you did for this update please? Thanks.