Galaxy S4: kitkat 4.4.2 is a horrible update

[anon(8278816)]

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

I simply clicked on update firmware option from main screen of Kies. Where it stated my model had a firmware update available. Both my computer and S4 had fresh reboots first, and I removed the microSD from the S4. That's about it. Computer downloaded the file then uploaded it to the S4. S4 reset when it was done. All is well.

Sent from my SGH-I337M using AC Forums mobile app

 

[anon(8278816)]

I forgot to mention...Kies had an update prior to all this process starting too.

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[carag]

I just updated yesterday and the only problem I am having is this strange symbol by my 4g lte, battery usage, and time at the very top line. Does anyone else have this symbol? And can anyone tell me what it is?

 

[THEPRFCT10]

I simply clicked on update firmware option from main screen of Kies. Where it stated my model had a firmware update available. Both my computer and S4 had fresh reboots first, and I removed the microSD from the S4. That's about it. Computer downloaded the file then uploaded it to the S4. S4 reset when it was done. All is well.

Sent from my SGH-I337M using AC Forums mobile app

Ok thanks, but my S4 is stock non rooted and I can't find Kies anywhere! Is it a third party app we download somewhere? Can't find it on Google Play.

 

[BryanTheRed]

Its not an app from the Play Store, its a computer application.
Kies | SUPPORT | SAMSUNG

 

[captain_tinker]

I simply clicked on update firmware option from main screen of Kies. Where it stated my model had a firmware update available. Both my computer and S4 had fresh reboots first, and I removed the microSD from the S4. That's about it. Computer downloaded the file then uploaded it to the S4. S4 reset when it was done. All is well.

Sent from my SGH-I337M using AC Forums mobile app

You mentioned something very interesting, and I wonder if that has any bearing on the updates... You mentioned you pulled out your SD card prior to the upgrade. I also did that when I updated mine. I unmounted it, pulled it out, then factory reset, then updated, then factory reset again, mounted the card, and then re-configured the apps etc. I've still got all the pictures, documents, music etc that were there prior, and I'm still able to take pictures etc. I have never moved any apps to the SD card, and those that access it seem to still be able to without issue, things like the camera, ES File Explorer, Google Drive, etc.

 

[anon(8278816)]

Ok thanks, but my S4 is stock non rooted and I can't find Kies anywhere! Is it a third party app we download somewhere? Can't find it on Google Play.

My S4 isn't rooted either. Kies is a Samsung app.

 

[anon(8278816)]

You mentioned something very interesting, and I wonder if that has any bearing on the updates... You mentioned you pulled out your SD card prior to the upgrade. I also did that when I updated mine. I unmounted it, pulled it out, then factory reset, then updated, then factory reset again, mounted the card, and then re-configured the apps etc. I've still got all the pictures, documents, music etc that were there prior, and I'm still able to take pictures etc. I have never moved any apps to the SD card, and those that access it seem to still be able to without issue, things like the camera, ES File Explorer, Google Drive, etc.

I don't seem to have any SD card issues. I have many apps/music/photos on the SD card and all seems okay so far. I only removed the SD card because that was one condition of 7, from the update process by Kies. Others were to not touch any buttons on the phone while updating, no calls, not to unplug the computer cable, make sure battery was fully charged...

Sent from my SGH-I337M using AC Forums mobile app

 

[kingb71]

I seem to have a totally different problem since I upgraded.
My weather widget shows the incorrect unit of measure, even though I have it set to Celsius it displays in Fahrenheit. I tried to replace the stock accuweather one with the Yahoo one, but for some reason it doesn't display at all.
Mine is an SGH-1337m with Telus

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[Sanjay Chandra]

Well , can you please write down your models when posting please ?

(like i9500 or i9505 etc.)

 

[Mtnpilot]

Well , can you please write down your models when posting please ?

(like i9500 or i9505 etc.)

Would also be nice if everybody would include which carrier they are on, since the updates (and some problems) seem to be carrier specific. Mine is a SCH-1545 on Verizon and still have not been notified of the update yet.

 

[msndrstood]

I'm on Sprint, SM-900P. No SD card issued, pictures, video and music all play nice with 3rd party apps. Yes, to some increased battery drain but not horrible. No other problems. I do agree it seems some carriers are having more problems than others.

Sent via The Big, Bad, Beautiful Note 3

 

[anon(8278816)]

How's this?

SGH-1337M, rockin the Great White North on Telus

 

[monsieurms]

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

White is the new requirement evidently. My Lookout icon turned white, too, and it came with a Lookout update that explained that this was because of Android's new look-and-feel requirements on the toolbar.

o bye-bye decent file management and transfer apps, picture editing apps, music tagging apps, anything that modifies or deletes some other apps files. Bummer.
.

Could you elaborate on that a bit? So, I like to use Aviary or PicArt to edit photos. They save copies automatically of the edited version without overwriting the original. Will that change in any way under KitKat?

Also, for another example, if I'm using a cloud service like DropBox, how would that be affected?

 

[JudH]

Could you elaborate on that a bit? So, I like to use Aviary or PicArt to edit photos. They save copies automatically of the edited version without overwriting the original. Will that change in any way under KitKat?

WHERE do they save the copies? If back in the ORIGINAL folder then no I don't believe they will be allowed to store the file. (Based on user reports; I don't have KitKat nor will I until this is solved!) They can only write to their own folder on the external sdcard. Or to the internal memory. You would then need to use a USB based file transfer on an attached PC to move them into the original folder.

If Dropbox writes to other folders than it's own, same thing. The app on the phone can only write to one specific external sdcard folder. That kind of app and other general purpose file moving or syncing apps are what users are reporting effectively broken.

Perhaps there will be a way for 3rd party apps to become "certified" to become a "system" app like the built-in ones so they can write to any folder but...

 

[monsieurms]

Hmmm....that seems really odd. You'd think the developers would come up with new versions for DropBox and what not if this is going to affect utility of function.

I'm not sure I care where Aviary stores it, as long as I can choose, card or Internal.

I guess I have to wait and see what happens here.

 

[JudH]

You'd think the developers would come up with new versions for DropBox and what not if this is going to affect utility of function.

Ah, but if the Dropbox developer could just change some code to make a new version work SO COULD the malware apps. In a very short time all apps would be changed and this security "fix" would be nullified. Hopefully there will be a way to certify a 3rd party app and turn it into a system app but until then...

Update: there is a 3rd party fix out to remove this restriction. It requires root but so does blocking KitKat.

 

[monsieurms]

Not rooted (and don't want to bother...)

But all I really care about is...will Dropbox (or whatever...) actually work. As long as I can continue sync'ing seamlessly...it's not that important if something different is going on under the hood.

 

[Aiman Alrubaiee]

also me, after i upgrade to kitkat s4 getting worse
keyboard doesn't changes between any to languages
and battery charging become more slower and fast drain
it's so baaaaaaaaaaad

 

[Shady C]

I recently upgraded to 4.4.2, to be on the safe side I reinstalled software. I've noticed randomly phone seems to freeze and just shows black screen, and the battery just drained to 1% within 6 hours, and the phone was on stand by, other than look at the screen every once in a while I wasn't using phone. I've made sure settings are optimised to make sure data a and battery are not used to often. Something isn't right!

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