Galaxy S4: kitkat 4.4.2 is a horrible update

[atlantar6]

Still on 4.3 here. Every few days it prompts for an update and I click no.

 

[jnyvio]

Still on 4.3 here. Every few days it prompts for an update and I click no.

4.3,,,, IMO.. Is the best of the last of Jelly Bean. Hold on to it. Root if you have to. Then you can delete the 4.4.2 waiting in the update cache. Or drag it out and save it for a rainy day. There is a new root out now. In form of a single app. No PC!! Just download it. Click to Run it. After your device reboots. Verify your rooted with Root Checker. Then download SuperSU. After that get the usual root apps like Root Explorer, Busybox, and Titanium Backup from the market. It also works for 4.4.2. You don't have to touch anything after you root just stop the update and save the update file to another place.

Click on the red "A" type symbol to download; towelroot by geohot

It Works on all of the popular Android phones;

I'm throwing a party and you should come **GS5 ROOT THREAD** - xda-developers

 

[Mark Zagotti]

I have read reports that 4.4.3 to be released to SG 4 in July. I just got my S4 and so far so good I haven't noticed any issues with my phone.

Sent from my SPH-L720T using AC Forums mobile app

 

[Moonhaven98]

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

Same here. My phone use to freeze at the lock screen but since the update its been better in performance, and battery life. I do miss the green battery though to. Now its bland lol. The only thing I really dont like is I cant root my phone.

 

[gnr_2]

To fix my KitKat battery issue, I disabled background data. Not only does the battery last, the phone no longer overheats. It's a pain if you need emails in real time but I don't and just check it periodically.

Sent from my "no longer 120° or battery guzzling" Sprint Galaxy Nexus, thanks to help from the AC forum

 

[Babrandon]

So, I just updated my stock rooted AT&T Galaxy S4 I337 to Android 4.4.2, with the NC1 build, last week. Haven't noticed any of the problems mentioned in this thread, but what I am noticing is A LOT of app crashes. Facebook has always been buggy and somewhat sluggish, but now it rarely works and forget about fb messenger at all - it refuses to work since taking the update. Also, any app that uses drop-down menus works, but instantly crashes upon clicking a drop-down menu. Literally 5 or 6 different apps which I've never had problems with, all crashing when trying to select these menus. Anyone else having similar issues? App crashes that weren't crashing before the update?

 

[John Hennessy2]

We've had cell phones since 1984 --- initially as "emergency" phones --- kid is staying late at school --- please pick me up at +++ --- wife is out shopping --- I'm at +++ do you need something ---- I'm out --- accident on road --- gonna be late ---- and so on

Nicad Batts --- last 12 hours if phone not used --- 6 hours with medium use --- bought a car charger for car use ---

Phones thick and tall---

Went through a number of various phones and brands --- battery lasted about a year and had to be replaced --- or phone ---

Later switched to flip phone --- added messaging --- using phone dial pad --- really slow and cumbersome --- battery
Situation same --- eventually allowed higher power battery with fatter back cover --- lasted a little longer ---

Then got first smartphone --- original Motorola DROID razor --- what a phone --- basically a pocket sized computer --- added over a hundred apps --- besides what it came with --- battery much higher power ---- but with all the bells and whistles --- battery situation
the same --- no use ---a day maybe --- use --- 6 hours maybe ---

Solution --- two 4000 mah external Batts --- carry with me --- each charges phone about 1 and 1/2 times --- so phone can last over 24 hours with very heavy use before all need charging ---

Moto finally died --- got sg4 --- able to transfer almost everything to sg4 --- two external Batts solve sg4 batt problems ---

The real problem is the basic phone Batts --- lithium ion --- phone companies experimenting with lithium- polymer --- but until a real breakthrough happens in phone Batts --- things aren't going to change very much

Posted via Android Central App

 

[dogsnapper]

hi, all.

i just received my GS4 thru FreedomPop (free/cheap service) with 4.4.2 and i am unable to use Jota+ or Swiftkey or ANY NON-STOCK APP that wants to write to disk.

this is true for BOTH EXT SD AND DEVICE SPACE.
for Jota+, i cannot save anthing i type (error: "can't save"), either on the sd or internal space. i have tried saving to several different folders on each. can't do it. for Swiftkey, i cannot get past downloading the language pack because the system can't save the language pack file download to disk (error: "unable to save language pack to storage".

have tried removing the sd card to be sure it tries to write to internal memory. nothing works.

this really makes my productivity almost nil outside of phone and surfing.

any ideas, please lmk. thank you.

 

[Elaina Smith]

I've noticed my phone not waking as well. Gets frustrating when I'm wanting to send a text quickly...having to wait a minute or so for it to wake. Took the phone out of my pocket about 3 hours into work and phone was already at 52% and it was hot even though I didn't use it other than to send 1 text message when I unplugged it this morning.

Are we stuck with this crap update? Its not like they update these often I feel like it was months ago since I updated last. Don't wanna have to do a factory reset ugh

Edit: Also can't hide some of these useless apps anymore either.

For those that have phones that are overheating check ur battery. After I updated my phone started to do the same thing. To the point it'd get so hot it would shut off. And I couldn't turn it back on till it cooled off. But come to find out Samsung had an issue with the battery for s4. If u turn it phone over and see a bulge where ur battery goes. Stop using immediately and replace ur battery. It's dangerous and detrimental to ur phone.

 

[THEPRFCT10]

For those that have phones that are overheating check ur battery. After I updated my phone started to do the same thing. To the point it'd get so hot it would shut off. And I couldn't turn it back on till it cooled off. But come to find out Samsung had an issue with the battery for s4. If u turn it phone over and see a bulge where ur battery goes. Stop using immediately and replace ur battery. It's dangerous and detrimental to ur phone.

.... and will Samsung be paying for the battery?!

 

[vbomb2000]

Think I finally found my problem. I replaced my sview cover with original back cover and it seems to have fixed my issue. Samsung needs to address the sview kitkat compatibility asap!

Posted via Android Central App

 

[monsieurms]

The real problem is the basic phone Batts --- lithium ion --- phone companies experimenting with lithium- polymer --- but until a real breakthrough happens in phone Batts --- things aren't going to change very much

Posted via Android Central App

Quite correct. There are a lot of options
--Topping off, which people neglect to do and I suspect in a normal day is REALLY easy to do.
--Making sure you buy phones with removable batteries--an extra battery is a lifesaver and really easy to carry
--External battery packs (4000? I have a 10,000); this is of use to me only in situations like airplane flights, but it has helped a lot on occasion

Other than having to be aware of it all the time and make sure I don't screw up, I operate just fine with current batteries on normal days.

 

[steveknj]

I'm having the overheating problem, mostly when using Maps or Waze for navigation. I've already burned through one battery which VZW replaced. What makes me angry about this is that VZW has no clue that this is an issue and when you call them they sound as if they know nothing about it, like it's a new problem. This isn't the first time I've had this with them. A Maps update a couple of years ago caused my Rezound to reboot on it's own and after getting TWO new ones from them and it kept still happening, I wound up getting a different phone. But it was a simple update problem with Maps and if I just waited I could have kept my phone. It was on various forums which I didn't check at the time, found out after. VZW should know these things.

I guess I am going to have to hard reset, which doesn't make me happy. Losing data in games I've spent hours on is not fun.

 

[newpicasso]

Ever since the update my battery drains much faster, but far more annoying to me is chrome having black outs during video! Imagine someone randomly putting a card in front of the lens while filming and then you will understand my frustration. Tried setting chrome back to factory original, didn't help. In fact when chrome updated to more current versions, video wouldn't play at all, just black with a white progress bar. Fortunately after several chrome resets that disappeared. The screen blackouts continue. If anyone has the solution please post it.

 

[Bruno Voisin]

For those with wifi issues, try "Wifi Fixer" on Google Play or http://www.appsapk.com/wifi-fixer-app/
Did the job for me.

 

[Deepak Anandan]

The only advice to roll back the firmware update to 4.3 by installing Samsung Kies on the Desktop. With the help of Kies you can try to roll back the firmware to the previous version.

Cheers!!!!

 

[Tome Pejev]

when i up date my Galaxy S4 to 4.4.2 i notice a problem with my voice call and i have to restart the phone to function normally than again same thing i did factory setting nothing change
The worst update ever avoid 4.4.2

 

[Kelly Weller]

I have upgraded and lost some of my photos please someone tell me I can retrieve them somehow...

 

[Ian Ashton]

My method would be to connect the Galaxy S4 to a computer via the USB data cable and use the file manager to see what files are on the phone.
What comes up when you select the yellow flower icon "Gallery" ? or the the folder "My Files" ?
My Galaxy files are backed up via Google.+ to the cloud.

 

[rejectedpotato]

Can someone quote or tell me how to uninstall an update if possible. Dont feel like reading through 9 pages to find it.

Posted via the Android Central App