Verizon Galaxy S3 Jelly Bean update questions

Nicholi2789

Well-known member
Dec 1, 2012
155
0
0
Visit site
So i read on a few reliable Android news sites and the Verizon site that they are finally rolling out the update to Jelly bean for the S3.i have the SCH-1535 model and it seems like I've been waiting for ever for this update. However, iam a bit hesitant about it.
I have a couple questions about it that I would really appreciate if you guys can help me with.
First off, will I need to use Kies to get the update or can I do it over the air? I don't have a functioning laptop right now. Also, when I do this update is it going to delete my home screen setups and layout? I've spent a long time getting them setup the way I like and don't want to have to do it again (though I have taken screen shots to try to remember it just in case).
For those of you who already have jellybean; is it really worth it? Or should I just keep ICS?
I have been excited for this update but iam still worried that I won't like it and wish I had kept ICS.
My S3 is NOT rooted by the way.
Can you guys give me some advice on this? The update is supposedly going to roll out by this weekend.
Should I do it or not?
 

HalizDad

Banned
Jul 17, 2011
1,095
13
0
Visit site
Whether you choose to or not is your choice. I rooted mine so I could turn it down. I'm going to wait until there aren't any bugs before I do it. I'll also do a factory reset prior to downloading it if I do. They say it's going to be WiFi, so no Kies required.
 

Nicholi2789

Well-known member
Dec 1, 2012
155
0
0
Visit site
Whether you choose to or not is your choice. I rooted mine so I could turn it down. I'm going to wait until there aren't any bugs before I do it. I'll also do a factory reset prior to downloading it if I do. They say it's going to be WiFi, so no Kies required.
See that is the thing, i've heard that it has alot of bugs which makes me feel hesitant. But I can choose to not download if I don't want to right?
 

HalizDad

Banned
Jul 17, 2011
1,095
13
0
Visit site
I'm not sure if Verizon will force it upon you or not, but if you root your device you should be able to decline it. I'm declining it because some people like the 3rd build, and others say it drains the battery, and freezes the screen. It's all over the forums on other sites.
 

imhipper

Well-known member
Jul 24, 2012
126
4
0
Visit site
If you are hesitant to update because of the problems you have mentioned then I wouldn't get to excited, jump the gun and install it.
Wait a week or so and follow all the threads that will be posted on this site to see what the bugs are and the advantages are.
I think that's what I am going to do because I don't think there is any going back to ICS.
 

HalizDad

Banned
Jul 17, 2011
1,095
13
0
Visit site
As of now, Verizon seems to have yanked that page and replaced it with the last update we got. I wonder if someone didn't hack their website...Google Plus instead of Google Now, onscreen buttons in the pics?
 

paintdrinkingpete

Well-known member
Dec 12, 2009
2,917
276
0
Visit site
So i read on a few reliable Android news sites and the Verizon site that they are finally rolling out the update to Jelly bean for the S3.i have the SCH-1535 model and it seems like I've been waiting for ever for this update. However, iam a bit hesitant about it.
I have a couple questions about it that I would really appreciate if you guys can help me with.
First off, will I need to use Kies to get the update or can I do it over the air? I don't have a functioning laptop right now. Also, when I do this update is it going to delete my home screen setups and layout? I've spent a long time getting them setup the way I like and don't want to have to do it again (though I have taken screen shots to try to remember it just in case).
For those of you who already have jellybean; is it really worth it? Or should I just keep ICS?
I have been excited for this update but iam still worried that I won't like it and wish I had kept ICS.
My S3 is NOT rooted by the way.
Can you guys give me some advice on this? The update is supposedly going to roll out by this weekend.
Should I do it or not?

See that is the thing, i've heard that it has alot of bugs which makes me feel hesitant. But I can choose to not download if I don't want to right?

You don't always get a choice...some updates you can delay for a certain amount of time, but are eventually forced. I'm running the current leak, and think it runs great, FWIW.

If you REALLY want a clean install, I actually think that installing via KIES is a better option (if you're able to) or doing a factory reset prior to installing. I know that's a pain in the you-know-what, but it can prevent a lot of those "bugs" associated with major updates like this. At the very least, I'd be ready to accept the fact you may have to do a factory reset after installing the OTA if bugs do pop up.
 

Targon

Well-known member
Sep 1, 2012
212
5
0
Visit site
For those worried about bugs/problems, the only concern you should have is with apps being incompatible with the upgrade process. With that said, anti-virus, launchers(such as Nova), and keyboards would be the source of most issues that people would run into. This is why testing doesn't show the problems, because it is only certain apps that cause the update process to have problems.

The actual release for the AT&T version was GOOD for most people. There are two known issues that even a perfect install seems to be there across the different devices:
1) Battery life is lower for many, because the screen brightness is MUCH higher after the JB update. Solution is to turn the brightness all the way down(which is still acceptable in most situations)
2) Filesystem errors on a MicroSD card will cause high CPU usage. Solution that most suggest is to copy the files off the card to a computer, format the card, then copy the files back to the card.

Those are the only two big issues. Again, if an app you have breaks during the update process, it COULD cause issues. Doing a factory restore after the update and then re-installing the apps you want will resolve any problems that show up due to the update process.
 

Dizzo1992

Well-known member
Jul 25, 2012
254
2
0
Visit site
Hopefully it won't suck the battery too much I'm excited for project butter and Google now the most I have nova prime hopefully it won't mess that up

The amazing galaxy s3 :D
 

lopezj760

Active member
Aug 14, 2012
39
0
0
Visit site
I have a question. What if I use Kies to back up my data (contacts, messages, call log, email settings, etc) before I update to Jelly bean, do a factory reset, then update to JB, then sync my old data up, will that work? :confused:

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Android Central Forums
 

HalizDad

Banned
Jul 17, 2011
1,095
13
0
Visit site
62MB for JB huh? That's a record, especially with all the bloatware you KNOW Verizon is going to put in there. All the other phones have been 250-300MB for the JB update. 62MB was the exact same size as the VRALHE Update... Damn you ASHTON!!!
 

Sailmaker

Well-known member
Oct 19, 2010
105
22
0
Visit site
I'm wondering if the Verizon pdf file floating around isn't a fake. Can't imagine that Verizon would publish a description of the features of Jelly Bean that incorrectly identifies Google Now as Google Plus. Additionally, the file size seems awfully small for a major update. :eek:
 

paintdrinkingpete

Well-known member
Dec 12, 2009
2,917
276
0
Visit site
62MB for JB huh? That's a record, especially with all the bloatware you KNOW Verizon is going to put in there. All the other phones have been 250-300MB for the JB update. 62MB was the exact same size as the VRALHE Update... Damn you ASHTON!!!

JB is *much* larger...but unfortunately Verizon reverted their link back to the old update since the time most sites (including this one) reported it.
 

paintdrinkingpete

Well-known member
Dec 12, 2009
2,917
276
0
Visit site
I'm wondering if the Verizon pdf file floating around isn't a fake. Can't imagine that Verizon would publish a description of the features of Jelly Bean that incorrectly identifies Google Now as Google Plus. Additionally, the file size seems awfully small for a major update. :eek:

The incorrect info may suggest a fake, but as I mentioned, the PDF was up on Verizon's site for a short period of time...it wasn't a screen grab or anything like that. It has, however, since been taken down and the link now points to details for the previous update. JellyBean update is and will be much larger than 62MB or whatever it says. Perhaps Verizon's site was hacked, or more likely an employee posted the updated page before it was ready to go live.
 

HalizDad

Banned
Jul 17, 2011
1,095
13
0
Visit site
JB is *much* larger...but unfortunately Verizon reverted their link back to the old update since the time most sites (including this one) reported it.

Yeah, I know, I saw the original PDF that was up for about 30 minutes on the Verizon website. The Verizon website said the download was going to be 62MB which made no sense whatsoever. Couple it up wit pics of on-screen buttons and "Google Plus", and it was written off by me. The "Damn you Ashton" is a Punk'd reference...because we got punk'd. Well, some people did. I'm not going to run JB, as I said earlier. I bought that OTA Blocker.
 

Trees

Well-known member
Sep 20, 2012
1,544
12
38
Visit site
Yeah, I know, I saw the original PDF that was up for about 30 minutes on the Verizon website. The Verizon website said the download was going to be 62MB which made no sense whatsoever. Couple it up wit pics of on-screen buttons and "Google Plus", and it was written off by me. The "Damn you Ashton" is a Punk'd reference...because we got punk'd. Well, some people did. I'm not going to run JB, as I said earlier. I bought that OTA Blocker.
I see one in Google Play that's specifically for this phone and carrier. Root is a prerequisite. Looks like I'll be rooting today :D Nice tip. I have the same concern that you and others have voiced around " The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" that comes with any new update. Notice any issues with the OTA Blocker thus far?
 

paintdrinkingpete

Well-known member
Dec 12, 2009
2,917
276
0
Visit site
I see one in Google Play that's specifically for this phone and carrier. Root is a prerequisite. Looks like I'll be rooting today :D Nice tip. I have the same concern that you and others have voiced around " The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" that comes with any new update. Notice any issues with the OTA Blocker thus far?

There's no way to block root on un-rooted phones, because there's no way to "freeze" the processes that check for updates without it. I'm assuming the app just does what many of us have already done manually, which is to rename the .apk file(s) that the system uses to check for updates so they can't run. I couldn't imagine there would be any way to know if there were any "issues" with the app until an update actually arrives.

As I've mentioned on other threads, a huge majority of the "bugs" reported after updates are the result of app and user data on device, and not the update itself. OTA's are basically what root-users would refer to as a "dirty flash", meaning that the update is applied directly over top the existing configuration without clearing any user data first. The advantage to doing it this way is that all your apps and settings and such are retained during the update process, but the disadvantage is that often that data is incompatible with the new OS and causes your device to become "buggy". I assure Verizon (and other carriers) do this because the average user certainly doesn't want to factory reset each time they run an update (forcing you to set your device up all over again), however doing that would eliminate a LOT of issues folks have. I highly recommend all non-rooted users do a factory reset prior to applying an OTA update (and think that carriers should at the very least put out info on how to do it for their users)...but I also know that 99.9% of folks probably don't. Instead what happens is people install the OTA, have issues, call Verizon tech support, *then* they suggest you factory reset.

As someone who's running the current leak right now, I will say that it's actually pretty freakin' stable and runnin' like a champ.
 

Trending Posts

Forum statistics

Threads
942,374
Messages
6,913,730
Members
3,158,377
Latest member
Emoney86