Android Kitkat 4.4.4 Update: Samsung Galaxy S3, Galaxy S4 Users Happy at Good News

With people still focused on the newly released Apple iOS 8 and Google's forthcoming Android L (Android 5.0), not much attention has been given on the Android Kitkat 4.4.4 update, which offers a lot of exciting new features in Samsung's Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S3 handsets.

This update has been making its way on various Android compatible phones worldwide, with the notable exception of the Samsung Galaxy S3 along with the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 2.

But now users of those Samsung handset models will finally be able to get the 4.4.4 Kitkat update.

The Android 4.4.4 Kitkat update was released recently together with the 4.4.3 update. Both provide bug fixes to the problematic 4.4.2 update. Many Android phones across the board received the update, some earlier than others.

For the Galaxy 3 the update needs a large 1.6GB. The Android Kitkat 4.4.4 update not only fixes bugs on the 4.4.2 update but also makes new changes to some Galaxy S3 features.

One of the changes that the 4.4.4 update brings to the Galaxy S3 is the modification for TouchWiz. But a dampener is that it isn't the Galaxy S5 design that many have been hoping for.

The update also alters some functions. There's the new lock screen music controls. Samsung has finally given users the option to control music playback from the lockscreen, a feature which has been missing since the original 4.0.4 release of the Galaxy S3.

All notification bar icons are now gray. Previously they had three colors: green, orange, and gray.

A few stock apps are given either a total user interface overhaul or an upgrade. The new update reintroduces the gradient on the taskbar of the settings app, similar to 4.1.2 and 4.0.4.

A few of the icons have been changed, while the menu has been altered to cater to the new Kit Kat features.

The update also modifies the calculator app, which now features a rectangular button layout, instead of the circular button layout of 4.3.

Along with the update some new features are introduced like the location settings and the ability to choose the user's default launcher and messaging app.

Interestingly, there is no "Powered by Android" logo in boot-up. And of course, GT-I9305 users can finally play with the Kit Kat Easter egg.

Reviewers noted that the Galaxy S3 4G is faster than before with the new Kitkat 4.4.4 update. The reason for this is the reduction of the firmware's RAM requirement.

The reviewers also noted that animations became smoother and some games now have a quicker pace. However, they noted frame dropping on graphic-intensive games such as Riptide GP2.

The reviewers also noted a dramatic improvement in battery life, since the battery-draining 4.3 update was introduced.

The reviewers were unanimous in praising Samsung for bothering to introduce the latest update on its relatively old handset model, which is about 18 months old.