Samsung Galaxy S4 NG6 Upgrade Issues GPS/SD/Battery
FuzzyDomain
Newbie

Since the NG6 upgrade I now have 3 new issues.

1. GPS

     The GPS does not work right from the get go when I load up an APP that uses GPS.  To fix this I have to Location Services and disable GPS then re enable

     to get it to start working.  This is highly annoying especially when the GPS tries to fix on the satellitesand causes issue #2 most likely...

2. Battery

     Battery life has been reduced by 30% or more.  Once I was able to go a full day and night with one single charge and now after the update I can get to the      end of a work day then have to charge again with the same usage as before the update.  I see the GPS icon stuck in the status bar frequently and this      seems to be one of the culprits.

3. Micro SD

     Since the update writing to my Micro SD card is no longer an option.  This seems to be a Google restriction from what I can tell but why push it down in the      NG6 update?  Now the phone I have does not perform the same way when I first initially got it. 

While I understand updates are needed, poorly tested updates are unacceptable.  Being our carrier and with many paying good money for your service I would expect better from Verizon.  So I ask you this.  What steps are you going to take to resurrect these problems?  From searching your message boards I am not the only one with these problems.

-=George

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Re: Samsung Galaxy S4 NG6 Upgrade Issues GPS/SD/Battery
stef7
Master - Level 2

I think you meant a different word than resurrect. Possibly address.

With respect to one, I think perhaps a low-level cache wipe. I think you can find the link to doing that here somewhere.

With respect to two, after an update, it takes approximately three charge cycles for the battery monitoring/prediction function to assess battery charge remaining. It should improve over the next few days.

With respect to three, I think you need to Google it. I think the means to access the SD card was changed, and there's still a way to access it, but you need to use your file manager application to do so. Not positive about that.

Other people are evidently experiencing random reboots... so your issues don't seem as severe. Try the low-level cache wipe, and see if that fixes the GPS issue. Also see in the next few days if your battery life improves.

Good luck.

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Re: Samsung Galaxy S4 NG6 Upgrade Issues GPS/SD/Battery
FuzzyDomain
Newbie

LOL yes I used the wrong word there...still waking up.

Yea my issues are more annoyances then anything but at the same time disappointed in the update.  I will try your suggestions and monitor battery life as well after a few full discharge/recharge cycles.

As for the SD card issue I can only use apps that came with the phone.  Any 3rd party app for file management (ES File Explorer) or pic management (QuickPic) can no longer modify files on the SD card. 

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Re: Samsung Galaxy S4 NG6 Upgrade Issues GPS/SD/Battery
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

I understand your frustration FuzzyDomain, having a reliable phone is very important. I truly apologize for the problems you've had since the software update. Since you're experiencing several problems, I suggest running the device in Safe Mode http://vz.to/1ldHnPU for a couple hours. Let us know if it helps.

AdaS_VZW
Follow us on Twitter at @VZWSupport 

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Re: Samsung Galaxy S4 NG6 Upgrade Issues GPS/SD/Battery
vstjames
Contributor - Level 1

1) GPS: I'm not really sure but my impression is that this update combined GPS and Location settings. Pre-update, I could have Location turned on without having GPS on. Now, it seems I have to keep Location on to get GPS readings on GPS Test or to get results with Google Maps. Or even get weather updates for my location. I have my Location settings mode set to power saver using wifi and cell tower or mobile networks. But, if turning it off, it defaults back to High accuracy.

2) Because of 1) above, like many others, I've had noticeably faster battery drain even when not using my phone. If I turn off Location, it doesn't drain as quickly but then any app that is Location based doesn't work as it should. That includes weather apps and some widgets.

3) I can verify that with the update, gone is the ability to write to external SD card with any 3rd party file manager. Pre-update, I was still able to do that even with KitKat 4.4.2 because of workarounds that app Dev's had been able to utilize. It seems that the update killed those workaround pathways.

I can also verify that the built-in file manager known as My Files DOES WORK for copying/moving/deleting files and photos to or from phone storage and extSD card.

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Re: Samsung Galaxy S4 NG6 Upgrade Issues GPS/SD/Battery
stef7
Master - Level 2

GPS: I think you need to be set to Hi-Accuracy in Location setting in order for GPS to work. But otherwise you can have it set to something else. You just have to remember to return it to High-Accuracy.

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Re: Samsung Galaxy S4 NG6 Upgrade Issues GPS/SD/Battery
FuzzyDomain
Newbie

Update time:

Safe mode did nothing to help remedy the situation.  Battery life is still the same and the GPS still needs to be toggled off the back on to get it to work. 

As for the write capability to the EXT SD card that appears to be a Google requirement.  I will take that up with Samsung and Google. 

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Re: Samsung Galaxy S4 NG6 Upgrade Issues GPS/SD/Battery
RLmecca
Enthusiast - Level 2

Fuzzy,

Your best bet to just flash back to NC5 using Odin ver 3.09. You can get the Verizon full stock flash from Sammobile, here's the link  http://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/  .  Make sure to put your Cell Phone Model on the Box next to "FIRMWARE" .You don't even need to be rooted to flash back to stock. Once you Flash back make sure to boot to stock recovery ( Home Button, Volume UP, and Power) and perform a Factory Reset and Clear Cache. After that you will be back onto Stock NC5 Firmware with no root access. Go to youtube, there's a bunch of videos that people are posting on how to fix this issue since VZN screwed the pooch on this OTA......

To be honest I think VZN pushes out these failed OTA'S on purpose so that you get so pissed off with your phone that it makes you want to upgrade to a new phone or cancel all together.. SNEAKY MOVE VZN......

Re: Samsung Galaxy S4 NG6 Upgrade Issues GPS/SD/Battery
stef7
Master - Level 2

I don't think they purposefully create OTAs that fail. That's a bad business model. Likely, they check for ideal scenarios, like, the person is running stock and has next to nothing loaded on their devices.

This is why some people perform FDRs BEFORE they take an OTA, and then perform another FDR afterwards.

Interesting report - one could flash back to NC5, then take the OTA to NC6 with success. Others reporting they took the NC6 and had no issues. Others took the NC6 and performed an FDR and were successful, others took the NC6 and after FDR, are still stuck.

No sneakiness, just too much complexity / too many variables.

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Re: Samsung Galaxy S4 NG6 Upgrade Issues GPS/SD/Battery
RLmecca
Enthusiast - Level 2

Stef7,

What NC6 firmware are your referring to? Last I checked VZN pushed out NG6, is the NC6 that you are referring to a new one or a fix to the broken NG6?

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