Samsung delivers official statement regarding Galaxy S3′s Android 4.3 update issues

[RedRaspberry]

MySIII wrote:

RedRaspberry wrote:

MySIII wrote:

Ok, so I had updated my old phone to 4.3 for a couple weeks. I really had no issues cept the one time I mentioned that I had unstable internet at a place I frequent, but only happened one time. Anyway, I had to get a new device about 2 weeks after I updated, it came with 4.1.2 and I HAVE NOT updated to 4.3. I don't want to take the chance until I read that there is a patch. However, I got up this morning, and the update downloaded, not installed just downloaded. Now the old phone I had, I had to do it manually thru settings and about phone and software update. When I woke the new phone up this morning it asked me to install the update.  The only options were to install or defer,  I deferred but it wouldn't let me completely cancel it. I have it deferred until 11:30 pm hoping it will ask me again, IS there a way (besides deferring every day) to get rid of this.?

Did you try looking at the memory drive through a computer?  Maybe you can delete the pending upgrade.

No, I looked thru all of the phones files thru "My Files" as well as all the downloads, could not find it anywhere there. Not sure bout looking through a computer. Seems like it has to be in the phone somewhere??   If it  "Downloaded" ??

You can view all the files on the phone though a computer, like windows explorer.  That's what I meant.

[MySIII]

ROFLMBO at your previous post....Has ANYone from Verizon besides the robot answering support people on here EVER even read the support forum on their OWN site.  When you call Verizon, they say they have never heard of the issue, I tell them to GO read your own support forum.  GAHHH. 

And thanks, I'll give it a try. 

[unicoird]

As everyone has mentioned before I continue to be tied to a charger, apps run slow or lag starting. Everything was running perfectly for me until the dreaded update. I have tried many things to get my vpn to work. I can log in to the vpn service and it appears to send and receive packets of data. Yet when I go to any browser (stock, Firefox, Chrome or Dolphin) the browser reports no network connection. I use the vpn for security in my business when traveling and using public wifi. Has anyone come across this particular problem or has heard of a work around?

Thanks in advance.

[katalinagirl]

Mine was updated on January 9, 2014 at approximately 0630 AM PST.  I have had nothing but problems from day one and all I can say is that the majority of the issues that have been reported here I have too.  I filed a complaint a few minutes ago with the FCC and I would advise everyone in this forum to do this at: http://www.fcc.gov/complaints .  Verizon should not get away with damaging their customers phones the way they have and not pay for it in some way.  This is a civil class action law suit in the works here if not being slapped with multiple 1000's of small claims suits Nationwide for their mishap here.  They were very aware of the reported issues with this update and prior to pushing this on to their customers phones the way they have and damaging them.

I have read nothing intelligent in this forum from their Technical or Customer Support in offering a solution or fix to this most serious problem they have caused.  You break something that is not yours, you need to pay for it.  You replace every customers phone with the identical phone and with the original software that came with it and you discount their monthly plan in the interim of your action to fix or replace their now damaged phones for their inconvenience of having a broken phone while paying for your monthly services.  You have violated your own terms of service under your contract here Verizon.

Signed,

~Annoyed & Frustrated Customer that will be looking elsewhere for service if you don't diligently step up to the plate and take responsibility here for your actions and wrong doing.

[GDogFast]

Just wanted to update everyone to some more of my personal findings on this issue.

RedRaspberry: There is no way to completely stop the update notices, that I have found so far. However, I have discovered that the notice will only pop up when you are on your home screen. Mine pops up every 60 seconds regular as clockwork. Extremely annoying to sat the least. Also, did you happen to notice that the "Install Now" button on the popup is as close as it can possibly be to the "Back" key on the phone ( a key that get used a LOT), AND it is so big it is really hard to miss? Do you think THAT was an accident? I think not. You can make the popup go away by just pressing that Back key on the phone. You do not have to press "Install Later" and enter a time. However, the message will come back in another 60 seconds. Ugh!  Just be very careful that your finger does not overlap onto that "Install Now" button right next door, or you might inadvertently fall into the Verizon Engineer's "Trick you into installing" trap.

A work around I found is to just make sure you are in an app as much of the time as possible. I loaded the Clock app and just left it there. The notice will not pop up over an app. When I want to blank my screen, I just hit the Power/Lock key with the Clock screen active and the screen goes blank. When I need to use the device again, I just hit the Power/Lock key again and the clock is right there where I left it. No annoying popup! I also make sure this app is loaded all night long while I sleep.

This works pretty well, BUT every time you go back to your home screen, you have to run your next app pretty quick or the popup will come back, depending on where it is in its 60-sec cycle. The clock app has to be reloaded each time.

The L2 Verizon Tech I spoke to said that eventually, the upgrade will just run by itself without our approval, so I don't know exactly how long we can avoid it even with these tactics. I am going to do them however, as long as I possibly can. I am so P_ _ _ ed off at Verizon right now, I just don't know what I am going to do yet - depends on how quickly they respond to this FIASCO!

[Rayo]

Two possibilities: one, limp along until contract is up, then run, don't

walk, to another carrier, another brand cell phone. The second, root the

phone. They hate that, but then you have control over the phone that you

bought and paid for.

[katalinagirl]

Unfortunately Rayo the bootloader in these Samsung phones is locked and so the bootloader itself can't be flashed and it is impossible to revert back to the older firmware.  It is no an easy task to root this particular model with Verizon as the carrier at all right now as you will discover when reading up on it (not without being an expert in android OS's and being a programmer that can modify or customize said firmware) and even with this expertise as said, this model is not being successfully rooted too often right now based on my research into the matter.

Personally this seems to be the only option in an attempt at this point and with a broken phone that is not at all cooperating after Verizon's software update to try and restore it to a working and functioning phone again.  My phone is out of warranty now anyhow but, nonetheless, Verizon should be held accountable for replacing my phone and everyone else's phone's that they have damaged as a result of their bad software.  They DO NOT own our phone, we do,  and they have no rights to push damaged software on our phones without facing some responsibility for doing as such.  I'm waiting for any day now that they step up to the plate and accept their part in this.  It was not only Samsung that is responsible here for damaged software, it was Verizon who had their hands in it last making their modifications and pushing it out to us with annoying update notifications that will never go away until you let it update your phone.  This is by far the worst update I've seen by anyone in all my past years and with any subscriber.  Be diligent Verizon face the music and correct your damage that you've caused to many.

[Tidbits]

Verizon didn't break a thing...

I can't imagine Verizon has the clout to force update every Samsung phone around the world.

All updates come from manufacturers. All fixes come from manufacturers. All Samsung devices are having this trouble regardless of where in the world you got your phone from. Samsung didn't withhold any update or made an official announcement to that fact. SamMobile is far from an official source as much as Samsung UK is for the rest of the world.

Switching carriers isn't going to fix your problems because carriers don't touch code at all.

When the S5 comes out millions of people are going to switch carriers and find out it was no different than before. Samsung is going to botch another update and be back at square one...

[katalinagirl]

Well for you information look around and see how many 1000's have been impacted by Verizon pushing their Jelly Bean 4.3 update.  It doesn't take a lot of brains to see what they've done has had a major impact and on 1000's of users Nationwide within the States.  Yes, Verizon does touch the code, they have their own modifications in which they add to it before pushing it out to their customer base.  How you would possibly not know this means you should probably do your homework in regards to the steps they use.  Samsung, yes, does push their own updates as well for hardware and other software that is used on these phones, but this firmware update was pushed by Verizon themselves after they of course added their own modifications to it.  Prematurely as is obvious by the disaster in which it is causing many.

[Tidbits]

That's why manufacturers love people who think like you do. Most of this could have easily been fixed if Samsung didn't block downgrading. They also no matter where you are forced to upgrade. Samsung already had wind of the problems yet they pushed out the update worldwide. Let it soak in for a minute.

Misplace blame on all the carriers, but it's a manufacturers problem.