Only this weekend! Samsung Discover deals! Galaxy S24 Ultra, Watch 6, Z Fold 5 or, Z Flip 5.

SamMobile has affiliate and sponsored partnerships. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn a commission.

Notifications
    News for you

    Samsung officially confirms no KitKat for Galaxy S III (GT-I9300) and Galaxy S III mini

    Phone
    By 

    Last updated: May 8th, 2014 at 20:16 UTC+02:00

    Here at SamMobile, we get asked all sorts of questions, and in recent months, a recurring query has been about whether the Galaxy S III would be receiving an update to KitKat. There were many signs that it had been cancelled, but then recently, Sprint started rolling out KitKat to its variant of the Galaxy S III (which sports 2GB of RAM, like all US variants), raising hope that the international variant would get it as well. But a leaked document that we published yesterday once again said that the international model would not be updated, so we reached out to Samsung for clarification, and the response we've got is going to disappoint a lot of folks.

    According to Samsung, the Galaxy S III and the Galaxy S III mini are not capable of running KitKat smoothly as both have only 1GB of RAM, which has apparently not been enough to get KitKat working properly on either device. Here's the official statement that we received:

    “In order to facilitate an effective upgrade on the Google platform, various hardware performances such as the memory (RAM, ROM, etc.), multi-tasking capabilities, and display must meet certain technical expectations. The Galaxy S3 and S3 mini 3G versions come equipped with 1GB RAM, which does not allow them to effectively support the platform upgrade. As a result of the Galaxy S3 and S3 mini 3G versions’ hardware limitation, they cannot effectively support the platform upgrade while continuing to provide the best consumer experience. Samsung has decided not to roll-out the KitKat upgrade to Galaxy S3 and S3 mini 3G versions, and the KitKat upgrade will be available to the Galaxy S3 LTE version as the device’s 2GB RAM is enough to support the platform upgrade.” – Samsung Mobile UK

    This is as official as things can get, and Samsung's statement confirms our fears of the amount of RAM being the issue. Now, before you say “but KitKat supports 512MB RAM devices and is running on a couple of new Samsung devices with 512MB of RAM already!”, we will point out that KitKat runs fine with that amount of memory only on stock Android, which does not have any of the added features or bloat that Samsung (and other non-Nexus phones come with.) Also, the newer Samsung devices are running a lighter and newer version of TouchWiz that debuted on the Galaxy S5, which we're guessing is something Samsung doesn't want to bring to the Galaxy S III as it would affect sales of its newer devices (and not to mention those low-end devices don't have all the features that you would find on flagship devices.)

    In any case, it looks like Android 4.3 is the last update the Galaxy S III will get (and Android 4.2 on the S III mini), and the official statement should finally put the matter to rest. The Galaxy S III had a good run, going from Android 4.0 to Android 4.3 since launch, but it looks like Samsung won't be extending any further update love to one of its best-selling smartphones.

    Phone Galaxy S IIIGalaxy S III MiniGalaxy S3KitKat

    You might also like

    A decade of Galaxy S camera improvements in one infographic

    A decade of Galaxy S camera improvements in one infographic

    Samsung always took pride in the camera setup of its Galaxy S flagship phones, and the company's series has been going strong for the past decade, starting with the original Galaxy S and leading all the way to the most recent Galaxy S20 series. The company is now reminding fans of its most important camera […]

    • By Mihai Matei
    • 4 years ago
    10 years of Samsung Galaxy S flagships: Looking back at the Galaxy S III

    10 years of Samsung Galaxy S flagships: Looking back at the Galaxy S III

    Welcome to part three of our 10 years of Samsung Galaxy S flagship series, in which we here at SamMobile talk about our experiences and memories of each of the nine Galaxy S flagships that have come before the Galaxy S10. Today, we look back at the Galaxy S III. The Galaxy S III was the […]

    • By Abhijeet Mishra
    • 5 years ago
    Facebook integration in Gallery and other apps ending June 30 for old Samsung devices

    Facebook integration in Gallery and other apps ending June 30 for old Samsung devices

    Starting June 30, users of Samsung's Android smartphones launched between 2012 and 2014 will no longer be able to access their Facebook pictures and information in apps such as Gallery, Calendar, and the Briefing widget for the home screen. We're told the affected devices are mostly those that ran Android KitKat, Lollipop, or Marshmallow. Devices […]

    • By Abhijeet Mishra
    • 6 years ago
    Samsung built a Bitcoin mining rig out of old Galaxy S5s—and it’s more efficient than a computer

    Samsung built a Bitcoin mining rig out of old Galaxy S5s—and it’s more efficient than a computer

    Samsung's found a use for your old Galaxy S5 (and no, it doesn't matter if it's smashed to smithereens): Pair it with thirty-nine other units, install a build of the firm's specialist operating system, which isn't available just yet, then insert them all into a strange building-like structure to create your very own Bitcoin Miner […]

    • By Josh L.
    • 6 years ago
    Pay to Play: An examination of Samsung’s rising smartphone prices

    Pay to Play: An examination of Samsung’s rising smartphone prices

    We’ve seen the cost of the next Galaxy already, enough to know that Italy will have it a little harder than the rest of us with buying the upcoming devices, but some believe these new prices are indicative of an upward trend for Samsung: that is, the upcoming prices are part of a phone trend […]

    • By Deidre R.
    • 7 years ago
    Samsung copying Apple with a battery case? Check out Samsung’s history record

    Samsung copying Apple with a battery case? Check out Samsung’s history record

    Samsung is always on the hook for something in the media spotlight. It’s the most well-known Android OEM, not to mention the most popular, and its smartphones sell like crazy. The same company that makes great hardware and software, however, is always placed in the shadow of its main rival, Apple. No matter what Samsung […]

    • By Deidre R.
    • 8 years ago