The Samsung Galaxy S4 on most of the major mobile carriers in the United States have been updated to the Android 4.4.2 KitKat software. If fact, Verizon Wireless customers should be getting their version of the software any day now. The issue is that now that more users have been able to get the update, the problems that came along with it are coming to the surface. The Android 4.4.2 update brings a bunch of new features and changes that many are happy about, but there have been a couple bugs noticed, even though overall performance is normal.
Even single smartphone user knows how important battery life is so anytime an update takes away from that it will be noticed immediately. One issue that some users have been reporting is shorter battery life. One user posted online that the night after he downloaded and installed KitKat 4.4.2 on his Galaxy S4, he noticed he battery life drop to just 30 percent in just 3 hours time. That means the battery drained 70 percent in just 3 hours which is not typical in any way. If you are streaming HD videos at full brightness, it might be possible, but this user claimed to have browsed for 20 minutes while the rest of the time the phone was idle.
Some online sources that use the Galaxy S4 as a test device claimed that once the update was downloaded and installed the performance speeds were almost at a standstill. Switching applications, or going to the home screen took longer than normal and there are videos posted online that prove it. One source said that even just pressing the home button the phone reacted like it was a hold and opened the app manager, rather than going to the home screen which is what the user had wanted to do.
Some users claimed that installing the Android 4.4.2 update caused up to 10 mobile apps to simply disappear from their phone. The apps that were removed were not just third party apps, they included pre-installed apps like YouTube and Google Chrome just to name a couple. Other users complained that their Lock Screen is actually just black. Users can swipe over the black screen to open the device, but nothing is shown on the screen when the phone is locked. One user said a quick fix for that can be found by going to Settings > Lock Screen > Lock Screen Widgets > Clock or Personal Message > Clock.
March 18, 2014 at 11:47 am
Battery drain is horrible. I updated yesterday and noticed it immediately. I have disabled all syncing except for contacts and email, have the phone set to power saving mode, have GPS turned off, and have only wifi on, and the battery drained down to 50% after a full charge in the matter of 2 hours. During that time, I sent maybe 3 text messages, otherwise the phone was idle. Another thing, is the phone is hot all the time. Battery usage shows Android OS as using 62% and that never was the case in the past. Previously, the screen had the highest battery usage.
March 18, 2014 at 5:36 pm
Have a s4 got kitkat update a week ago and it has ruined my battery life,in 2 hours it has lost half its charge,all I have been using the phone for in that 2 hour period is faceboom
March 18, 2014 at 6:25 pm
This heap….samsung galaxy s4. Installed updates and phone went haywire!! Battery draining, wi-fi won’t connect..keeps restarting itself…driving me nuts!! I need help!!!
March 19, 2014 at 2:36 am
A couple of my apps went missing after I installed the update and my internet has gone really slow, to the point where I cant watch a video online anymore unless im on wifi. Shocking stuff
March 19, 2014 at 11:34 am
Battery life recovered a tiny bit after few more apps updates however there are some other issues:
1) Slow response if the phone is locked, screen off and a text message arrives, takes its time to allow to enter the unlock code…
2) Wifi, “your internet connection is unstable”
3) YouTube app acting up, non responsive
4) Hangs on reboot, have to remove the battery to get it back.
5) Jerky screen pages (desktop slide to the next page)
March 19, 2014 at 4:06 pm
Guys. You can downgrade to an older update if you connect your device to your computer and download Samsung Kies from the internet. Get Kies3 though. I know that one gives you the option! Hopefully you should be able to use the old, but yet functioning version until Samsung fixed their problems!
March 19, 2014 at 9:14 pm
My phone is crazy hot all the time and the battery life is in the toilet. What happened yesterday? Why do we have to be their guinea pigs? Stay away from 4.4.2!
March 21, 2014 at 12:01 pm
how to update my note phone in kitkat plsease share the aap link