Root [Sprint] Kitkat

[kturcotte]

I'd like to put stock 4.4 Kitkat on my Galaxy S4 (Sprint), but have some questions. Is it even possible at the moment? If so, what will I be missing/giving up with stock? How would I go about doing it? My phone is currently rooted, but I haven't really done much with it other than freezing a few apps that came with the phone and doing a few little things. Also, after it's done, if an update comes out (Be it 4.3, 4.4, or even something higher) will it wipe all that out?

 

[jj14x]

There are a few kitkat custom ROMs out there - Sprint Samsung Galaxy S 4 Original Android Development - xda-developers but these are relatively new ROMs, so may have bugs/issues.

You will need to read the description of the ROMs to see what is included, and what is not. Most likely, you won't get any of the touchwiz features (including the camera)

Your Sprint S4 should be on 4.3 at the moment. (If you are rooted, you have probably already tripped the knox counter, unless you flashed the ROM without firmware).

Once you install the custom ROM, you cannot take any over the air update from Samsung/Sprint/Google. You will have the option of going back to stock and flashing the stock ROM though (and you will lose all data - unless you backed it up using apps like helium or titanium backup etc)

 

[kturcotte]

Still on 4.2.2 Will this give me stock Kitkat? Basically I want a Nexus 5 but on my Galaxy S4.

 

[Rxpert83]

Still on 4.2.2 Will this give me stock Kitkat? Basically I want a Nexus 5 but on my Galaxy S4.

You can get the Google experience launcher for your s4, but touchwiz is still going to be buried beneath it.