black notification bar on 4.2.2

[croftyboy8]

hey guys,

Like many of you i was made up to see the transparent notification bar after i upgraded to 4.2.2. it looks loads better imo.

I sadly had to get a warranty replacement handset this week due to a screen issue, anyway, the new handset came with 4.2.2. pre installed but this time the notification bar is still blacked out.
The device and kies tells me the latest firmware is installed so im a little confused.

Anyone shed any light?

Crofty.

 

[ironass]

hey guys,

Like many of you i was made up to see the transparent notification bar after i upgraded to 4.2.2. it looks loads better imo.

I sadly had to get a warranty replacement handset this week due to a screen issue, anyway, the new handset came with 4.2.2. pre installed but this time the notification bar is still blacked out.
The device and kies tells me the latest firmware is installed so im a little confused.

Anyone shed any light?

Crofty.

I'm afraid you'll have to be a little more specific croftyboy8 as there are currently 13 versions of the Galaxy S4 floating around with the 2 main versions being the quad core, GT-i9505, and the octa core, GT-i9500, and 11 minority variants, all with their own firmwares.

Go to your dial pad and enter...

*#1234#

and 3 lines of information are displayed. These are your, "Version", information. Armed with this, you can then check on SamMobile if there has been a later firmware released for your device.

Just a thought, the replacement phone could be a re-flashed phone which may not be able to be updated via Kies anyway if it has had firmware other than that originally intended for it, used in the re-flashing.

 

[croftyboy8]

hi mate,

i have a uk non branded from phones 4 u

19505XXUAMDM.

Both OTA and kies say I have the most up to date FW

 

[ironass]

hi mate,

i have a uk non branded from phones 4 u

19505XXUAMDM.

Both OTA and kies say I have the most up to date FW

19505XXUAMDM.

That sounds more like a Baseband/Modem number and not a, "Version", as I mentioned in my previous reply. That Baseband/Modem number came out with the very first i9505XXUAME2 releases.

The latest, unbranded, UK firmware for the i9505 is... i9505XXUBMGA that was released in July. This would explain your lack of semi-transparent Notification bar which was only on the very latest releases.

 

[croftyboy8]

Hmm, now I'm confused. This is what I have.

 

[ironass]

Hmm, now I'm confused. This is what I have.

CSC code = i9505OXXUAMDB

That is a very old firmware then that pre-dates even the official ME2 release!!! SamMobile have this as an early April release. The first, ever AFAIK.

 

[croftyboy8]

Thanks, so can i officially download a newer version via kies?

As stated, i keep getting the latest firmware notice

 

[ironass]

Thanks, so can i officially download a newer version via kies?

As stated, i keep getting the latest firmware notice

Well, obviously not, if you keep getting that notification. As I mentioned before, it may well be a re-flashed phone which may never update via Kies or OTA, (Over The Air). You have 2 choices...

1. Either take it to the nearest Samsung service Point and ask them to sort it out for you under warranty...

or

2. Flash the latest firmware, MGA, that I linked you to in my earlier post, using a PC Suite called Odin.

 

[croftyboy8]

update...

So i called P4U who, as usual stated there was nothing they could do. They agreed to give me a replacement handset which i have just collected from the store.
Exactly the same firmware dated april 2013!! They must have an old batch which they're trying to shift!

 

[m3incorp]

Sometimes the background pic makes the notification bar look like it is not transparent. With some pics on my home screens, it doesn't appear to be transparent because of the color of the pic.

 

[ironass]

Sometimes the background pic makes the notification bar look like it is not transparent. With some pics on my home screens, it doesn't appear to be transparent because of the color of the pic.

The semi-transparent Status bar was not introduced until the, much later, German firmware, MEA, which was released in June of this year. See...

Samsung Galaxy S4 update address storage issues

Are you able to update via Kies on the replacement phone or is it a re-flashed job again?

 

[croftyboy8]

well, it gets more interesting. The replacement phone still failed to update so once more i returned to P4U. I spoke to a level 2 tech guy on the phone who explained that the firmware is the most up to date that this new batch of black s4 has through them. he went on to say that the new (exclusive?) blue colour has the more recent firmware though!?
I asked for the blue handset and was told i wasnt allowed and could only have a like for like swap... their reasons being that the differences in the two firmwares is so minimal that an exchange could not be given.

 

[ironass]

well, it gets more interesting. The replacement phone still failed to update so once more i returned to P4U. I spoke to a level 2 tech guy on the phone who explained that the firmware is the most up to date that this new batch of black s4 has through them.

That may well be the most up-to-date firmware for THEIR stock of black phones. However, colour of phone does not make any difference to firmware updating and there have been a number of releases since that very old, first release, version... MDB. The latest, as mentioned previously, is MGA.

The fact of the matter is that you have been sold a phone that will not update in the prescribed manner and is therefore, "Not fit for purpose".

he went on to say that the new (exclusive?) blue colour has the more recent firmware though!?
I asked for the blue handset and was told i wasnt allowed and could only have a like for like swap... their reasons being that the differences in the two firmwares is so minimal that an exchange could not be given.

THEIR new stock of, "blue", phones may well come with later firmware but there is no guarantee they will update.

Your choices remain as post #8 with the addition that you could try for a total refund as your phone will never update as allowed by Samsung.

 

[croftyboy8]

This is the exact argument i had with them..I have since called Samsung customer support who agree with me but state i should visit a sammy service centre for them to perform the update for me.

 

[ironass]

This is the exact argument i had with them..I have since called Samsung customer support who agree with me but state i should visit a sammy service centre for them to perform the update for me.

As per item #1 in post #8.

So, P4U have sold you a phone that is not fit for purpose, as Samsung have agreed, and now they expect you to sort it out!

I hope you got it really cheap as I would be demanding a refund from them under the UK, "Sale of Goods Act".

 

[croftyboy8]

free on contract.. the funniest part is that they tried to make me claim on my insurance rather than them giving me a new handset! erm... what part of all that was my fault!?

You can guess my response!!

 

[croftyboy8]

Bonus... got an OTA update to MGA today, all is well in Croftys Castle!!