Fear of KitKat?

[GrouchoM]

After reading Google's added constraints on the SD card with KitKat, as well as a few GPS issues arrising, I'm a bit fearful of the upcoming update to KitKat. Am I alone? For those that are apprehensive of it, will you go with it or will you refuse to update?

 

[electricpete]

My phone is working great on JB 4.3. I'm not in a rush to change that.

So, I'm not even going to think about upgrading until the dust settles and we hear full feedback from the many brave souls that take the plunge within the first month that it's available. I'm going to wait at least a few months and watch the feedback roll in here on the forums.

Maybe your thread will spur some more feedback from those folks.

I actually hadn't heard the sd card thing until you mentioned it. Google showed me more details:
http://lifehacker.com/android-kitkat-blocks-some-access-to-micro-sd-cards-1524997895

 

[greyhndz]

My phone is working great on JB 4.3. I'm not in a rush to change that.

.... <clip>

I actually hadn't heard the sd card thing until you mentioned it. Google showed me more details:
Android KitKat Blocks Some Access to Micro SD Cards

Take a LOT of time to really read about the very major SD card issue that can, for those of us who are unrooted, dramatically change how you can (or can't) utilize your SD card. Check out numerous threads on XDA about this problem, which seems to have fix options for root, but no fix for unrooted phones.

Basically, from what I've gathered, 4.4 removes permissions from 3rd-party apps (the apps downloaded from any of the markets) to store data on external SD. I believe it also inhibits the ability of your apps to retrieve or modify data on external SD. The other issue is that most of the file managers cannot skirt this problem, or access external SD, and can no longer move folders to and from external SD (actually, I was not able to visualize SD at all on FX or on WiFi xfer.) I also understand (and just confirmed myself) that the ES file manager seems to partially workaround this problem and can access the external SD. I do believe there are still limitations on moving or renaming folders from within the system.

The method that seems to be the only way to bypass this google-directed blockade is to manage your files via USB on your PC. (This will not work on a wireless file manager like Airdroid.) I can confirm that this works as I did so via USB.

I found that all of my 3rd party apps were gone after the update, but more importantly, after re-installing them, the data files had also been wiped. The only apps which have maintained the permissions needed to utilize SD and access all files are pre-installed apps, such as "My Files".

I've lost a LOT of crucial data, even data previously on dropbox. I also found that I was not able to upload files from SD onto dropbox. Read this blog for many more details, and also note that apparently this permission restriction had not been on the 4.4 changelog.

I, personally, resent having google- and samsung-imposed restraints enforced on how I use my device. If I wanted these types of restrictions I would have bought an iphone. One of the reasons I upgraded to the S4 was because it gave the flexibility of installing and storing on an external SD; now, aftermarket, the S4 warranty has essentially been voided -- by the sellers!

Sorry for the bold letters, and for the rant (just my old activist brain cells making an appearance), but I am , big time.

I wish I had read this a week ago, before I excitedly dowloaded 4.4; I would never have installed it had I known what so many others have already found out.

 

[hansangb]

Wow...programs like AirDroid would become an island onto itself. So what use would it be? Folks would have to start making *copies* to the app's own directory to do anything. Ouch. This is much more serious than I thought.

 

[silentwitness]

damn thats quite bad, thank god in rooted will just wait for omega to come out with his variant of the rom which im hoping would not have these issues.

 

[anoniemouse]

Well here is one that will not be upgrading to kit kat, & it looks like i am going to be rooting my S4 earlier than i thought

 

[greyhndz]

I forgot to mention one other delightful surprise: I'd made backups via "My Backup pro" -- onto external SD. Gone. Apps gone with the exception of one. Data file is not being recognized. Glad I'd backed this up into dropbox and onto PC.

I had time and mileage records recorded in Timekeeper 2. I found one of the files on mnt/SD, but the other account is gone. The data files are not appearing in the app, even after copying them from mnt/SD to emulated to SD 0....

Please tell me there is a way of rooting after installing this mammoth fail. Can any of the ROM-savvy people please advise?

 

[smitty543]

Appears that it is time to "take a pass" at this upgrade! Why do there appear to be sooooo many problems following upgrades to either 4.3 or 4.4?!?

 

[trparky]

Then it looks like I'm going be looking to get the S5 with a minimum internal storage of 32 GBs. Anything less is going to be next to useless.

 

[Canesfan]

Appears that it is time to "take a pass" at this upgrade! Why do there appear to be sooooo many problems following upgrades to either 4.3 or 4.4?!?

Samsung Smartphones are VERY disappointing. Not only do many of them have "issues" like crappy WiFi performance, but their updates are very plagued with problems.

 

[dlin95123]

Will it allow that one stores pictures and videos on the SD card? I just switched to Samsung S4 from owning 3 HTC phones in the past. So far so good with Android 4.3.

 

[greyhndz]

Samsung Smartphones are VERY disappointing. Not only do many of them have "issues" like crappy WiFi performance, but their updates are very plagued with problems.

You are so right. I'm not due for an upgrade until 2015, but I'll pass on the Samsung.

trparky, you can still have plenty of storage on an external SD card if the S5 has a slot, but storage is about all you'll get -- apps can't integrate, unless Samsung is pressured to lift this google-imposed restriction.

 

[greyhndz]

Will it allow that one stores pictures and videos on the SD card? I just switched to Samsung S4 from owning 3 HTC phones in the past. So far so good with Android 4.3.

So far, I've seen that it does. I read on XDA that many people have had problems with Power Amp; I've got P.A. and it seems to have been able to find music from external SD, though several ringtones that I'd created have disappeared (as did the ringtone app). Videos and photos are also populating from DCIM, photos, wallpapers, etc. on internal and external SD.

Also, when trying to upload files to drop box, it only allows uploading from internal storage. I'm going to have to depend on USB/PC to move files around. I'm still trying to figure out where to put app data so it will be recognized.

 

[Rockman]

Pass on the update then, is there a way to get the notification cleared so I dont accidently install the update, I like my phone the way it is and it works good, I would be very very upset if I gooberd it all up..

 

[speedlever]

So far, I've seen that it does. I read on XDA that many people have had problems with Power Amp; I've got P.A. and it seems to have been able to find music from external SD, though several ringtones that I'd created have disappeared (as did the ringtone app). Videos and photos are also populating from DCIM, photos, wallpapers, etc. on internal and external SD.

Also, when trying to upload files to drop box, it only allows uploading from internal storage. I'm going to have to depend on USB/PC to move files around. I'm still trying to figure out where to put app data so it will be recognized.

I'm curious how you accomplished the update... did you do OTA? Then did you do a FDR?

I wonder what the point of these restrictions are?

I sure hope that the entry level GS5 is nothing less than a 32Gb model.

 

[electricpete]

I wonder what the point of these restrictions are?
.

Officially, Google says they discourage using sd card for vital program data because it is less predictable (read/write times, reliability, etc).

Of course Google's business model benefits from "always on-line" practices. They'd prefer that everything you do requires a connection. If you download lots of songs and video to your sd and spend less time online as a result, they lose. I'm not saying they're evil....they're just pushing a long term vision of the future that benefits them...hard to see how it benefits us in the short term though...

 

[lotus49]

I haven't been at all disappointed with my last two Samsung phones (S2 and S4) but I shan't be buying another.

The reason for this is a combination of weak software support (like everyone else I have found 3rd party ROMs perform better and have better functionality) and the Knox restrictions. Fortunately I rooted my S4 before the locked down ROMs appeared so I don't have to worry about that but I wasn't so lucky with my Note 10.1 2014 which is so far unrooted because of Knox. This has had a major negative effect on the way in which I use it.

I too moved from Apple to Samsung principally because I thought I'd have more freedom. So I did for a while but that is steadily being eroded and I am unlikely to buy another Samsung device.

 

[anoniemouse]

Pass on the update then, is there a way to get the notification cleared so I dont accidently install the update, I like my phone the way it is and it works good, I would be very very upset if I gooberd it all up..

go to settings/more/about device & select software update.
On the next screen just untick auto update.

 

[MYKEL61]

All I get if I select software update is a screen saying "searching for update". What am I missing?

 

[jejb]

Pass on the update then, is there a way to get the notification cleared so I dont accidently install the update, I like my phone the way it is and it works good, I would be very very upset if I gooberd it all up..

Long press the notification the next time it comes up, Select App Info, then uncheck Show Notifications.

 

[jejb]

I haven't been at all disappointed with my last two Samsung phones (S2 and S4) but I shan't be buying another.

The reason for this is a combination of weak software support (like everyone else I have found 3rd party ROMs perform better and have better functionality) and the Knox restrictions. Fortunately I rooted my S4 before the locked down ROMs appeared so I don't have to worry about that but I wasn't so lucky with my Note 10.1 2014 which is so far unrooted because of Knox. This has had a major negative effect on the way in which I use it.

I too moved from Apple to Samsung principally because I thought I'd have more freedom. So I did for a while but that is steadily being eroded and I am unlikely to buy another Samsung device.

I feel somewhat this way, too. I came from a bunch of HTC's to the S4 when it came out. I was very happy with it at first, as far as the updates and being able to trust that they worked well. But 4.3 with Knox shot that comfort level out of the sky. My rooted phone on 4.3 is running great, I have no complaints. But I doubt I'll be taking any more Samsung updates until they are mature, and I see lots of reports of positive experiences.

 

[allanlaw]

All I get if I select software update is a screen saying "searching for update". What am I missing?

That Verizon hasn't made KitKat available yet.

 

[greyhndz]

I'm curious how you accomplished the update... did you do OTA? Then did you do a FDR?

I wonder what the point of these restrictions are?

I sure hope that the entry level GS5 is nothing less than a 32Gb model.

It was a legitimate download from the server. Was waiting for the OTA, checked the phone for an update and downloaded it. I did do a FDR shortly after installing because something seemed a bit... odd. Of course, nothing changed, except that, as I reinstalled apps from the phone's restore, I began to see just what the problem was.

Several people on various forums feel that it's intended to redirect phone storage to the cloud rather than onboard. Yup, tons of storage on the phone -- but that's all it is, storage. I'm still trying to understand why 4.4. is being portrayed as a huge revelation for Android. I've not seen any mention of this problem in the media, with the exception of some blogs and on the Android forums.

 

[speedlever]

Thanks for your feedback on the KitKat update. I normally update right away, but think I'll sit on this one for a while.

 

[greyhndz]

Officially, Google says they discourage using sd card for vital program data because it is less predictable (read/write times, reliability, etc).

What angers me is that they went ahead with this without taking into consideration the reasons that this phone line has done well: having SD storage is essential for many of us, and I know that I made a deliberate choice to get the S4 because it does have this flexibility, plus the advantage of being able to move apps and data over to save internal storage space. Making a retroactive modification like this is, IMHO, the equivalent of someone deciding to root in order to have better control of their phone, the difference being that buyers void their warranties and google is able to tuck this tweak under the radar, overshadowed by the hype of KK. :secruity: