After making Galaxy S3 owners wait over a year for a firmware upgrade, somehow Samsung managed to completely botch up the Android 4.3 update. We've already reported on the problems with what we've been calling the Android 4.3 Lemon update for the Galaxy S3 and it looks like theS4 is not safe either, with many owners reporting the same problems. After weeks of complaints, Samsung has finally released an official statement on the fiasco.
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| Android 4.3 Jelly Bean on the S3 is no smiling matter. / © AndroidPIT |
While I'd normally be happy to report on a manufacturer accepting responsibility and providing customers with information relevant to their plight, this is typically Samsung: too little, too late. The statement says absolutely nothing, promises nothing and doesn't even apologize to the thousands of S3 owners stuck with unusable handsets. Here's what Samsung UK had to say about the biggest update balls-up in recent memory:
As we are currently investigating the reported issues with Galaxy S3 4.3 Jelly Bean update, the upgrading service has been temporarily suspended. We are committed to providing customers with the best possible mobile experience, and will ensure to resume the upgrading service at the earliest possibility.” – Samsung Mobile UK
At least in emailed responses from Samsung Customer Service there is evidence of regret:
I apologise that you have been experiencing issues with your Samsung Galaxy S III after the most recent update to JB 4.3, I understand this must be frustrating as updating should be an easy process.
The email then continues with the wording from the official statement and ends with a rather unlikely encouragement that the Customer Service team love feedback. Not on this effort you don't Samsung. If you loved feedback perhaps it wouldn't have taken two weeks to actually have something to say, let alone to actually do something about this mess. From screen freezes and black-outs, to Wi-Fi and music playback issues, to terrible battery drain, Bluetooth audio problems, poor RAM management and slow wake-up, the list goes on and on.
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| Samsung finally comes forward and says absolutely nothing useful. / © tablethype.de |
If you want to see just how upset many S3 owners are, head on over to Samsung UK's Facebook page – I've been watching it daily for over a week now and it's pretty much my new day time soap opera. I'm just waiting for the villain to get their come-uppance. I seriously hope the Samsung owners saying they will abandon the company after this ridiculous lack of support and acknowledgment actually follow through and make Samsung hurt enough to actually amend their wicked ways. Otherwise there's no reason for them to do anything differently.
Have you suffered from this 4.3 update? Share your experiences and thoughts on Samsung's response in the comments.
