Google Releases 4.3 OTA for HTC One and Galaxy S4 Google Play Editions
by Brian Klug on August 2, 2013 8:28 PM EST
It's been a busy week in the Android space, and this evening Google appears to have hit the button on the Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean MR2) update for the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Play edition phones. I just got the 4.3 OTA notification on both of my Google-suppled GPe phones. The update is around 150 MB for the SGS4 and 180 MB for the HTC One, and comes as build JWR66V. This comes immediately after both HTC and Samsung released their Android 4.3 kernel sources online. Seems as though Google made good on its promise for speedy updates to the Google Play edition phones, as this comes about a week after the official Nexus program 4.3 OTA started. I'll be digging around inside to see if anything major sticks out beyond what's expected from 4.3.
Left: HTC One, Right: SGS4
For more on what's new in Android 4.3, check out my previous post or the official Android platform highlights post for 4.3.
Left: HTC One 4.3, Right: HTC One 4.2
Update: Major changes seem to be increased icon sizes on the widget panels as shown above on both HTC One and SGS4, and working IR on the HTC One, thanks @nkj. Bluetooth tethering has also been added to the SGS4 GPe, meaning I can finally use that device with Google Glass and my Parrot Asteroid Smart head unit, which both require Bluetooth internet tethering to work. The solid black background on the SGS4 GPe in settings and other places has also been replaced with the stock Android 4.x gradient.
Left: Bluetooth Tethering added on SGS4 GPe 4.3, Right: Gradient behind elements instead of solid black
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Crono - Friday, August 2, 2013 - link
Excellent, looking forward to MoDaCo ROM based on 4.3 GPe so I can dual boot Sense and 4.3 Android.Crono - Friday, August 2, 2013 - link
MoDaCo.SWITCH, I mean.I'm glad the IR blaster is working now, that has made reluctant to get GPe. It's a feature you won't appreciate unless you have a bunch of remotes and realize that universal remotes - even the Harmony series from Logitech - have major annoyances like having to turn switch them from a known state (usually "off").
James5mith - Saturday, August 3, 2013 - link
A caveat: That's only true if your devices only support power toggle, and not discrete Power On/Power Off commands. That being said, I understand your point.checkwebsitetraffic - Thursday, February 6, 2020 - link
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pixelstuff - Friday, August 2, 2013 - link
Any bets on how long it will take to get the 4.3 update on the Verizon Galaxy Nexus this time around?madmilk - Friday, August 2, 2013 - link
I'll place my bets on "never".Brian Klug - Friday, August 2, 2013 - link
This.-Brian
joser116 - Friday, August 2, 2013 - link
I wonder if the update merely adds an extra 150 MB or totally replaces 4.2.Brian Klug - Friday, August 2, 2013 - link
It's usually a diff, and if modem was flashed (which sometimes isn't a diff) that accounts for a lot of the size.-Brian
Krysto - Saturday, August 3, 2013 - link
Awesome. Now waiting to see what's the difference between a Moto X and a Moto X GPE in terms of how fast they receive the updates, considering Moto X should get updates OTA directly from Motorola, too.