Earlier this week, we reported that Android 4.3 was beginning to get pushed out to Galaxy Note II users in India. Why India? Because Samsung likes to spin a globe as fast as they can and push out a software update wherever their finger lands. But seriously, these things are hard to predict, which is why I’m somewhat shocked to announce that the update has now hit users in China and Sprint customers in the USA. Odd, I know, but again, Samsung.
What exactly is in the update? Besides the brand new theme that makes the Note II’s UI look like that of a Galaxy S4, you can expect snappier performance thanks to the addition of TRIM support, some new camera modes, a new screen mode, an improved keyboard, and just a whole bunch of little things that make the device even better. Sadly, Air Command, one of my favorite features of the Note 3, didn’t get ported to the Note II.
When will your Note II get the update? I’ve seen enough Samsung software updates to know that most of you should get this update within the next two weeks. If you’re in the USA, it’s a different story altogether. If you’re on Verizon, you might not even get this update, so take that into consideration.
Oh and one more thing: The biggest selling point of Android 4.3, for Samsung at least, is that it adds support for the Galaxy Gear. Irrespective of what you think of that $299 smartphone accessory, you should know that it’ll be supported by the updated Note II.
