One of Samsung's most popular Galaxy handsets, the Galaxy S3 which debuted in 2012, will not receive the Android 4.4 Kitat upgrade.

Recently, Samsung released the KitKat kernel source code for the Sprint variant of Galaxy S3 bearing model number SPH-L710; the update came with Linux 3.4 kernel.

Following this, Sprint started rolling out Android KitKat update with build number L710VPUCND8 for its Galaxy S3 variant having 2GB RAM. Although Samsung has not confirmed anything, Sprint's update roll-out was a hint that the company might release KitKat for the international version as well.

Recently, an internal Samsung document containing the list of Galaxy smartphones to get the much anticipated Android 4.4 software leaked online.

According to the list, a number of Galaxy devices such as Galaxy Note 2, Note 2 LTE, Galaxy S3 LTE, Galaxy S4 Mini, S4 Mini LTE, Galaxy Note 3 Neo, Galaxy Grand 2, Galaxy Mega 5.8 and Mega 6.3 will get Android 4.4. But the international version of Galaxy S3 is missing from the list.

Sammobile reached out to Samsung to get more clarification about the Android 4.4 update for Galaxy S3. Samsung confirmed that the Galaxy S3 and its mini variant with only 1GB RAM are not capable of running KitKat.

In order to facilitate an effective upgrade on the Google platform, various hardware performances such as the memory (RAM, ROM, etc.), multi-tasking capabilities, and display must meet certain technical expectations. The Galaxy S3 and S3 mini 3G versions come equipped with 1GB RAM, which does not allow them to effectively support the platform upgrade. As a result of the Galaxy S3 and S3 mini 3G versions' hardware limitation, they cannot effectively support the platform upgrade while continuing to provide the best consumer experience. Samsung has decided not to roll-out the KitKat upgrade to Galaxy S3 and S3 mini 3G versions, and the KitKat upgrade will be available to the Galaxy S3 LTE version as the device's 2GB RAM is enough to support the platform upgrade," explained Samsung Mobile UK

The Galaxy S3 was shipped with Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich and is currently running Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, which seems to be the last update as Samsung will not extend further software support for the device. As for the Galaxy S3 Mini, Samsung will end the support at Android version 4.2.

The smartphone will surpass that level less than a month after its launch, getting into consumers' hands at a faster sales rate than the Galaxy S3, says a top exec.

Samsung's Galaxy S4 is on pace to easily surpass its predecessor's sales record, Samsung Electronics co-CEO Shin Jong-kyun said Thursday in an interview.

Speaking to the Korea Times, the co-CEO said that Samsung's Galaxy S4 will sell through 10 million units next week, making it the fastest-selling smartphone in the company's history. Shin told the Korea Times that the Galaxy S3 took 50 days to pass the 10 million sales mark. The Galaxy S4 will hit that level less than a month since its launch.

The Galaxy S4 is the most feature-packed smartphone Samsung has launched yet. It comes with a 5-inch display, a 13-megapixel camera, and 4G LTE service, along with a host of innovative software features. This the top choice for anyone looking for a big-screen, do-everything smartphone.

We can finally put an end date on the long wait for the Samsung Galaxy S4. According to a trusted source, the much-hyped handset will first land at AT&T on April 26th, and we’re told that it will boast up to 2.5 times the performance of its predecessor, the Galaxy S3, at least in certain benchmarks.  AnTuTu was noted as the metric this performance was observed in.

The Galaxy S4 will also sport 4GB of RAM and rock a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor. Non-U.S. devices will have just 2GB of RAM, and we’ve heard previously that they will have either the aforementioned Snapdragon chip or a Samsung Exynos 5 Octa inside. 

This beauty to be available April 26th

AT&T will be the first to sell the phone in the U.S., which is a huge get for the carrier; these days, that’s almost as lucrative as when it had exclusive rights to Apple’s iPhone a few years ago.

In any case, the wait is nearly over; if you want to be one of the first to snag a Galaxy S4, be ready to queue up at your local AT&T location the night before the 26th. (Or, you know, preorder it on April 16th. But that wouldn't be nearly as fun.) 

The Samsung Galaxy S3 price is on a dramatic decline thanks to the impending Samsung Galaxy S4 release, offering yet another reason for shoppers to avoid buying a cheap Galaxy S3 on contract.

Samsung Galaxy S3 owners who are looking to upgrade to the new Galaxy S4 should also take note as the trade-in value has dropped nearly 25% in the last three months.

Gotta Be Mobile warned owners about the impending Galaxy S3 price drop for trade in values ahead of the launch, but the $68 price drop for the average trade in for a Samsung Galaxy S3 is here, and it’s only expected to continue the decline.

Gazelle shares the average trade in prices for the Galaxy S3 vs. the iPhone 5, iPhone 4S and many others over the last three months. The chart below shows the average trade in value change from January to the end of March.

The Samsung Galaxy S3 average trade in price dropped $68 since January.

By comparison, the average iPhone price drop was 7.25%, or about $15. It helps that the rumors of an iPhone 5S release still peg the date as months away.

The Samsung Galaxy S3 is still a nice phone, but the Galaxy S4 promises a larger screen, more sensors and fresher software which is pushing down the Galaxy S3 price at trade in locations.

The uptick in Samsung Galaxy S3 deals as we near the Galaxy S4 release date is another major factor. The selling price of a new Galaxy S4 dropped 50% on contract direct from a carrier and as much as 95% on Amazon wireless which offers the Sprint Galaxy S3 for $9.99 to new customers.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 is driving the trade in price for the Galaxy S3 down.

Verizon even got into the act with a Galaxy S3 price-drop, which is good news as we wait for any details about the Verizon Galaxy S4 release date. While it is a good idea to buy the Samsung Galaxy S4 over the galaxy S3, users who do want the Galaxy S3 would be better off buying a used one off contract at a significant discount.

All of this downward pressure on the Galaxy S3 price at retail and the impending Galaxy S4 release date will continue to drive the prices of trade ins down.

Gazelle is currently offering up to $226 for a Samsung Galaxy S3, which would pretty much pay for a Galaxy S4 on contract, or at least take the sting out of buying a Galaxy S4 off contract.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 will go on pre-sale for AT&T customers on April 16 for $250.

If you've been waiting eagerly to buy Samsung's Galaxy S4, you'll have to wait at least another month.

The new smartphone will be available for pre-order on April 16 for AT&T (T, Fortune 500) customers, but there's still no word when the phone will actually hit shelves.

A select handful of Galaxy series smartphones are rumored to see the Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie update.

It should come as no surprise that the Samsung Galaxy S4 is rumored to see Android 5.0.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 2 are on a short list of devices rumored to see an Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie update.

A "prelist" of updates apparently obtained by the mobile blog suggests that the soon-to-be-released Samsung Galaxy S4 will be joined by four other models to receive the forthcoming Android 5.0 OS, including various versions of the Samsung Galaxy S3, Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet, and the Galaxy Note 8.0 tablet. The Galaxy S4 and Galaxy