Samsung's promised 'Value Pack' update for the Samsung Galaxy S appears to be rolling out to Galaxy S devices in Korea, signalling that the much-desired software boost could be headed to the UK soon.
The rumoured 'Value Pack' looks to bring some of the features you'd find in Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich like face unlock, an image editor, and the ability to take photos while shooting video, GSMArena reports. It's not the full package, but it's a few extra goodies.
The history of the Galaxy S update is a long and tragic one, that highlights one of the big problems with Android.
Samsung began by omitting the Galaxy S from its list of smart phones that would be getting updated to Android 4.0, aka Ice Cream Sandwich. Galaxy S owners were understandably miffed about that, so Samsung changed its tune, saying it would investigate ways to deliver the newest version of Android to the Galaxy S2's predecessor.
Then word emerged of a 'Value Pack' upgrade, that would deliver some features from Ice Cream Sandwich, but not the full update. Samsung dashed those hopes too however at the beginning of the year, saying that there were no plans to do anything of the sort, and that the Galaxy S' hardware limitations meant that it -- and other older Samsung mobiles -- wouldn't be updated.
But now it looks like the Value Pack is happening after all. This post on a Samsung page suggests as much, though I'm reading through the mists of Google Translate. I've reached out to Samsung to try and find out what's happening, and I'll update this story accordingly -- fingers crossed some new features arrive on UK devices.
I believe that these update woes are doing serious harm to Android. Not only are customers left in the dark as to what they can expect in terms of new software, even once updates are released they're mired with delays -- just look at the frustration of S2 owners trying to get Ice Cream Sandwich.
What do you think? Let me know in the comments, or over on our Facebook wall.
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Ziegen 29 March, 2012 20:29
I own a Galaxy S and I am disappointed by Samsung, not by Android. I associate my very bad experience with the Galaxy S to its terrible hardware design and customer service.
anonymous 29 March, 2012 21:03
The Galaxy S was, and still is, a great phone. A bit lacking on the memory now, which is one of the major reasons why it won't get the full ICS update, but with Gingerbread 2.3.6, it's quick and reliable. Infact, excluding ICS, the original S is actually running a newer version of Android than the S2 (2.3.4), but even a 'value pack' upgrade will be better than nothing.
I agree the whole Android update thing is turning into a bit of a farce, and I think Google need to step in and try and smooth things out. One of the main problems is that some manufacturers have to skin the hell out of Android to differentiate themselves from the competition, which just slows the whole update process down. If it was 'just' pure ICS that was being put out, we'd all the get updates within a matter of weeks.
anonymous 30 March, 2012 10:03
I am going to get iphone next time, my galaxy s has been a disappointment
needs rebooting a lot and ram always seems v high, I dont have many apps either
battery is terrible some days when android os usage sometimes strangely rockets
iam a wp7 30 March, 2012 10:28
I loved this phone! I just had constant problems and issues with it though :(
I first bought the phone in July 2010 and was promised an update to Froyo 2.2 in 6 weeks (obviously the phone shipped with Eclair). After hearing this I thought end of September at the latest (as the phone was unlocked) i can wait til then.
At the time i was choosing between the SGS and the Desire which was closer to getting the 2.2 update. I went for the SGS because of the screen and processor and because the update wasn't a long wait away.
After i bought the phone i couldn't connect it to the god awful "kies". Kies was dreadful i was constantly on the phone to Samsung because if i couldn't connect it to Kies i couldn't update my phone when the update was released. I couldn't get my phone to connect and i tried everything :(.
It got to September and there was no update, same news in October and then November. I think i finally got the update in December!
when i heard about the update i had to try and connect my phone to 4 different computers before it connected to Kies, i got the update and it didn't change too much.
The phone got really slow when i installed more then about 15 apps. It was force closing apps that wernt open or in use (it forced closed so many apps it was amazing), it was laggy and took about 3-4 seconds to open the address book. i also had to constantly hard reset the phone.
I did root the phone obviously and installed lag fixes and cynogenMod but it was still slow.
It was a love hate relationship with the phone and i eventually switched to a Dell Venue pro. Windows phone 7 is hands down the best OS anyone looking at buying an iPhone to replace your SGS please look at WP. The apps are not great and there isn't to many but my phone has a 1ghz snap dragon processor and 512mb of ram (SGS also has a 1ghz processor and 512mb of ram) but i have NEVER experienced lag its brilliant.
Sorry if there are any spelling mistakes i typed this on my phone :)
anonymous 31 March, 2012 02:33
I've just downloaded the new 'Value Pack' for the Galaxy S through Kies Just rebooting now.
anonymous 31 March, 2012 14:35
Same as Anon 02:33. How ironic is it that although 'we' as merely GS owners are getting an update(ok so not the full fat ICS) before alot of SII owners? Oh and is this update rolling out across the board for the GS or is is just for unlocked versions(which i have btw)?
anonymous 10 April, 2012 17:14
So, is there any news on this? It seems that around the end of March a lot of people picked up on this, and then complete silence. I
anonymous 13 April, 2012 11:55
Samsung has been good in publicity, but it's not at all good in Quality and Support.
It's just giving too many models and maximum availability for sale.
But for Quality, Service and Updates why they should care when you have already paid.
anonymous 24 April, 2012 11:50
So, after almost one month since this article not one bit of news regarding a European release, so can we assume we won't be getting this update?
I've got to say, I'm sticking with Android but I will only be using Google handsets after this. The skins that other manufacturers are not worth missing out on OS upgrades for.
It wouldn't be a bad move in my opinion for Google to follow Apple's example and release their own handsets. They already do this, but most people are priced out of a Google handset thanks to only a flagship model being available. They should follow Apple's example of continuing to manufacture the previous generation phone and selling it for far cheaper, essentially making it a mid-level phone in the range. The Google Nexus is a great phone but is almost impossible to find now. Then, like Apple, updates should be released across the range at the same time, even if the lower end phones' version needs to be customised to suit the lower spec.
It could also be a good idea to do this with a Chrome Mobile OS to differentiate from the Android that third party manufacturers would continue to use, as well as to create a Chrome eco-system comprising of Chromebooks and Chrome tablets.
The ICS saga has really highlighted the problems with the Android method, mostly the fragmentation. Launching a range of Google brand phones and tablets running Chrome OS (well, again, it could be a good idea to scrap the Chromebook idea and launch a range of tablet/laptop hybrids) across the range could fix this for Google and avoid future negative publicity come updates time.
Google are so close to greatness in this market, but a lot of people have been very alienated and upset over the ICS situation. It's not really their fault, but ultimately it is their product and their customers that have been let down. If they want to avoid this in the future, it really would be a good idea for them to produce a range that cuts out the middle man. Leave Android for the third party manufacturers and give people a real choice.
anonymous 30 June, 2012 08:35
I bought a Samsung Galaxy S for my 3 kids and the experience with the stock ROM (of the cellular provider) was really bad (slow and buggy). Recently I updated their phones to the AOKP ICS version and a new phone was born. I am hearing the same reaction from other Galaxy S owners -- the new ROM is faster, more stable and more advanced is so many ways. Samsung makes enough profit to have taken this task upon themselves. Instead, the heroic open source community picked up the baton which Samsung dropped and gave this phone new life.