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Samsung Galaxy S4 update to fix memory and apps to SD card issue lands in UK

Last week Samsung started issuing out an update to the Samsung Galaxy S4 that would allow users to save apps to the SD card and free up some of the internal 16GB of memory that has been causing a load of issues.

Samsung’s Galaxy S4 has been subject to a lot of scrutiny from the British and European press when it was discovered that just over half of the Samsung Galaxy S4’s inbuilt 16GB of memory was used up for the phone’s software features. Additionally, this internal memory was eaten away by the fact users could not save new apps to an inserted memory card.

After the update’s release last week in Germany, reports are coming in that the update is now landing on UK versions of the smartphone. These reports have not been confirmed by Samsung though, so no official comment has been made.

When the update does land it may also be subject to network changes so it may be delayed further if you have a branded S4. Those with SIM-free phones will likely get the update first.

We will keep you posted when it becomes official.

***ORIGINAL ARTICLE***

Samsung has announced a new software update for the Galaxy S4 that will see some of the major issues that Samsung has recently been experiencing with its flagship handset fixed, including the internal storage fiasco which hit the headlines in recent months.

First up, the update will allow users to install apps to their microSD card, which was previously not possible and thus left users of the handset with only 8.5GB of useable space out of of the advertised 16GB internal memory, which of course soon fills up when you install apps.

The update will also increase this available space to 9.2GB, which along with the ability to install apps on a microSD card should help with limited storage issues a lot. A few other tweaks will also be introduced, such as the ability to record high dynamic range (HDR) video, new camera firmware, a toggle for the Smart Pause feature and interface tweaks such as a semi-transparent status bar and some new icons in Settings.

Samsung got a bit of a public beat down after it was revealed that around half of the advertised 16GB memory was usable, with the BBC’s Watchdog show exposing the problem on prime time TV.

A full list of the changes brought about by the update is as follows;

  • New Camera firmware
  • Smearing issue has been fixed (Purple effect while scrolling)
  • Smart Pause Toggle
  • Move Apps to SD Card
  • HDR Video (Can record HDR video)
  • Semi-transparent status bar
  • New Icons in Settings
  • Secure boot status (About Phone)
  • Increase legibility (Display) (New feature)

The update is 365.67 MB in size and will be downloadable via the Samsung Kies PC and Mac software or via the FOTA system (Firmware-Over-The-Air) setups when it’s released. It will be rolled out today in Germany with other countries following in the coming weeks.