Galaxy S4 Android 4.4 KitKat firmware leaks, with white status icons and other UI tweaks

A test Android 4.4.2 KitKat firmware for the international version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 (GT-I9505, Snapdragon 600) has been published by the folks from Sam Mobile and is now available for download.

The firmware is a test build for the open European version of the Galaxy S4 and is reportedly “pretty stable” with just a few “minor hiccups here and there”. Sam Mobile has reportedly obtained this build from an insider, and it has been testing it for about five days now.

What does Android 4.4 KitKat bring to the Galaxy S4?

First, there are tweaks to the user interface, including the move from the Gingerbread-style “nuclear green” of the status bar icons (particularly the battery indicator) to the KitKat-style Google approved white icons. However, the toggles in the notification dropdown still sport the old green and look to have remained unchanged, and it’s likely that they will remain the same in the final build.

Another visible tweak is the camera icon added on the lower right corner of the lock screen that lets you access the shooter faster.

According to Sam Mobile, performance is slightly better on the Android 4.4 KitKat Galaxy S4, which is visible both in usage and in benchmarks. The Samsung keyboard received a revamp and is now much easier to use in landscape mode, reports the site.

Here are the tech details:

• Model: GT-I9505
• Country: Open Europe
• Version: Android 4.4.2
• Changelist: 276328
• Build date: Thu, 2 Jan 2014 23:30:51 +0000
• Product Code: OXA
• PDA: I9505XXUFNA1
• CSC: I9505OXAFNA1
• MODEM: I9505XXUFNA1

We’re downloading the build and we will flash it for ourselves, to look for any other changes. You will need to create an account for the file sharing site in order to download the build.

As for when the final KitKat update for the Galaxy S4 will roll out, it’s expected in February-March by Sam Mobile, though it’s not clear what the source of this estimate is. Samsung typically times rollouts to arrive soon after the release of flagships, in this case the Galaxy S5. The latest official information from Samsung is that the device will be released by March-April.