Software Update Weekly Wrap – 26th September, 2012 | Vodafone Australia blog

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Brand Content Manager, Vodafone Australia

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Software Update Weekly Wrap – 26th September, 2012

Welcome to this week’s Weekly Wrap! This post will give you all the information we currently have on software updates working their way through our labs.

If you’re interested in learning how Android updates make their way from Google to your smartphone, why not have a read of the Android Software Journey?

When will Jelly Bean be available for my phone?

We’re excited at the release of the latest version of Android and would be delighted to see this update roll out to our customers.

In addition to the upgrade for the Nexus S, at this stage the only other confirmations we have received from local vendors regarding Jelly Bean are for the GALAXY Nexus and Samsung GALAXY S III.

We do not have any further information regarding local availability or eligibility of upgrades to any other existing devices.

As more confirmations are received from local manufacturers, they will be added to the Weekly Wraps so be sure to check back each Wednesday for the latest news.

What you need to know about our Weekly Wraps

We rely on our manufacturing partners to develop software updates prior to submission to us for testing and certification.

This Weekly Wrap contains any and all information on software updates that manufacturers are working on submitting to us for testing, or are already in our labs.

Although you may hear news about updates from around the web and overseas, please be aware that local delivery timelines can differ. This is due to local hardware variants and Australian regulatory requirements.

If the update you’re looking for isn’t included below, it means the manufacturer has not made any indication to us regarding their local plans for Australian release.

What’s in the labs?

Devices which are listed in bold type indicate a change from last week:

Manufacturer Model Current Future Status
Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1 4.0.4 TBA This update is now available, please see our blog post for further information.
GALAXY S III 4.0.4 Maintenance Release 2 Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Samsung preparing update for submission to Vodafone for testing.
GALAXY Nexus 4.0.4 Android 4.1
Jelly Bean
Submission to Vodafone for testing expected in early October.
Sony Xperia S 2.3.7 4.0.4 Approved by Vodafone, awaiting roll out by Sony; keep an eye on our blog for further information.
Huawei Ascend G300 2.3.6 2.3.6 Maintenance Release Approved by Vodafone, awaiting roll out by Huawei; keep an eye on our blog for further information.
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich Huawei preparing update for submission to Vodafone for testing.
Ascend Y100 2.3.6 2.3.6 Maintenance Release Approved by Vodafone, awaiting roll out by Huawei; keep an eye on our blog for further information.
Nokia N8
(3 and Vodafone Variants)
Nokia Belle Nokia Belle Refresh Nokia preparing update for submission to Vodafone for testing.
C7
(3 and Vodafone Variants)
Nokia Belle Nokia Belle Refresh Nokia preparing update for submission to Vodafone for testing.
E6 Nokia Belle Nokia Belle Refresh Nokia preparing update for submission to Vodafone for testing.
E7 Nokia Belle Nokia Belle Refresh Nokia preparing update for submission to Vodafone for testing.

Historical Information

This section details past updates for non-Android platforms. For information on past updates to Android devices, please see our Android Software Updates page.

BlackBerry OS

Manufacturer Model Current Future Status
RIM BlackBerry Bold 9900 OS 7.1 bundle 1149 TBA This update is now available; please see our blog post for further information.
BlackBerry Curve 9360 OS 7.1 bundle 1647 TBA This update is now available; please see our blog post for further information.
BlackBerry Storm 9500 v5.0.0.742 TBA This important update is now available; please see our blog post for further information.
BlackBerry Pearl 9100 OS 6.0 bundle 3050 TBA This update is now available; please see our blog post for further information.
BlackBerry 9300, 9700, 9780, 9800 OS 6.0 bundle 3049 TBA These updates are now available; please see our blog post for further information.

Windows Phone

Manufacturer Model Current Future Status
Nokia Lumia 800 Windows Phone 7.5 (MCR3) TBA This update is now available; please see our blog post for further information.
HTC 7 Trophy Windows Phone 7.5 (MCR2) Windows Phone 7.5 (MCR3) Roll out of this update has been cancelled. Please see our blog post for further information.

MeeGo

Manufacturer Model Current Future Status
Nokia N9 MeeGo PR1.3 TBA This update is now available; please see our blog post for further information.

Important note: Please read before commenting.

We’re all about creating a safe, comfortable online community where everybody is treated with respect as outlined in our Vodafone social media user terms.

While most comments have been inline with our user terms, we’ve noticed several nasty comments that our moderators have had to delete.

Please note that any comments breaching our user terms will be deleted and repeat offenders will be blocked, as this is an all ages blog.

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Recent Comments

112 Responses to “ Software Update Weekly Wrap – 26th September, 2012 ”

  1. MDark says:

    First!!!!!!!!!!
    Samsung is clearly playing dirty because I rang up customer service again and they said that they can not tell me Much on this matter but they just did 2 days ago… and they could not even let me talk to the head of mobile phone department. Kieran thanks for keeping us posted because other carriers don’t even weekly wraps. AND to those of u who dont kbow its not voda’s fault its samsung’s game

    Reply
    Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 3:00 pm
  2. Johnny says:

    This comment has been removed by a moderator for not following Vodafone’s Social Media User Terms. Please feel free to read over these guidelines and re-submit your comment with them in mind.

    Reply
    Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 3:26 pm
    • Randy says:

      Didn’t this comment talk about installing Jelly Bean yourself? I fail to see how that breached Vodafone’s Social Media User Terms.

      Reply
      Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 3:44 pm
      • Johnny says:

        You see randy any comments that actually prove or show vodafone at fault get removed.. they dont want people to know that people are doing there jobs

        Reply
        Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 3:46 pm
        • Kieran McIlwain says:

          Hi Johnny, we welcome comments on our posts but have strict guidelines in place that govern them.

          Specifically in relation to your post, the reason we test and certify software is to ensure that it remains compliant with regulatory requirements and does not impact on our network. Providing instructions on how to modify the software on a handset to run unapproved software may put our customers’ safety or the stability of our network at risk.

          It is for this reason that our moderators will remove any comments that provide instructions or links on how to do so.

          Reply
          Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 3:53 pm
          • Johnny says:

            I never gave info on how to install software. all i said was the excuse about the modem is bollocks because its the same regardless of the 850mhz network.

            ie current software is LH1 the LH1 modem is identical on all 4.0.4 SGS3

            anyhow people can google the info if they really want it.

            i use the UK LH1 which doesnt have any of the bugs vodafones LH1 has. i even get the full 7-8mbps download with out the special vodafone modem

            Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 4:25 pm
          • ibbydw says:

            Hi Kieran if the update needs tuning why didnt the 4.04 need it ? … you guys are just delaying this updating for the gs3 rubbish im really thinking of rooting …

            Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 2:17 pm
          • Kieran McIlwain says:

            Hi ibbydw, the 4.0.4 update did require tuning for our 850MHz support and many of the same discussions were had in the early months of this year. I’m pleased to confirm that we’re definitely not delaying the update in favour of the GALAXY S III update, as neither update has actually been delivered to us.

            Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 2:25 pm
      • Kieran McIlwain says:

        Hi Randy, discussions or instructions on how to modify a device to run unapproved software may unduly impact the operation of our network and associated systems. Any discussion of rooting, modification to or installation of custom ROMs or software designed for other handsets is not permitted on any of our Social Media.

        Reply
        Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 3:49 pm
        • tyn says:

          Hey kieran.. Just to add that question (Btw i rooted my GNex and installed JB as well, without any hiccups), when ios6 was launched, how come it was launched on same day everywhere,,, doesn apple have to modify their code to optimize for 800mHz network? I myselves dont think voda is at fault for JB upadte, but I really dont understand the optimization part.

          Reply
          Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 4:42 pm
          • Kieran McIlwain says:

            Hi tyn, following on from my previous post the best answer I can provide is that even if you don’t hear about testing taking place, it doesn’t mean it’s not underway. I’m afraid I can’t provide anything more specific than that.

            On the question around optimisation, the GALAXY Nexus we sold is a physically different hardware variant, and that hardware variant is tuned for our 850MHz. With only a few exceptions, there are no such hardware variants in iPhones. An iPhone is an iPhone, all the world over.

            Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 5:25 pm
        • Sam says:

          I could Not allowed to reply on your last comment … so i am doing that here…

          Kieran as you said
          there are no such hardware variants in iPhones. An iPhone is an iPhone, all the world over

          So the Fault is in Vodafone that your want that 850Mz network and you asked Samsung to change that hardware,,,, so thats why We are getting problums.

          Reply
          Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 7:40 pm
          • Kieran McIlwain says:

            Hi Sam, it’s ultimately the decision of the manufacturer how they choose to create their handsets but it’s true that we will preference handsets that are specifically tuned to provide better network performance on our 850MHz network, and therefore a better network experience for our customers.

            Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 7:31 am
  3. Michael says:

    This comment has been removed by a moderator for not following Vodafone’s Social Media User Terms. Please feel free to read over these guidelines and re-submit your comment with them in mind.

    Reply
    Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 3:30 pm
    • MDark says:

      How many comments are you going to block? I will just ask Samsung to hurry up before this is taken to the head of samsung

      Reply
      Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 3:53 pm
  4. Daelen says:

    Just curious why iOS updates aren’t listed in the post?

    Are they exempt from testing or do agreements prevent you from releasing that information?

    Reply
    Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 4:06 pm
    • Kieran McIlwain says:

      Hi Daelen, we test all updates to all products in our range (including smartphones from Apple). Commercial agreements in place between ourselves and our manufacturing partners sometimes dictate what I can and can’t say in these Weekly Wraps. The public discussion of iOS updates fall under one such agreement.

      Reply
      Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 4:09 pm
      • Daelen says:

        Thanks, I was always curious about that.

        Really appreciate the info in these posts.

        Reply
        Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 4:15 pm
      • Dashby says:

        If testing is so important to adhere to Australian standards, how can phones be sold unlocked without buying through a carrier and still work perfectly fine?

        Reply
        Wednesday, October 3, 2012 at 4:22 pm
        • Kieran McIlwain says:

          Hi Dashby, that’s a great question for the place of purchase or the manufacturer of the handset. I can’t make any declarations on behalf of other companies, sorry.

          Reply
          Wednesday, October 3, 2012 at 5:17 pm
  5. matt says:

    This is a joke are samsung to retarted it has started to roll out overseas as you can see here
    http://mashable.com/2012/09/24/samsung-galaxy-s3/

    Reply
    Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 4:26 pm
    • Kieran McIlwain says:

      Hi matt, as mentioned at the start of this post – “Although you may hear news about updates from around the web and overseas, please be aware that local delivery timelines can differ. This is due to local hardware variants and Australian regulatory requirements.

      If the update you’re looking for isn’t included below, it means the manufacturer has not made any indication to us regarding their local plans for Australian release

      As soon as Samsung deliver the update to us we’ll get testing underway as soon as possible but until then we’ll be waiting alongside you (and personally I can’t wait for Jelly Bean as I’m a GALAXY S III owner myself).

      Reply
      Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 5:22 pm
      • matt says:

        Yes i know all that but i just think samsung should give you jelly bean when they said they would for the s3 and what is happening to fix this USSD android security flaw how do i find out if im at ricks its been on facebook about it?

        Reply
        Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 8:10 pm
        • Kieran McIlwain says:

          Hi matt, we are aware of the issue and hope to have information to share with you as soon as possible. In the interim it’s a telling reminder of the importance of taking and keeping regular backups of your phone in case something happens to it.

          Reply
          Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 7:32 am
      • Fruss Trated says:

        Kieran,
        Galaxy SIII owner??? Weren’t you saying 2 weeks ago you owned an Xperia S???

        I was wondering why the weekly status for the XS still says approved awaiting Sony roll-out, because Sony made it available for VFA users last Weds, which I though you would be well aware of as you mentioned previously that you own one yourself???

        Please don’t tell me you own an iPhone 5 as well, and am sympathizing with your fellow Apple owners with their iOS6 issues also……

        Reply
        Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 7:17 am
        • Kieran McIlwain says:

          Hi Fruss Trated, the nature of my role means I need to maintain a number of devices for daily use. The Xperia S and GALAXY S III are two of the many phones I need to use, and thanks to Google Sync and the move to cloud-based storage each one is kept in sync with the others. Although I’ve done a handful of videos with the iPhone 5, I don’t own one myself.

          Regarding the status – Sony are yet to confirm that the update has been made broadly available to users, so those who have updated so far are part of an initial “load testing” of the update servers. My own Xperia S is yet to recognise an update being available. As soon as Sony confirm to me that the update is available for all users, I’ll announce the news on the blog.

          Reply
          Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 7:39 am
          • Fruss Trated says:

            Galaxy III and an Xperia S…..Sux to be you :-)
            Thanks for the clarification mate.
            Cheers

            Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 8:00 am
  6. jamie says:

    Yeah ios6 rolled out same day as release with no delay. What gives? :)

    Reply
    Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 4:56 pm
  7. Permanence says:

    a lot of rage here about the Galaxy Nexus lol. Been waiting an eternity for JB!! I like many others are trying to hold off rooting my handset but they don’t make it easy for us!

    The reason I choose the Galaxy Nexus was because the assumption was all software updates would be much more streamlined being a Google phone. What a joke that was! Don’t blame Vodafone, just blame the system! Hopefully Googles next flagship phone won’t be with Samsung who are clearly pushing their own agenda!

    Reply
    Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 5:31 pm
    • xtacee1990 says:

      It’s very likely that Google will release multiple Nexus devices soon. Finally many people me included can enjoy Google experience w/out having to buy a Samsung product.

      Reply
      Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 5:43 pm
      • Daelen says:

        I really hope Google make the new Nexus devices available through the Play Store like the Nexus 7 tablet.

        We really need to stop treating these devices as phones – they are powerful small computers that happen to have an app for making voice calls. Can you imagine if Dell, HP or Acer prevented Windows patches and security fixes from rolling out?

        Android 4.1 has a number of added security features and as more and more people use their devices for things like banking, getting timely fixes for vulnerabilities will become a very real issue.

        Unfortunately many people don’t take these things seriously until something bad happens to them.

        Reply
        Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 6:21 pm
        • xtacee1990 says:

          About time. Took them till 4.1 to eliminate lags.

          Reply
          Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 2:26 pm
  8. Lachlan says:

    Hi,

    What does Vodafone intend to do with the USSD android security flaw?

    http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/437505/how_check_your_android_phone_vulnerable_ussd_security_flaw/?fp=4

    My Xperia Ray is vulnerable. I don’t think it is acceptable to have to wait 6 months to fix something this fundamentally flawed? If Vodafone aren’t prepared to do anything then we should be entitled to full refunds on our phones less than a year old.

    Reply
    Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 5:53 pm
    • Daelen says:

      Hopefully exploits like this will act as a catalyst for Google and the Manufacturers to get their updates in order.

      The fact that this appears not to affect the latest version of Android which is only on around 1.2% of devices is a sad indictment on the Android ecosystem as a whole.

      Reply
      Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 7:21 pm
    • xtacee1990 says:

      I find it quite amusing that when bad news about Android pop up, everyone suddenly becomes very quiet. But when Apple does something, everyone goes mental and trashes them to no end. Quality products just have no place in this world anymore. Just fill a plasticky phone with killer specs, forget about customer support and quality control, and many consumers will keep crawling back to you.

      Reply
      Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 8:26 pm
      • MDark says:

        I thought u were an Xperia s owner… and apple is the worst brand. They copy of Sony and then Samsung copies of them. And then poor Sony says nothing and the xs is a quality phone… hw and sw wise but just needs a few minor.bug fixes and battery life. And btw it doesn’t feel as cheap as s3. And after all apple was inspired by Sony and I still think Sony products are better quality than apple especially vaio and Walkman series. And they are also.cheaper. and apple is to be blamed for this tight competition in smart phones. What was wrong with good old nokias huh?

        Reply
        Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 10:56 pm
        • xtacee1990 says:

          Oh please. I only got the Xperia S by accident. If I could have chosen anything I would never have chosen anything Sony. Their stuff has outdated hardware/ components but always comes w updated price. The Xperia S, though a very good phone in some aspects, still cannot be said to be as good as the iPhone4s. It doesnt feel as cheap as the SGS2, but the build quality is abysmal. Visible seams everywhere all over the back. Capacitive buttons are unresponsive. The camera is horrible if not in really good sunlight (ironic heh since SOny makes the camera for Apple). Just because you hate some of the things Apple does doesnt make them a bad brand. IMO none of the current Android manufacturers can match their quality control, customer service, software update and build quality. Sony products are better quality? Sure….
          FYI Apple didnt copy Sony. The docs Samsung showed in court was just to make you believe so.
          And what do you mean by this tight competition? Apple only won in the US, so it doenst affect competition in anyway. Stop reading too much out of minor news.

          Reply
          Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 9:47 am
          • xtacee1990 says:

            This comment has been removed by a moderator for not following Vodafone’s Social Media User Terms. Please feel free to read over these guidelines and re-submit your comment with them in mind.

            Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 2:15 pm
        • xtacee1990 says:

          And if good one Nokias can allow me to browse the internet, go on facebook/twitter/google+, play temple run, make notes, check my emails, take and edit photos,etc. I may consider them.

          Reply
          Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 9:48 am
          • MDark says:

            Go for the lumia 920 and don’t complain just because u are a traitor to android. Android promises more functions than apple. And it is much more versatile. And look at the processor of 4s now tell me what’s outdated. And the gs3 may be cheap plastic but it I is better specs wise and quality wise
            Hyper glazed coating so scratches don’t show. In the iPhone 5 the aluminium is already chipping. And guess what apple is doing nothing about it. Ok happy? Apple still sux

            Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 11:08 am
          • MDark says:

            And who plays temple run anymore? Play dead trigger. Ur phone is good enough… And apple personally said that they were inspired by sony with the design

            Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 11:12 am
          • Daelen says:

            Honestly, I have been giving some serious thought to getting the Lumia 820 or possibly the 8X or ATIV S. If Microsoft can leverage the similar underlying APIs between WinRT and WinPRT to entice developers to the platform – even better.

            Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 11:40 am
          • MDark says:

            Yeah its a great phone. In fact I was going to buy lumia 800 but than I figured out that it was not getting wp8 so I didn’t bother and decided to go for galaxy nexus and now I am stuck on ics. Stupid samsung

            Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 12:44 pm
    • Kieran McIlwain says:

      Hi Lachlan, we are aware of the issue and hope to have information to share with you as soon as possible. Rest assured we’re working with all of our Android manufacturing to get a better understanding of the issue. It’s also a timely reminder of the importance of taking regular backups of your phone so you are prepared should the unthinkable happen.

      Reply
      Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 7:30 am
  9. xtacee1990 says:

    Any news about the latest firmware update for the Sony Xperia S? I mean the latest version of ICS.

    Reply
    Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 8:27 pm
    • Kieran McIlwain says:

      Hi xtacee1990, as outlined in the post above – “If the update you’re looking for isn’t included below, it means the manufacturer has not made any indication to us regarding their local plans for Australian release.”

      Reply
      Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 7:33 am
      • xtacee1990 says:

        Thanks for replying.

        Reply
        Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 11:21 am
  10. Abo says:

    Having so much problems after Sony Xperia S ICS update. The camera initally didn’t work at all (had to factory rest) and now the phone seemed “slower” than before.

    I thought it was fully tested by vodafone. Guess I was wrong.

    Reply
    Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 6:28 am
    • xtacee1990 says:

      just found out this morning that there’s a bug in the alarm. I had to turn the phone off then on again to turn the alarm off. Brilliant.

      Reply
      Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 9:49 am
  11. Johnny says:

    Kieran

    Why do you keep stating this?

    “On the question around optimisation, the GALAXY Nexus we sold is a physically different hardware variant, and that hardware variant is tuned for our 850MHz”

    the only difference is the T variant has baseband in line filter (ie like your home ADSL modem filter) the hardware is the same not different. and all this filter does is make your phone use 850mhz instead of 900/2100mhz. in terms of SOFTWARE i9300 or i9300T both use LH1 one which works.

    As mentioned i use the UK LH1 which is a i9300 and my phone works flawlessly and full 7-8mbs download full H+ reception.

    So stop trying to convince people that the Australian T variant phones are special and they need completely re engineered software. cause it doesn’t.

    Reply
    Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 9:23 am
    • Kieran McIlwain says:

      Hi Johnny, unfortunately the plural of anecdote is not data. I accept that in your daily use you may not see any perceived degradation in your experience, however the testing we perform is scientific in nature and we have set standards for RF performance that need to be adhered to.

      Simply put, regardless of the reasons for the delay, the fact remains that we are yet to receive a build of Jelly Bean from Samsung that is suitable for use in Australia on the GT-i9250T. We are providing constant feedback to Samsung regarding our dissatisfaction and the dissatisfaction of our customers over the delay. I invite you to do the same by contacting them directly: http://www.samsung.com/au/info/contactus.html

      Reply
      Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 9:40 am
      • Johnny says:

        You have me highly amused :)

        Vodafone is a global company. but in Australia Vodafone has no pull?

        Vodafone Europe released JB to all regions on the 17/18th

        Cyprus (Cytamobile Vodafone) 18 Sep 2012 4.1.1
        United Kingdom (Vodafone) 17 Sep 2012 4.1.1
        Greece (Vodafone) 17 Sep 2012 4.1.1
        Ireland (Vodafone) 17 Sep 2012 4.1.1
        Germany (Vodafone) 17 Sep 2012 4.1.1
        Portugal (Vodafone) 17 Sep 2012 4.1.1
        Italy (Vodafone) 17 Sep 2012 4.1.1
        Romania (Vodafone) 17 Sep 2012 4.1.1
        Spain (Vodafone) 17 Sep 2012 4.1.1

        Reply
        Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 10:13 am
        • Kieran McIlwain says:

          Hi Johnny, all the markets you’ve listed there operate their 3G networks on either 900MHz or 2100MHz and sold the GT-i9250. The regulatory requirements in Australia also differ from overseas markets. To reiterate – we are yet to receive a build of Jelly Bean from Samsung that is suitable for use in Australia on the GT-i9250T.

          Reply
          Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 10:26 am
          • Johnny says:

            I understand that Kieran.

            But as i mentioned prior the phone is a QUAD BAND phone regardless of the market the modem still has 850mhz data in it and it will work Globally.. there is nothing special about the T variant only the inline filter which makes the phone park onto 850mhz instead of 900/1200

            Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 10:30 am
          • Kieran McIlwain says:

            Hi Johnny, the software for the GT-i9250T is different to the software for the GT-i9250. The local regulatory requirements in Australia also vary for those overseas – a key example is the Jelly Bean build for the Nexus S. The update released in Australia had a slightly different build number to the update rolled out overseas.

            At the risk of sounding repetitious, Samsung have not yet to submitted to us a build of Jelly Bean that is suitable for use in Australia on the GT-i9250T. Until they submit the software to us there is nothing that we can do short of making your voices heard with Samsung which is something that has been ongoing.

            Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 10:37 am
          • NormM says:

            As Johnny has stated, the ‘T’ variation the Samsung phones just has a filter to favour the 850Mhz network. Exactlt the same in every other respect. Perhaps you need an updated ‘script’ Kieran as the reasons you’ve given are just excuses….

            The reason for different build numbers is because Vodafone sit on the updates for so long ‘testing’ (read as adding Vodafone bloatware and startup/shutdown screens….

            Friday, September 28, 2012 at 3:59 pm
          • Kieran McIlwain says:

            Hi NormM, you’re correct that the GALAXY Nexus we sell is tuned to prefer 850MHz 3G networks. If this tuning is not done, the handset (or a software update) will not meet our minimum requirements for RF performance. Put simply, until Samsung deliver an update to us for testing, I’m afraid I won’t be deviating from my standard response of: We don’t have the update yet, and we can’t test something we don’t have.

            You’re correct that we have specific build numbers to take into account our carrier customisation, these are listed by Samsung as the “CSC” version. You can see an example in the “technical details” section here for the recent GALAXY S III update (Note the “VAU” in the build number for Vodafone Australia).

            You can also see on the most recent GALAXY Nexus update that there is no CSC build number for the GALAXY Nexus. This is because carrier customisation is not permitted on the GALAXY Nexus.

            Just to be absolutely clear – to date, Samsung has not submitted a software build suitable for the GT-i9250T to any carrier either here in Australia or anywhere overseas. We will continue to make your voices heard to Samsung but ultimately I need to revert to my standard response: We don’t have the update yet, and we can’t test something we don’t have.

            Tuesday, October 2, 2012 at 9:38 am
      • tyn says:

        you know Kieran… you should add the samsuung contact info somewhere near the update table so that ppl can vent out their frustration directly :P

        Reply
        Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 10:18 am
        • Johnny says:

          We are just little fish in a pond clearly.

          Just wait for Telstra to get JB 4.1.1 then add +2 months onto it then vodafone will have it if you follow the trends then history shows vodafone is always 2 months behind software updates when its came to all Galaxy series phones there is mostly others also.

          Telstra also use this unique T variant Kieran keeps mentioning in the GNex and SG3 posts yet Telstra always bring out the updates 2months prior. They must have more pull or a better R&D team

          Reply
          Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 10:27 am
          • xtacee1990 says:

            This is pretty much the case of you get what you pay for. Dont be fooled by the unlimited offers.

            Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 10:33 am
          • Kieran McIlwain says:

            Hi Johnny, the two examples you’ve provided there are incorrect. To date, no Australian carrier has released the Jelly Bean update for the GALAXY Nexus. Vodafone were also the first carrier in Australia to roll out the most recent maintenance release for the GALAXY S III which included the brightness slider in the notifications shade.

            Carriers do not have R&D teams who create software updates – only the testing and certification of them. All software updates are developed by the respective manufacturer (in this case, Samsung). Even the most efficient testing team would have quite a hard time testing something that they don’t have.

            Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 10:33 am
        • MDark says:

          Exactly what I asked for last week And the contact numbers can be found on Samsung website. But i already rang them but they are stupid. They tell us what we already know or even less than that

          Reply
          Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 11:23 am
      • xtacee1990 says:

        So basically just about every manufacturer has failed to give Vodafone the latest software. The updates for Sony XPeria S, Samsung Galaxy Nexus and HTC One X all came later than the rest of the world. In the case of the Xperia S other Australian users have been able to update since JUNE but Vodafone users could only update last week. What gives?

        Reply
        Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 10:29 am
        • Kieran McIlwain says:

          Hi xtacee1990, I’m sorry that there were delays to the release of the ICS update to your Xperia S and I’ve been very upfront with you regarding the delays, I’d invite you to read back over the replies I’ve made to your posts in the past.

          Historically we have been among the first to release updates to devices in Australia. Recent examples include both the Sense 4.1 update for the HTC One X and the recent maintenance release for the GALAXY S III which included the brightness slider in the notifications shade.

          Mobile phones and their software need to adhere to local regulatory requirements and these differ from country to country and region to region. For this reason, software updates need to be customised for the country of release and this is something that can take time. As I’ve mentioned to Johnny, mobile carriers do not write or develop software updates, only test them. If we don’t physically have an update, it’s physically impossible to test it.

          Reply
          Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 10:39 am
          • xtacee1990 says:

            Thanks for replying. Yes I read all of them. To be fair Vodafone was really the first one to release updates for the HOX. But for the Xperia S it took ages. The difference in timing between the Optus Sense 4.1 update and Vodafone Sense 4.1 update is only 1 or 2 week, but the difference in timing between the Optus ICS update for XS and Vodafone ICS update for XS is MONTHS. I mean I appreciate that you guys send out this update at all, but it’s the buggy and outdated version. It’s almost October 2012. Jelly Bean has come out in July. If we havent got the latest ICS update god knows when will we have JB? Yes I know Slowny hasnt announced official JB update. But with their and your own track record, I really dont have any confidence that I will receive JB on this phone anytime near quarter 1 2013. On another note, the reason why I was happy with the Xperia S was because I could make phone calls and use 3g in my own house (revolutionary heh). But now with the latest update my 3g has been substantially slowed down. There are other bugs as well and the most noticeable one is the wake lock issue which leads to worse battery performance. You advised me to roll back to Gingerbread last time if I wasnt happy with ICS. Are you serious? So I should be either using the later software and put up with the issues, or using the outdated software and be content? Well I refuse to do either of them. And just FYI I swapped my replacement SGS2 for this phone (my cousin’s) because my mom’s own SGS2 has ZERO bar of signal ALL THE TIME. Im pretty sure if I gave it back to my cousin both my mom and I have a pretty strong case for the TIO. And you dont need to refer me to the technical team. I can recite for you everything they can tell a customer because I have plenty of exposure to them. The main point of this whole post is to vent out my frustration regarding the update for the Xperia S.

            Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 11:38 am
          • Kieran McIlwain says:

            Hi xtacee1990, you’re right to be frustrated and the delays were significant for this particular update. Developing updated handset software is a complicated process and both Sony and Motorola have provided detailed explanations on why delays can occur. I’ve also provided some additional info from Vodafone’s point of view.

            For your phone, we’ve got a couple of options available. We can take you through some troubleshooting in the Vodafone Community to see if we can resolve some of the individual issues for you. If troubleshooting doesn’t resolve them, a factory reset often clears up a number of problems people see with their phone (not unlike reformatting a computer). As you’re aware, the option is also available to roll back to Gingerbread and the issues will disappear. Finally the issues you’re facing may not even be software related. An underlying hardware fault may be present which has only become apparent since installing the ICS update. It may be worth your while to book your phone in at a store to be sent for assessment and repair if required.

            These are the options we have at the moment, and it’s true that some of the issues you’ve reported may be fixed with a future update. I’ve already reached out to Sony for information on the later firmware and should they deliver that update to us we will test it as a matter of priority as we do with all updates. Any news I have on any future updates to any handsets will be shared in the Weekly Wraps.

            Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 12:18 pm
          • Johnny says:

            Hi Kieran

            quoting

            “Vodafone were also the first carrier in Australia to roll out the most recent maintenance release for the GALAXY S III which included the brightness slider in the notifications shade.”

            This software is also full of many bugs. the whole point is the vodafone community is sick and tired of waiting the longest for there Android updates and still yet receiving bugs in the software this was the case with ICS 4.0.3 and the SGS2. Its not acceptable to make us wait so long only to receive bug filled software and then in order to receive a fix for the said bug you’re waiting months longer.

            The manufactures need to pick up there game when it comes to software and Android phones. I purchased my phones through vodafone. Hence we voice our concerns to you in hope Vodafone being such a large company pressures the manufactures for acceptable turn around times for updates that are bug free

            I would understand if we got the updates ultra quick and they had minor bugs but waiting months on end and receiving a bug looks extremely bad

            Apples way of doing it is extremely better. so much im contemplating in getting a iphone 5 if i do that ill be leaving vodafone as you guys dont support 4G so i wouldnt be getting the most out of the device…

            Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 11:48 am
          • Kieran McIlwain says:

            Hi Johnny, if you have information on specific bugs you’re facing in the LH1 update I’d love to hear about it. There have been several faults we’ve raised to various manufacturers based on feedback from our online communities and seen fixes implemented in the next release, so your input is definitely valued.

            We can’t fix the bugs ourselves (as I’ve mentioned before, we don’t develop software for phones) but we can make sure that the information is verified and passed through to the manufacturer of your phone. Would you be able to make a post in the Vodafone Community so we can track them more efficiently?

            Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 12:23 pm
        • MDark says:

          Hey xtacee I think u can get any phone if ur Xperia had been in servicing for more than 3 times. That’s how i got rid of a faulty blackberry.

          Reply
          Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 12:53 pm
          • xtacee1990 says:

            Honestly I just wanna get out of this contract and go to a different carrier. Im aiming for the Motorola Razr HD on Telstra coming out early next month.

            Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 2:23 pm
          • MDark says:

            How long have u got for ur contract

            Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 5:23 pm
  12. Adam says:

    Just some observations of the comments here and my two cents.

    Everyone seems to be complaining about Vodafone, but it seems Samsung is the one at fault here for a slow update process. Also, Vodafone is not a global company, it is a global brand so it makes little difference what Vodafone UK does.

    Also, thanks Kieran for keeping us up to date. I am annoyed that my GN still isn’t on JB but there is no point shooting the messenger.

    Reply
    Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 12:27 pm
    • tyn says:

      Hi Adam everyone understands that Voda is not at fault for JB but being the end user we tend to speak to the retailer who sold us rather than the manufacturer. There is quite a difference in Voda complaining to Sammie then me or you complaining to Samsung. The only way ahead seems to be that Google launch their mobiles on play store or the newly acquired Motorola mobility…

      Reply
      Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 1:34 pm
    • tyn says:

      Hi Adam everyone understands that Voda is not at fault for JB but being the end user we tend to speak to the retailer who sold us rather than the manufacturer. There is quite a difference in Voda complaining to Sammie then me or you complaining to Samsung. The only way ahead seems to be that Google launch their mobiles on play store or the newly acquired Motorola mobility…

      Reply
      Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 1:34 pm
  13. Angry iPhone 5 Guy says:

    I really hope iOS6 gets an update soon. I know it has nothing to do with Vodafone. #Just Saying.. :(

    Reply
    Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 1:30 pm
    • ccsvchost says:

      if you’re complaining about maps, it could take up to a few years to fix that problem. meanwhile you should switch to android or windows phone

      Reply
      Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 8:55 pm
      • xtacee1990 says:

        Yeah switch to Android. And use your phone with regrets.

        Reply
        Friday, September 28, 2012 at 7:53 pm
  14. Darren says:

    ICS on my Xperia S works very well. Yet to notice any bugs. 3G and WiFi work just as well as before and battery life appears to be the same (but I don’t use any battery hungry apps and close whatever apps I’m not using as soon as I’m done).

    Thanks for the update Vodafone and Sony, even if it was much delayed. Hopefully it wont be toooo long before we get Jelly Bean, lol.

    Reply
    Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 1:32 pm
  15. RSA says:

    I think the delay in AU is due to the time taken to flill the ROM up with all the voda custom apps/toosl/videos/sponsors and adds, boot logos, and train staff to use it, print out brochors, make a new TV ad.

    Also if a manager has defined in his Project Management software that the JBUPDATE will take 4 weeks, it will take 4 weeks, to justify their ‘work schedule’. That means that voda knows WHEN it will release, they are not that unco and care free, that they have no timelines or work projections to their managers. Everything is planned at corporate and nothing is, “we’ll release it when its ready”.

    So… time to find friends of friends who have inside workers to leak the timelines. Or just find out where the IT people have lunch beer and befriend them to get the info.

    Reply
    Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 1:54 pm
    • Kieran McIlwain says:

      Hi RSA, our carrier customisation is among the lightest in the industry – with only two apps, a shortcut and a handful of wallpapers or boot-up animations. This is all handled during the initial set-up of a device and is rarely touched during the update process.

      I agree that a good project manager should be able to give an estimate of the time needed – and I can tell you that each phase of testing that is undertaken is around 10 business days. However, that’s only for the parts we control. The initial time taken to develop an update or to address any bugs found during testing is the responsibility of the manufacturer and we have limited visibility and no control over that.

      You can read more about the entire Android Software Journey here.

      Reply
      Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 2:31 pm
  16. Anthony says:

    Must say I am disappointed at Google/Samsung for having such a slow release of Jellybean of my Galaxy Nexus.

    I bought the Nexus thinking I would get updates soon after Google announced them, but it seems this is not the case, unless I want to void my warranty and side-load buggy software.

    Waiting patiently for the 4.1 release.

    Kieran, how much input do you guys have on Samsung/Google software release schedule? Do you guys pressure them and let them know that your customers aren’t happy with their slow updates?

    Reply
    Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 3:02 pm
    • Kieran McIlwain says:

      Hi Anthony, first let me say that I appreciate your patience. We have regular meetings with all of our suppliers and I regularly provide feedback to them on how our customers are feeling about their products. The best example I can give is the video we recorded in response to a customer contacting us over the delays to software for their Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1v. If you’ve got a few minutes I’d recommend taking the time to watch it.

      Reply
      Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 3:07 pm
      • Anthony says:

        Hi Kieran,

        Thanks for the reply. Must admit, I watched that video and am pretty impressed Voda are taking an active approach with communicating with its customers regarding updates. Couldn’t imagine Telstra/Oputs/Virgin doing that!

        I was just kind of venting with my original post. Nothing against you or Voda or Google/Samsung. It’s just that we watch Google reveal the 4.1 update, all these cool new features and you immediately think “I want that”, and having a Galaxy Nexus, I assumed I’d be getting it relatively quickly. Just a bit disappointed with the time it’s taken to get in my hands. Especially disappointed when the 2010 Nexus S model gets the update and the 2011 Galaxy Nexus is still waiting.

        Thanks for the reply

        Reply
        Friday, September 28, 2012 at 9:24 am
        • Kieran McIlwain says:

          Hi Anthony, thanks for getting back to me. I completely agree that it can be annoying seeing the new shiny shown off for the world to see and then having to begin the often agonising wait for a local release. Everybody’s entitled to a vent some times, and we actively encourage people to leave their feedback! We just ask that people are polite when doing so, and you’ve done very well in respecting that.

          To quickly touch on why the Nexus S received the update first – it ties into the hardware variant issue I’ve been discussing in earlier replies. The Nexus S we sold was the “global variant” as at the time we had not begun construction of our 850MHz network. As a result, we didn’t require our handsets to support that frequency. While there was a slight delay as the software was customised for the Australian market, it was released within a few weeks of the global update.

          As I mentioned in the video, there’s nothing we love more than seeing software updates roll out so I’m eagerly awaiting delivery of the update so we can get it tested, approved, and rolled out.

          Reply
          Friday, September 28, 2012 at 9:45 am
        • Daelen says:

          Nexus S users had to wait every bit as long for the Gingerbread to Ice Cream Sandwich update. I guess this one made up for that :)

          Reply
          Friday, September 28, 2012 at 9:47 am
  17. Ashish says:

    Hi Kieran

    Two days ago , some developers found the way to hack the galaxy s 3 and some other bunch of samsungs hot selling phone via USSD code or something like that ..

    It was in media well covered .
    Now I read a news this morning saying Samsung has released the updated and fixed the problem ..

    It didn’t take long infact the fastest update ever coming from Samsung .. My galaxy nexus is made by Samsung and that’s why it pissing me and other off that why is it taking so Long to release an update which is already prepared by google ..

    Now can you please tell us .. Is galaxy s 3 only phone for priority?

    Jelly bean update for galaxy nexus is taking way long and I can see you can only tell which we already know .. For change you have given contact details of Samsung an pulling Vodafone of the track and saying we are not at fault but I give money to Vodafone so it’s you responsibility to update the handsets you sold on timely manner ..

    Thanks
    Ashiah

    Reply
    Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 6:02 pm
    • Kieran McIlwain says:

      Hi Ashish, regarding the recent media reports, we have performed testing and identified that the most recent software update for the GALAXY S III that we released late last month included a fix for this issue. Regarding other handsets, we are aware of the issue and hope to have information to share with you as soon as possible.

      Regarding your other questions, I am not the appropriate person to answer them. If you have a query about your Vodafone service or a question specifically related to your device, I’m here to help. However if you have a query about Samsung’s software update strategy or internal policies and procedures, you will need to ask Samsung – not Vodafone.

      You can find their contact details on their website here: http://www.samsung.com/au/info/contactus.html

      Reply
      Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 6:10 pm
  18. Reyals says:

    So my post got deleted and I was actually trying to be helpful and stop the anti-vodafone rage by providing something informative.

    Don’t worry I will never try that again.

    Reply
    Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 6:39 pm
    • xtacee1990 says:

      Let me guess, in your post you say something bad about Android? Seems like the moderator is another Android fan boy. My post got deleted because I was criticizing Android and giving Apple some credits in some areas, while another post calling me a “traitor” of Android (lol) still stayed there. What a joke.

      Reply
      Friday, September 28, 2012 at 8:15 pm
  19. BenDover says:

    So why does the unbranded official Polish jellybean run fine on Australian Vodafone sgs3?

    Reply
    Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 8:48 pm
    • Kieran McIlwain says:

      Hi Ben, “run fine” and “meets our requirements” are two substantially different things. We’re looking forward to receiving a build of Jelly Bean for the GALAXY S III from Samsung soon and will test is as a matter of priority.

      Reply
      Friday, September 28, 2012 at 9:23 am
  20. Neil says:

    Hi kieran, I applaud your patience, I myself would have told all these self entitled idiots where to go.

    Seriously all these ‘experts’ who seem to think they know more about vodafone than vodafone need to chill out. Life doesn’t stop because your phone won’t update. Fyi on pretty sure telstras nexus devices haven’t even got 4.0.4 yet, or if they do its only recently.

    Get out of your parents house and join the real world. And point your finger at Samsung .

    Reply
    Friday, September 28, 2012 at 10:02 am
    • xtacee1990 says:

      And you should stop playing arm chair critics and calling people’s names. Where’s the moderator?

      Reply
      Friday, September 28, 2012 at 12:13 pm
    • Daelen says:

      Neil,

      When customers pay top dollar for a device where the #1 selling point is fast updates directly from Google they have every right to be angry. I know that I chose a Nexus specifically so I would not have to put up with the nonsense of skins and slow updates that I experienced with my previous non-Nexus phone.

      Here is the leading paragraph from the features page of the Galaxy Nexus:

      “Galaxy Nexus is the latest smartphone from Google. With the best Google mobile services and fastest updates directly from Google, and soon with Android 4.1, Jelly Bean”

      http://www.google.com/nexus/#/galaxy/features

      Reply
      Friday, September 28, 2012 at 2:28 pm
      • Adam says:

        That’s the US website… look at the Australian Nexus site.
        http://www.google.com.au/nexus/#/galaxy

        Not that I am defending Samsung or Google…. I want my JB too!

        Reply
        Friday, September 28, 2012 at 4:06 pm
        • Daelen says:

          Yeah, the Australian one has the exact same wording. I didn’t want to double post.

          http://www.google.com.au/nexus/#/galaxy/features

          Reply
          Friday, September 28, 2012 at 4:50 pm
          • Kieran McIlwain says:

            Hi Daelen, if you have an issue with the wording listed on a website not controlled by Vodafone you will need to raise it directly with the party responsible for that website.

            Tuesday, October 2, 2012 at 9:40 am
  21. Rousseau says:

    Hi Kieran,
    I understand from what point you explain as I’ve been in similar chair myself. Specially when it’s written communication, you need to be careful. However just wanted to point out that Vodafone Australia WON the least customer satisfaction ratings. (News published today). All the excuses (valid or not) you are calmly putting here(which I would say a prime example of customer service under pressure, though debatable) ignoring the VodaBashing, adds up to the negative ratings. Maybe someone from top management needs to stop making incorrect KPI and actually do something about making customers more happy. I hope this comment gets published as I with many others here is one of those customers who aren’t happy.
    Cheers,
    Rousseau

    Reply
    Friday, September 28, 2012 at 12:37 pm
  22. Neil says:

    I understand people have paid top dollar, and I myself am anxiously waiting for 4.1. And ill be the first to say that it could have been made clearer that buying a network locked phone as opposed to directly Google will lengthen the update process, but at the end of the day Kieran has had to explain the same thing over and over and over. Repeatedly moaning the same thing in every blog gets no-one anywhere.

    Reply
    Friday, September 28, 2012 at 2:43 pm
  23. Jason says:

    Just got my xperia s update!
    about time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    what took so long?

    Reply
    Friday, September 28, 2012 at 6:46 pm
  24. Raffy says:

    Why is it the screen shot for Experia S doesn’t work? I tried pressing the power button then pressing the down button but nothing is happening. I tried the other way around buy pressing the up button but it just turn the volume up.

    Reply
    Saturday, September 29, 2012 at 5:15 pm
  25. Shree says:

    Hey I downloaded the xperia S update via sony companion last week … the firmware is 6.1.a.1.58…..the latest 1 from sony is 6.1.a.2.45 ..when the update appears on the update centre officially is it going to be the 6.1.a.1.58 or the 6.1.a.2.45?

    Reply
    Saturday, September 29, 2012 at 7:53 pm
    • xtacee1990 says:

      This has been debated many times. Basically (this is what Vodafone said) Sony gave Vodafone an outdated software.

      Reply
      Sunday, September 30, 2012 at 5:37 pm
  26. Jason says:

    Can anyone, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE for the love of god reply….

    Galaxy S2 4.0.3 update….
    Which one of the below screenshots does your dial pad screen look like???

    http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/k590/ironass01/7Dialpad.png
    or this:
    http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/k590/ironass01/DialdadSGSII.png

    Kieran, you’re the Vodafone Rep. Can you please advise? I really dont want to update if it looks like this:
    http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/k590/ironass01/7Dialpad.png

    PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASE can anyone of the thousands of vodafone customers give me some advice here :)

    Jay

    Reply
    Sunday, September 30, 2012 at 11:56 am
    • Kieran McIlwain says:

      Hi Jason, I’ve just taken a screenshot of the dialpad for you.

      Reply
      Tuesday, October 2, 2012 at 9:47 am
      • Jason says:

        Hi Kieran,

        THANKS SO MUCH!!!! :D

        Do you have a link please?

        Reply
        Sunday, October 14, 2012 at 8:36 am
        • Kieran McIlwain says:

          Hi Jason, try this one.

          Reply
          Monday, October 15, 2012 at 9:26 am
  27. dadu says:

    Hi Kieran. Do you have any news about the JB update for HTC One X? Thanks

    Reply
    Monday, October 1, 2012 at 1:24 am
    • Kieran McIlwain says:

      Hi Dadu, as outlined in the beginning of this post: “If the update you’re looking for isn’t included below, it means the manufacturer has not made any indication to us regarding their local plans for Australian release.”

      Reply
      Tuesday, October 2, 2012 at 9:47 am
  28. Nanairo says:

    Hi, Kieran. Would you mind telling me whether SGSII is gonna be updated to Jelly Bean in the future? Thank you~

    Reply
    Tuesday, October 2, 2012 at 5:24 pm
    • Kieran McIlwain says:

      Hi Nanairo, as outlined at the beginning of this post: “…at this stage the only other confirmations we have received from local vendors regarding Jelly Bean are for the GALAXY Nexus and Samsung GALAXY S III. We do not have any further information regarding local availability or eligibility of upgrades to any other existing devices.”

      Reply
      Tuesday, October 2, 2012 at 5:29 pm
      • Nanairo says:

        Thank you Kieran.

        Reply
        Wednesday, October 10, 2012 at 5:44 pm