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Android Lollipop won't be coming to Samsung Galaxy S4 mini units due to memory limitations

posted by Chris P. / Apr 24, 2015, 9:01 AM

Android Lollipop won't be coming to Samsung Galaxy S4 mini units due to memory limitations

If you happen to be one of the relatively few Samsung Galaxy S4 mini owners, we have some bad news: Android 5.0 Lollipop is unlikely to reach your device, now or ever.

Why? Well, according to a tweet sent out by UK carrier Three, TouchWiz based on Lollipop is just too memory hungry, and that makes it impossible for the Galaxy S4 mini's unimpressive hardware to ensure smooth performance. Unfortunately, it seems that the source here isn't just a random PR employee at the network provider – according to the aforementioned tweet, Samsung itself has confirmed that the S4 mini will be getting no love in this regard.

@barbs_paul Sorry for the delay in replying Paul. There's no plans for Lollipop for the S4 mini due to memory limitation. >DD
— ThreeUKSupport (@ThreeUKSupport) April 24, 2015

Given how the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini is a mid-2013 model, all of this is honestly unsurprising. Besides, so long as you have Android 4.4 KitKat loaded, you should be more than content enough. If not, then it's probably time for you to upgrade to something a bit more current.

Samsung Galaxy S4 mini

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source: Twitter

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Display 4.3" 540 x 960 pixels

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39 Comments

1. lbblock

Posts: 34; Member since: Apr 20, 2015

I've been looking at the S4 mini as a music-player-slash-sub-phone because it's one of the lightest android phones around, and this is great news because I plan to avoid lollipop for at least all of 2015. It has no benefit to me and I'm sick of google's endless one-sided interface changes. If I get something newer, say the galaxy A3, I'd still root immediately and disable all software updates anyway.

posted on Apr 24, 2015, 9:10 AM 0

13. elitewolverine

Posts: 5192; Member since: Oct 28, 2013

might as well just get a 40 dollar sd card phone if its a sub phone with music.

posted on Apr 24, 2015, 10:19 AM 4

26. neela_akaash

Posts: 1239; Member since: Aug 05, 2014

That's the difference between a MINI and a COMPACT phone.

posted on Apr 24, 2015, 3:49 PM 2

32. elitewolverine

Posts: 5192; Member since: Oct 28, 2013

4-4.5in is now compact? Is 5in the new mini? Considering the s4 mini is a 4.2in display a 40 buck 4in phone that can handle 128gb would by my phone of choice for a music player sub phone but that is just me

posted on Apr 25, 2015, 7:02 AM 0

36. lbblock

Posts: 34; Member since: Apr 20, 2015

Well, you clearly don't account for my tastes and preferences. :P

posted on Apr 25, 2015, 8:53 PM 0

2. GeorgeDao123

Posts: 432; Member since: Aug 20, 2013

So there will be no L for S5 Mini, either. S5 Mini also sports 1.5GB of RAM only.

posted on Apr 24, 2015, 9:12 AM 4

3. UglyFrank

Posts: 2194; Member since: Jan 23, 2014

How can they explain that one? That would mean the S5 mini with similar hardware bar the higher res screen would either receive preferential treatment or the S5 mini receives no updates at all.

posted on Apr 24, 2015, 9:15 AM 4

4. Scott93274

Posts: 6040; Member since: Aug 06, 2013

lol, I think my brother actually has this phone. It's his very first smart phone and he got it about a month or two ago. I laughed when I first saw it, but he loves the compact size and doesn't really use it for much as of right now.

posted on Apr 24, 2015, 9:24 AM 0

5. SuperAndroidEvo

Posts: 4888; Member since: Apr 15, 2011

Dude My brother as well got this phone. He got it last year, it's his first ever smartphone. He came from a flip phone so he likes small. He loves it.

posted on Apr 24, 2015, 9:27 AM 0

8. Scott93274

Posts: 6040; Member since: Aug 06, 2013

Brothers are freakin strange yo.

posted on Apr 24, 2015, 9:46 AM 3

9. NopeNein

Posts: 147; Member since: Feb 04, 2015

Oh, go get a room you two. Don't get mad at me please :D

posted on Apr 24, 2015, 9:57 AM 2

11. Scott93274

Posts: 6040; Member since: Aug 06, 2013

Wait.... what? Do you have the Galaxy S4 Mini or something? If so, then how could we not be mad at you!!!!

posted on Apr 24, 2015, 10:05 AM 0

15. jove39

Posts: 2147; Member since: Oct 18, 2011

Next time suggest him to get something like z3c from sony...compact and very powerful with likely better support than samsung.

posted on Apr 24, 2015, 10:26 AM 5

16. Scott93274

Posts: 6040; Member since: Aug 06, 2013

Will do. I don't really follow phones with the features he's looking for so I feel ill equipped to make good recommendations.

posted on Apr 24, 2015, 10:42 AM 1

33. buccob

Posts: 2975; Member since: Jun 19, 2012

The Z1c is still relevant today and recently received android L

posted on Apr 25, 2015, 8:41 AM 0

6. Settings

Posts: 2943; Member since: Jul 02, 2014

8 S4 mini users are sad.

posted on Apr 24, 2015, 9:31 AM 4

39. Scottl878

Posts: 6; Member since: Jan 29, 2015

Even HTC one mini 2 users are sad too

posted on May 02, 2015, 2:30 PM 0

7. donrox

Posts: 203; Member since: Jul 18, 2014

well there is no memory limitation on my Xperia T2 Ultra :)

posted on Apr 24, 2015, 9:32 AM 5

10. bursahandphonesamsung

Posts: 16; Member since: Jan 13, 2015

so sad for s4 mini user... bursahandphonesamsung.blogspot.com

posted on Apr 24, 2015, 10:01 AM 0

12. wargreymon

Posts: 764; Member since: Nov 05, 2013

But there are lots of 0.5GB ram phones with lollipop....

posted on Apr 24, 2015, 10:16 AM 1

14. wildfiregt

Posts: 179; Member since: Jun 10, 2013

the phone is 2 year old, they used this as pretext for not updating it. The s5 mini has 1.5GB or ram aswell and will be updated ,see ?

posted on Apr 24, 2015, 10:24 AM 4

19. sunjay140

Posts: 118; Member since: Mar 19, 2015

TouchWiz is too bloated for the phone.

posted on Apr 24, 2015, 1:01 PM 1

25. wildfiregt

Posts: 179; Member since: Jun 10, 2013

Can you say why or what does it make "bloated" ? Be sure it is not that because many other touchwiz phones with same ammount of RAM works fine. This is just a myth, you can check phone's running application to see how much ram is free

posted on Apr 24, 2015, 3:14 PM 0

34. buccob

Posts: 2975; Member since: Jun 19, 2012

Touchwiz update to Lollipop takes over 1GB of space... While Sony 's update takes a little over 600MB. In all fairness, TW includes many more features... But I still find Xperia to be simpler, and practical

posted on Apr 25, 2015, 8:44 AM 3

17. Planterz

Posts: 2120; Member since: Apr 30, 2012

This is one of beefs with Samsung (although plenty of other OEMs are guilty as well). They make great flagships, and they even make great mid and low end devices. But never expect an update between major Android versions unless it's a flagship, and not forever on those. Samsung wouldn't update the S3 to LP, claiming some similar BS. Truth is they want you to buy flagships, and they want you to buy one at least every 2 years. If you want Lollipop, you've gotta ditch your S3 for an S5 or S6. Or ditch your year-old low/mid range phone for a new one that ships with LP. I prefer stock(ish) Android anyway, which is why I'm only interested in devices like Nexuses or ones that follow that level of openness, like the OnePlus or Saygus.

posted on Apr 24, 2015, 12:08 PM 0

18. raptor102888

Posts: 18; Member since: Sep 19, 2014

Meanwhile my S4 Mini is running Lollipop in the form of CM12 flawlessly. Better than it ever ran Jellybean or Kitkat.

posted on Apr 24, 2015, 12:33 PM 1

20. PorkyBurger

Posts: 585; Member since: May 18, 2013

I bet it's not memory limitation's fault. Why the heck Galaxy A3 suddenly got Lollipop then? It has 1 / 1.5GB of RAM, but suddenly it is capable of newer version of Android and TouchWiz. Either it is the dated chipset's fault or Samsung is probably just going lazy. I'd bet on number two.

posted on Apr 24, 2015, 1:21 PM 1

21. hurrycanger

Posts: 1765; Member since: Dec 01, 2013

Good bet.

posted on Apr 24, 2015, 2:05 PM 0

22. Predator1701

Posts: 130; Member since: Oct 28, 2014

Totall BS, motorola moto g 2013 got lollipop, and as far as i know android is getting "lighter" then before. OOhhh well we can blame TW again. And by the way my Nexus 4 just got official 5.1! I love my phone, i bought it in early 2013 and never looked back.