14 DAY TRIAL // According to reports, LG has started the official roll-out of the Android 4.4 KitKat update for the G Pad 8.3 tablet in South Korea.
LG wasn't one of the fastest companies to start updating its device portfolio to Android 4.4 KitKat and even Chinese device makers had an advantage over the tech giant in this department.
However, the tide is slowly shifting. As you might be well aware, the new build has started rolling out for the G2 internationally, including South Korea, Canada and in the US (for models coming from AT&T and T-Mobile).
The update has also been spotted in the wild for the OG Optimus G Pro and contortionist G Flex. More than that, we’re currently getting in reports saying the LG G Pad 8.3 tablet (and Vu3 phablet) has started receiving the Android 4.4. KitKat (via Naver).
Owners of the LG G Pad 8.3 might remember that earlier in March we told you LG Germany had confirmed via Facebook that the chocolate update would be pushed out somewhere in Q2. We weren't provided with a specific date, but it seems the new build will arrive to some users earlier.
Anyway, not so long ago we also told you international G Pad 8.3 tablet owners had the opportunity to update to Android 4.4 KitKat without having to wait for the official OTA update.
Some members of the xda-developer community have managed to dig out a yet-unreleased update for the vanilla G Pad. The build comes in the form of an LG-specific TOT file.
The update goes by build number v50018a and is supposed to update the device to Android 4.4.2. But despite the leak being made available, many users have found it hard to update their device via the leaked TOT file.
The matter necessitates some hacking abilities and involves the willingness to say good-bye to the device warranty.
But now users based in Korea can expect to receive a message asking them to upgrade to the newest build. The installation process will take up about half an hour of your time, but be sure your device is above 50% battery capacity and you have about 500 MB of free internal storage before you start the updating process.
After installation, users might probably notice some subtle UI design tweaks. Most importantly, the firmware adds performance optimizations and speed improvements. A few bug fixes for the LG-specific bloatware are also thrown in.
So far, the update has made it only in LG’s homeland, but considering the roll-out has already been initiated, international users can hope to get the update somewhere in the near future.