Re: Samsung GS3 Battery Drain after 4.3 update
PassionNP
Enthusiast - Level 3

PLEASE COPY/PASTE THIS LETTER TO YOUR SENATOR AND/OR STATE CONSUMER AFFAIRS BUREAU

Dear  NNN

Virtually all customers of Verizon, AT&T and other cell carriers are suffering problems with a software update to their Samsung Galaxy S3/S4/Note tablets. 

In particular, this issue started at the end of Dec 2013, when an Android software update 4.3 was being pushed to the phone.  Despite worldwide problems, particularly in UK and other places which complained of extreme battery drain, high data usage charges, Wi Fi problems, Screen Flashing etc, the carriers in the US decided to push the software out.

To me it is a clear cut case of software that has not yet passed user acceptance testing and was not ready for release.

There are perhaps millions of customers across the USA who are suffering.  The problem is for those on limited data plans, the software update causes batteries needed to be charged several times a day, data charges to increase because of the software that the operators are forcing us to use (bloatware and not software downloaded and turned on by consumers) and other changes.

Subscribers have pleaded with both Verizon and AT&T to allow them to downgrade to the previous version of Android as they did not have these problems.  However, both Verizon and AT&T do not allow this and actually indicate the devices may now be damaged if this continues.

Continuous battery drainages, damages the life of the battery and causes deterioration in the device's life itself.  Verizon support actually gives very useless support suggestions such as do a factory reset, then shut off most applications etc.  The fact is all of these applications and settings worked before the update.  Verizon, AT&T and other carriers refuse to accept the fact that this is a bad update issue and they refuse to allow their subscribers whose plans are now going to be charged more (with no changes authorized by them) any credits.  Furthermore Verizon/AT&T are not willing to sue Samsung and/or force Samsung to allow users to downgrade.

May I ask that you conduct independent research and realize in fact this is a worldwide problem and that AT&T/Verizon and US carriers knew about it.  Please ask US carriers to act in the interests of those who pay them, i.e. the consumers.  Ask them to allow either a few of the following suggestions:

a) Ideally, allow everyone to downgrade to the previous version of Windows. Who wants to downgrade without invalidating their warranties etc

b) Ask the US Carriers to allow a $50-75 credit to all users impacted until the issue is fixed by the US carriers or Samsung.

Please either contact the carriers or have the FCC approach Verizon and other carriers to resolve this issue.

I believe this a gross violation of consumer rights and it is poor service by people who provide the cell carriers with their revenues.  We love our phones/tablets, just not the service and the updates we are getting with our carriers.

Thank you

Re: Samsung GS3 Battery Drain after 4.3 update
aka-neo
Contributor - Level 1

Just an update for everyone. I received a replacement GS3 as that was the only option offered to me at no cost. As soon as I setup the phone 4.3 started to download and then wanted to install. I tried to postpone it but it kept popping up reminding me to install which was quite annoying. So given the fact this phone should work with 4.3 I went ahead and installed it. I left the phone stock as I wanted to give it a true test without any added apps. The next day after removing from the charger I was down to 88% after 40 minutes of non use. I have continued to experience extreme battery drain and now Bluetooth issues (won't sync with car) which I didn't have on my previous phone. I called Verizon AGAIN last night and was told there were no options outside of edge program or pre-owned which are both an out of pocket expense to me. Then the supervisor had the nerve to ask me to do troubleshooting on a phone that I just received and setup! Yes I've already turned off everything I don't use...yes I've shut off services....yes I've tried Airplane mode! Airplane mode??? Seriously??? What's the point of having all these features on a phone if you can't use them? This was NEVER an issue running 4.1.2. I wrote a 2 page letter last night and printed out articles pertaining to the 4.3 issues (from various web sites) and have them going out certified mail to Verizon Corporate Headquarters. Enough is enough. Samsung and Verizon are both at fault here. However, Verizon is who we pay. Verizon provides the device and the service. Time to take action and stop getting the brush off. Fact data reset is such a joke at this point. Such scripted responses both from this forum and reps when you call. We'll see what happens from here. I won't post the corporate address as (discussion of moderation removed) as they do with many containing useful information for other users in this boat. You can search for it and find it rather quickly.

Comment edited as required by the Terms of Service.

Message was edited by: Admin Moderator

Re: Samsung GS3 Battery Drain after 4.3 update
aka-neo
Contributor - Level 1

By design (flaw), the ROM turns everything back on. Nothing you can do about it unfortunately.

0 Likes
Re: Samsung GS3 Battery Drain after 4.3 update
go_cb68
Enthusiast - Level 2

thanks! going in today and getting a new phone! so sick of these companies releasing crap that doesn't work!

Re: Samsung GS3 Battery Drain after 4.3 update
blast7
Enthusiast - Level 1

I'm another S3 user having the battery drain issue. In addition the phone will automatically answer itself at random times... sometimes when I'm not even in the same room with the phone. Yes, all of the auto-answer features are turned off. I also have the slowness issue. This manifests itself most frequently when pressing the home button. By the time the phone responds it thinks I have done a long press and goes to the app close/task manager window. I also had bluetooth issues but unpairing everything from the S3 and from the devices it was paired to and re-pairing solved the problem.

The bottom line is, none of this was a problem before the 4.3 update. As soon as the update landed all of these problems started happening. This is not a hardware problem or anything having to do with a rogue app. This is a direct result of the 4.3 update. I really don't want to but I may be forced to root the phone so I can control what version of the OS is installed.

It's sad that neither Verizon nor Samsung are acknowledging the issue and at least giving us the option to rollback to 4.1.2   

Re: Samsung GS3 Battery Drain after 4.3 update
Dewey3k
Enthusiast - Level 3

Its not your phone that's the problem. It's the update, the ROM. Getting a

new phone with the same ROM is going to give you all the same problems.

Re: Samsung GS3 Battery Drain after 4.3 update
go_cb68
Enthusiast - Level 2

so we need to ask for a new phone that has the old software. correct? do they have those? so annoying? thanks!

Re: Samsung GS3 Battery Drain after 4.3 update
Dewey3k
Enthusiast - Level 3

You could do that. The problem is the system will want to push the new

software on to that phone right away. So you would have to deal with a

daily reminder telling you to update and then saying no to that if you're

ready for that then yeah go ahead

Re: Samsung GS3 Battery Drain after 4.3 update
aka-neo
Contributor - Level 1

The replacement GS3 will most likely arrive with 4.1.2 as mine did. However, the phone will automatically begin downloading 4.3 and you cannot stop it. You will then be prompted to install. All you can do is postpone the update but you constantly get reminded to install it. There are no ways to disable the update install reminder. The phone is supposed to work with 4.3 but does not. So I'm on my second phone with the same issues and an additional Bluetooth problem that I didn't have on my previous phone. Wonderful isn't it?

0 Likes
Re: Samsung GS3 Battery Drain after 4.3 update
go_cb68
Enthusiast - Level 2

thanks!