How to get Android Lollipop on a Samsung Galaxy S4, while everyone else waits…

Anyone that’s up to date with the developments of Android will know that the latest flavour out there is Lollipop 5.0.1. Unfortunately for most of us, knowing this also means that we know how slow the process of modifying and distributing of the OS is done by manufacturers.

For once Sammy (Samsung) has been timely with its release of the OS on the older flagship models such as the Galaxy S4 (S4 i-9500 version). The update is available to the Russian and Indian market at the moment but should be available to the rest of the world soon.

For those unwilling to wait, there is a way to get that sweet Lollipop on a Samsung Galaxy S4 (S4 I9500). At the moment, the OTA version of the OS is what’s at hand and the manual update via Samsung Kies is not yet available. We have laid out the steps to get Lollipop on a Samsung Galaxy S4 below.

NB Be sure to back up your contacts, messages and call logs before you begin!

1. Hop on over to SAMMOBILE to download both the ROM and the Odin tool that is used to flash the phone with the OS. Make sure to specify for your version of the Galaxy S4, which is the i9500
   
2. Next extract the zip files that you would have downloaded, and place the ROM extract in the ODIN folder.
   
3. If you do not have drivers for your phone on the computer, you will need to get those, if you have KIES installed, the Samsung drivers will be available.
4. After installing the drivers make sure that your phone is charged to at least 70%, then restart the phone in download mode. To get the phone into download mode, you will need to hold the Vol Down+Home+Power buttons.
5. Once you have the phone in download mode, start-up ODIN v3_3.09 and connect the cable and you should see the COM button go blue.
6. Click the PDA option and select the ROM file that you extracted. Also make sure not to tick anything else. Leave the default options only selected.
7. Do not select anything else, then click the start, and let ODIN do its thing. After the time you click start do not switch off or disconnect the phone as you might “brick it”. Just wait for ODIN to do it’s thing.
8. Then wait for the phone to restart.

One other thing to note, changing your ROM from say one of the South African ones to the European ones sometimes has the effect of changing your regional restrictions in the Samsung apps store.