Last Updated on September 1, 2024 by Mathew Diekhake

This recently launched Samsung mobile has just released an official firmware update. Now you are capable of running Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean if you have one of these devices. If you want to install the update manually, here is how to do it properly.

Be on the lookout for the radical multi-window feature that will let you open up two different apps at once. They will share the screen so that it splits in two different halves, and you can look at both at the same time and have different things running. Obviously not fantastic for gaming because at the end of the day you only have two hands to use anyhow. But there are various things this is good for, and I’ll explain. If you are somebody that uses stats to go along with the sport, you like to watch then this is great for you. I know my NBA basketball will offer some great moments to watch.

There’s one word that is best to describe this build: smooth. It is quick and flawless with its delivery. You should notice this as soon as you start using it all the way until the end. No part inside the phone should not have a noticeable difference found in it. Whether its application browser or flicking through your notifications, the speed will be unreal.

Don’t forget that you can’t just look at what other devices have to offer on a particular number such as 4.2.2 because they will vary from handsets. In this case because you are using the flagship and the latest one that you should have just about everything that you can think of, so it isn’t a problem this time around. If there is something you have heard about, or somebody else has already on theirs, then you are about to enjoy it too.

As it stands today, millions of people have upgraded to this. That’s how popular this device is. There ‘re some cool things that are rather pointless, but just good to look at like the lock screen graphics that are now different. You can see dropping water, and there’s also a secret jelly bean game which you can play by tapping on the firmware build found inside of the about phone section. Access it by going into the settings. Speaking of the settings, they have stayed relatively the same. The S3 is made to look more like the S4 so for that reason they have kept it looking similar for now.

If people are reading this late in 2013 then you might also be interested to know that there is now a 4.3 update readily available to you instead of this one. As time goes on, these builds become better, and that’s why people prefer the newer ones. Having said that, you will never know what this is like unless you give it a try. Even if it’s just for a few weeks before you decide to go up to the 4.3 then that would be something I would do. It’s a good idea to get familiar with updating so that you can do it easily in the future. It will allow you to try everything out without it being such a big deal. Don’t forget we are now waiting for the KitKat on top of that.

 Checklist

  • The Galaxy S4 GT-I9500 will be plugged into the Windows-based computer when you are using ODIN. There is no reason to have a lot of battery charge left before starting for this reason. You should finish the guide with more battery power than when you started.
  • If you are only trying to update manually because you don’t think it has arrived OTA for you yet, then head over to Settings > About Phone > Software Update and double check before you start. Sometimes it can be there, and you didn’t realize. If it is there, simply confirm the automatic installation instead!
  • Make sure you enable USB Debugging Mode from the Develop Options menu before starting the guide otherwise it won’t connect to the computer.
  • Make sure you have up to date Samsung USB Drivers also, so there are no issues with connecting successfully.
  • Temporarily disable any security programs on the Galaxy and the computer until we finish the guide. It includes a firewall, antivirus, antimalware and anything else that may be running.
  • The tutorial here is only for the I9500 model of the S4 and is not usable for any other device. If you fail to comply it will brick or soft brick the handset.
  • We recommend performing a full backup of the OS before starting. Backup the market applications using helium available from the Google Play Store. You can also sync the contacts on the phone using the app, or you can sync with the Google account. If you have spare internal memory to use then use the built-in memory to backup if you prefer. There’s also external SD card options that double for extra space and a handy backup place if you need it.

Beware: If you have customized your device in any way, such as rooting or installing a custom recovery like ClockworkMod, you will lose it once you update. This can all be put back, however, on the new XWLSS firmware. If you want to root the device on the new firmware then following this guide on the Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-9500 Root Guide.

Update Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-I9500 To Android 4.2.2 UBAUMDG Jelly Bean Official Firmware

1. Download Android 4.2.2 I9500UBUAMDG for Galaxy S4 GT-I9500.

2. Do the same thing with the ODIN 3.07 and extract the contents from the folder and place into another new folder which you should create and name, so you know what it is.

4. Power down the device by holding down the power button for a few seconds.

5. Load the phone in download mode.

– press and hole the Volume Down + Power + Home button at the same time until the Android logo appears.

6. Run ODIN, which we already downloaded and make sure you are using it as an administrator. Now connect the device to the computer with a USB cable. How do I know if my device was recognized? Look for added message appearing inside ODIN. Also, the ID box is turning yellow inside ODIN.

7. Now from the zip file you downloaded you will need to put the files from inside it into the right places in ODIN that I will now show.

Put the tar.md5 file on the right side of Odin, where it says PDA.

8. Once you are happy that everything looks the way mentioned above Press start.

9. Remember to always right-click the USB symbol in the Windows taskbar and click on the green arrow that says ‘safely remove hardware’ when you hover the cursor over it. Now right-click > select the gray area >USB Mass Storage Device > stop button > select the flash drive in the ‘stop a hardware device’ section and click OK. It will now say ‘safe to remove hardware’ in a bubble that’s popped up on the taskbar.