Update Galaxy S3 LTE I9305 to Android 4.1.2 XXBMG3 Official Firmware

An upgrade is all your Galaxy S3 LTE I9305 will ever need to flourish where performance is concerned. Watch us as we tell you how to bring Android 4.1.2 on your smartphone via XXBMG3.

Only owners of the Galaxy S3 I9305 living in France (SFR), Sweden and Norway (Telenor) will get a chance at updating their phone to the new firmware. The latter came out this past August. Out of these countries, only people in France will be able to upgrade their device via Samsung’s KIES if they want to instead of using this tutorial; the reason for that: the KIES logo is activated.

If that’s what you wish to use, then be careful: to apply this method, your phone must run a stock ROM. For the other countries you can choose between our guide or OTA via the Software Update button under Settings menu (for this, your handset must also run a stock ROM).

The novelties

An update to a new OS will not only bring new features and enhance your device’s performance. It will also, if the Galaxy S3 LTE I9305 is rooted, have these unwanted effects: delete the system partition and revoke root access. The data you have on your handset will not be affected. The internal and external SD cards will also be spared.

Here are the brand new features prepared especially for your handset: group cast, sync and connect email updates, triple buffering all share, pop up play, a fixed frame of 60 fps, extended Vsync timing, automatic adjustment for the size of widgets, Google Now, touch anticipation, mini apps, free style widget and a new keyboard.

Requirements

Pre-requisites come up next:

• charge the battery of your phone if the battery status shows it’s empty;
• make sure your notebook comes with Windows;
• create a regular backup and a full NANDroid one;
• be sure to have USB Debugging turned on;
• turn off the security programs features on the handset and the laptop;
• download USB drivers compatible with the smartphone from this page on the notebook.

Step by step instructions

1. Don’t turn off your notebook. It needs to stay turned on because you need to download these packages on it: the Android 4.1.2 XXBMG3 official firmware (the France SFR version , the Sweden version from and the Norway Telenor from ) and then Odin (the file is available here). Save them, then extract them with WinRar or WinZip.
2. This step must be followed by one which tells you to send your phone in Download Mode by using this way: press and hold Volume Down, Home and Power simultaneously and then making sure to press only Volume Up as soon as an icon representing Android and then a screen of warning pop up.
3. Now launch the Odin, on the laptop, as Administrator.
4. For this next step, you will need to use the handset’s USB cable. The latter is going to establish a connection between the handset and the laptop; the Odin will then begin to look for the Galaxy S3 LTE GT-I9305. When it finds the phone, you will be greeted by “Added!!” and a yellow ID:COM box.
5. If you aren’t, we suggest the following: use another USB port or flash the USB drivers on the notebook once again.
6. Take these instructions into consideration for the following step: click on PDA, after which you need to choose a file with CODE in the name, tap Phone next, opt for a file with MODEM in the name, then tap CSC, select a file sporting CSC in the name, click on PIT and choose a file with .pit extension in the name.
7. As soon as you’re finished with those instructions, time to check F. Reset Time, Auto Reboot and Re-partition, then kick start the flashing of the XXBMG3 on the phone.
8. Here’s how: tap “Start” and that’s all! Now the installation will begin, so you should just wait for it to be over. As soon as that happens, the Galaxy S3 I9305 will restart and, after that, the touchscreen will show you “Pass”.
9. [sc name=”banner-jos”]Which means that you need to take the USB port out because the handset and the laptop need not be connected anymore. If you’re done, reach the new firmware by clicking on Settings and then tapping this option: About Phone.

If you’ve explored this firmware for a while and you don’t like it, access the NANDroid backup file. It will make sure the old ROM of your smartphone is restored by revoking the update procedure. Then, if you have questions, the comment field below is at your service!