Bell Mobility is rolling out the GDR2 update to their Samsung ATIV S Windows Phone. A leaked internal document from the Canadian wireless provider notes the update will improve battery life, add Data Sense, improve the camera and photo viewer, as well as improvements to the Maps application, SMS and Bluetooth performance.
If you are a Bell Mobility customer sporting the ATIV S, you should see the update notification by August 5th. Not sure if you can use the "check for updates" feature in the Settings and see it sooner but it's worth a try.
If you're a Bell user with the Samsung ATIV S, let us know below in the comments if your seeing the GDR2 update.
Source: wmpoweruser via: mobilesyrup; Thanks, Bernnutz, for the tip!
Reader comments
Bell rolling out Windows Phone GDR2 update to the Samsung ATIV S
Just a heads up...updated my Samsung ATIV S with GDR2 through Bell. Update requires to reset the phone for features to appear. Once completed I had issues with the Bluetooth in my vehicle and tried to downgrade the update but no luck. At first I thought it was an issue with the phone's BT. Luckly I had a second (spare) Samsung ATIV S with orginal OS. Phone worked great so I decided to update the Phone to GDR2 thinking the BT was faulty in the first phone and once again the BT connection "failed". Now I was faced with 2 phones with the same BT issue (not holding the connection). I went to the New walk-in Samsung Service Center in Mississauga (apparently the only ones capable of restoring to factory settings). Within an hour the phones were restored back to their orginal / factory settings and both phones now connect with the BT in my car. BTW, my vehicle is 1 year old. I spoke to the guys at Bell and they will look into the issue. It's definitely a Microsoft problem.
Downloading too! :) I'm so excited!
Downloaded and installed. Are we not getting the radio update on Bell? That would suck. I don't see it anywhere.
Downloading it right now!
Still waiting for the update on my Bell Samsung ativ s. :-(
I have just installed the GDR2 update for my simlock free Lumia 925 in The Netherlands, Europe.
Software/ Hardware Information
OS version: 8.0.10328.0
Firmware Version: 3047.0000.1326.2001
Radio Software Version: 3.2.04028.1
Chip SOC version: 8960
i'm using an unbranded samsung ativ s. still no gdr2 update here in the philippines. samsung where are you?!!
Come on nokia. Bring update ASAP. Unlocked lumia can have update na :|
It's a joke that Samsung and HTC have their GDR2 updates out before Nokia gets out Amber. They can claim that Nokia adds things to the firmware but the 920 and 928 have almost identical internals to the 925 and 1020 so should have taken no time at all and you can be guaranteed that Nokia gets a hold of updates earlier than the other manufacturers. Funnier still was Nokia having the audacity to accuse Microsoft of moving too slow when it comes to OS updates recently when they themselves move so slow.
Slightly disgruntled 920 owner.
I wouldn't worry about it, not many unbranded devices have it yet!!!!!
Extra features, extra time. Seems your complaints are based on assumptions.
Nokia just cleared the certification with Bluetooth for 4.0 LE about 2 or 3 weeks ago.
Patience Daniel-son.
Lol please gtfo :)
Here's food for thought...http://mobility.telus.com/en/ON/Samsung-ATIV-S/index.shtml
Telus' ATIV support page says that as of July 26th new software is available.
HOWEVER...it still says Ver. 8.0 and update details remain the same as they have since the Portico update.
It goes on to say that Microsoft is releasing the software in stages. So I don't know what to make of all that.
Probably just poor page maintenance....but July 26th? Does that mean it is availble to some, or perhaps that is just the day they received the update/began testing since there are NO reports of it showing up in the wild?
i have a telus ATIV S and have checked for updates and nothing yet.
Awesome! I just checked for updates and nothing yet. Improvement to battery life is interesting, as my battery life is already excellent. Excited for data sense as I've had data usage issues.
Ditto on the data usage. I have 6gb of data and bell always sends me messages stating im only have such and such data left.
I find battery life is hit or miss & ive had mine since new years eve. So it depends on how many charge cycles you have went thru or background processes you have running either way it can help to see improvement on that front
The ativ s is an amazing phone. Had a iPhone 4s switch to the ativ s in April and im glad I did. Can wait for the update, just checked and nothing so far.
TELUS where ismine?
So when do the unbranded versions get GDR2, I thought they got it first?
Not for Nokias, Samsung and HTC had started the rollout but HTC has stalled it temporarily due to it bricking phones
I do have to say this is awfully familiar to when everyone was waiting on Nokia belle feature pack 2 to be rolled out and the made a bit of a **** up on that, everyone wanted to go back to feature pack 1!! Anyone else remember??
We need GDR2/Amber ASAP! C'mon at&t what's taking you so long???
You guys are all whining as if this update is actually rolling out anywhere, and is is really that hard to wait a few weeks later than other carriers? Talk about impatient.....
Yep. I mean I want it now too, but c'mon. I understand wanting, but some people get down right irate over it.
It is rolling out unbranded versions in Germany already have it!!!
improved battery life? i thought the battery life was good as it was. but boy do i need GDR2. 6GBs of other storage is annoying, and at one point i had 200mbs left...did a reboot and got 1GB back.
Gotta friend who works with at&t he said gdr2 will be out this month, couldn't ask when cause he was kinda busy.
Hopefully that is the case
I love it how everyone is so uptight about this update when there are very little changes made. Sure the Amber stuff is good, but it's nothing to stress out over. I'm more excited to see what comes out in 8.1 Blue next year.
I have a friend who can't go anywhere without FM Radio. As a matter of fact, he still carries his old LG Optimus One just for this functionality, so you can see how this update can be very important for some folks.
Going to the work I would like to listen my favorite morning radio show. For me is GDR2 great update.
agreed there !! i miss the breakfast time radio on the way into work in the mornings
I could see them being required to let ic/crtc test before approval
My wife has the 1020. I want that double tap to wake up.
I read that gdr2 fixes the wav file nonsense...the biggest complaint of our users is the inability to play voicemails in wav format...so yeah, it'd be nice to have it.
Personally I don't mind waiting to make sure they get this right. I don't need my phone broken again because they rushed an update that wasn't ready.
Still waiting on unlocked/unbranded update on Ativ s.
If your talking about the international hspa+ model that update was aready pushed(minus fm support)
What's taking Verizon so long? Jeez..
Don't hold your breath too long for vzw to push out updates
C'mon Verizon!
LUMIAS!!!
Amber is holding it up. Once it's tested/approved, then the carriers will push GDR2 along with Amber on the Lumias.
I unlocked a Bell ATIV S and using it on Fido, this Bell ATIV S update still applies to me, right?
If you just unlocked it and not unbranded it, it does !!
good to know! have not unbranded it.
You should be laughing so !!
You will likely get it. I have received the Rogers updates and my Rogers Lumia 920 is active on Telus.
Lol you unlocked a bell version just to use it on fido? Since the focus came out rogers has configured their own phones to work with fido oob all you need are the relevent data settings configured & your set
Long story short, it was the only store willing to sell it to me. Rogers were being idiots.
my guess is they werent a 1st party(corprate) store as it seems 2nd party stores tend to do anything for a contract including turning away customers who dont want to sign with them. i would have personally went 3rd party(eg. bestbuy) if they didnt match the $0 down that some 2nd party stores were offering. as it is lucky you didnt go with telus as it seemed they wanted more for it without a contract just because they offer operator marketplace billing
No FM radio on Ativ?
Come on Rogers, come on.
Are you really going to let Telus beat you at something?
PUSH IT OUT!!!
Yep
C'mon, push..push!!! :D
What about the Bell HTC 8X? why would only the ativ get it?
I'm also curious to know if they will release it for other Windows Phones they used to sell.
The 8X is not on sale anymore, so it would be extremely frustrating for me if they decide it isn't worth their time.
Cause its a better phone.
First, they aren't exactly the same.
GDR2 of coarse is an OS update, but it will also contain updates specifically for each model, manufacturer and carrier. So they are developed and tested separately. Which means that one may get ready before the other.
Of course!! AT&T 920 is last. Makes perfect sense. It's a no brainer. That's what I would do. In fact lets wait another month just to make sure everybody gets it before us 920 owners. I think we should just get a G2 update not a GDR2 update. Yeah, yeah makes sense. AT&T always makes all the right moves.
Calm down bro.
No Nokias have the GDR2 updates yet, no matter the carrier (except the preinstalled models).
Oh my god how can you be calm? My world is caving in, that's all I think about. This update means more to me than life it self. I am so wound up over this, I called AT&T 120 times today. I'm driving over there tomorrow and Saturday I'm flying to headquarters. I'm writing the president to see if he can get a presidential order for this thing. I hired 4 private investigators to get to the bottom of this. I'm camping out in front of headquarters until I get it. I'm passing around a petition. This is INSANE BRO!!!!!!!!!!!!INSANE I SAY
Time to up the dosage on those meds.
I'm so glad at&t is finally releasing this update!! /s
What?
When do they release it
Not Ma Bell.
Koodo will probably roll out the update next year
You get what you pay for
What does that even mean..?
When you get a fly by night provider you get fly by night service
I mean.. you did imply this with your comment...
And your provider is?
TELUS. Sorry. I didn't mean to be rude.
Koodo is TELUS
Its either you get a really good plan with a mediocre provider or an over priced plan with a top provider. Rogers ripped me off for to long so I left. Unfortunately only they have the 920 so I'm stuck with a 520
He's telling you that your carrier sucks.
Reallllly?!?!
you asked buddy.
He was being sarcastic paliotti
Well all their wp devices last i checked were open market(partially branded but unlocked. But it seems MS stopped listing that on windowsphone.com)
Lol, I thought this was about Cincinnati Bell.
LOL I did too!
What about Rogers Lumia 920's. :(
I think we are getting the update in a few weeks.
I'm using an unlocked ATIV S from Rogers on T-Mobile US and it works near perfect including 4G LTE. The thing is in the 'about us' section, my Carrier is listed as Rogers, is my phone "really unlocked?"
You can't change the carrier ID of the phone, its still a Rogers phone.
It is unlocked but it still recieves updates like any Rogers phone would.
So, to confirm, as soon as Rogers releases an update, a Rogers phone will have access to it even if you're not currently using their network?
Theres a difference between unbranded and unlocked. unlocked means a device will accept any sim, but Windows Phones make sure not to forget their roots. the "about" section on your phone details what carrier the device was designated for (especially considering some devices get variants with more frequencies supported for certain carriers, its good it shows that, so the update you get doesnt break anything.)
heres a site to follow for rogers os updates
http://communityforums.rogers.com/t5/forums/forumtopicpage/board-id/Gene...
Thanks for clarifying. This is my 1st 'Unlocked' device.
Amazing! Booya! Thank-you Bell!
What about TELUS, ? They have this phone too
Its up to the carrier for the timeframe.
Like wp7.x devices it should be same time frame for all Canadian service providers.
I bet at&t will roll out the update in a few months from now and not in August.
I hope not
I'll take that bet. How much?
Any millennium now Nokia..
I really want this phone! .. If unlocked will it work 4g LTE on AT&T???
Well it has the bands (Rogers and the rest), but I really suggest waiting for the next version, which will probably be a S4 variant.
True... I need a bigger screen than this 920
I am on TELUS lte