Now that CES 2014 and the promise of new gadgets is over, we turn our attention back to the devices that we do have now. Thanks to some insistent folks over at SamMobile, users of the Samsung Galaxy S 4 can enjoy an Android 4.4 experience on their device, that is, if they’re willing to make the jump.

A test firmware for the Open Europe version of Samsung’s flagship, specifically with the model number GT-I9505, has recently been leaked and is now making rounds over the Internet. Aside from bumping the smartphone’s firmware to Android 4.4.2, this test image, whose build number is I9505XXUFNA1, is also believed to introduce a few performance improvements. Fortunately, it seems that Samsung has also applied the new color scheme on the status icons instead of sticking to its own colorful TouchWiz conventions.

As mentioned, this particular build is meant for the European model of the device, so unless you have the exact same model, better not try it. But even if you do, there will still be some risk involved since it will involve flashing your device with a new and unsupported image.

Those who can wait a bit longer, and by that we mean a month or so, an official Android 4.4 update might soon be on its way, at least according to French carrier SFR, whose schedules have previously been leaked before but aren’t always spot on. According to them, the update should come around late January, but it is probably realistic to expect it as late as February or March.

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