If the popularity of Google’s Nexus devices is any indication, Android users really are looking for a pure Android experience. An experience without all the (mostly useless or niche-case) “features” added by manufacturers and carriers to make their phones unique. Still, Samsung has been focusing heavily on software for its Android devices.
Toaday, Samsung released the first preview of what it is calling the “Premium Suite Upgrade” for the Galaxy S III. The device only just got access to the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean upgrade on all U.S. carriers this week, nearly five months after the mobile OS launched. Expect significant delays with the Premium Suite as well, as carriers take their time testing the software with their networks.
The Premium Suite Upgrade will include several software features. Page Buddy is a contextual program that will launch applications or change settings when certain conditions are met, such as docking the smartphone. Contextual menus and tags will also be added, automating the phone’s capabilities even more. Mulit-window capabilities similar to those on Samsung’s tablets have also been added, which is perhaps the most useful feature of the update, and the Galaxy S III’s screen is just big enough to make it work. NFC auto-sharing over S-Beam and a Facebook Lock Ticker have been added, as well as a “Reader Mode” that reformats websites for larger text an easier sharing.