Using a Galaxy S III unlocked international (i9300) version on your global SIM service? Well you may be noticing something a bit different about your device’s functionality once you obtain the latest OTA (over-the-air) update.
According toAndroid Central, the latest OTA update for the device completely does away with the universal search function, which browses your phone’s address book contacts and applications for results. The functionality drew the long, dark leer of Apple and, eventually, its wrath. The decision to kill local search on the international model — which isn’t even sold in the U.S. where it has seen Apple’s challenge — is a little perplexing. It’s likely that Samsung may be future proofing against any challenges it may face from Apple in the i9300’s home field of the EU and the UK.
The new search box now offers web-only results and the update also tweaks the default browser layout a bit, along with some “stability” fixes. Of course, the update can be obtained through the phone or Samsung’s Kies software. That is, if you want your device to be “legal.”