Galaxy S3 I9300 Tastes Official Android 4.1.2 ZSEMC1 Jelly Bean Firmware [How to Install and Root]

Samsung has recently rolled out its latest official Jelly Bean update for Galaxy S3 I9300 via Android 4.1.2 ZSEMC1 firmware. The official firmware is now available for download to S3 users in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan through Samsung KIES. However, those who are residing outside these regions can opt to download and install the same manually using this guide.

As this is a branded firmware, it could include third-party apps and settings. The installation of this firmware is done through ODIN flash tool, and hence it saves the user from installing any custom recovery tools such as ClockworkMod (CWM) or TWRP. Although the firmware is officially meant for China, it can be installed on any unlocked Galaxy S3 I9300.

New Features of Android 4.1.2 ZSEMC1 Official Firmware

• Android 4.1.2 - JZO54K
• Multi-View (Multi-Windows Multitasking, same as in Note II)
• Page Buddy
• New Gallery App (Same as in Note II)
• NotificationPanel (NotificationPanel can now be customized)
• Brightness Slider inNotificationPanel Can Now Be Disabled
• Smart Rotation (Screen Display adjusts to your angle of sightings)
• Continues Input in Samsung Keyboard (Like Swipe or Android 4.2 Keyboard)
• Paper Artist App
• Group Cast App

Key Points to Note

• Android 4.1.2 ZSEMC1 official firmware and the instructions given in this guide are meant for the international variant Galaxy S3 I9300 model only and will not work with any other device. Verify the device's model number by navigating to Settings > About Phone.
• Backup the important data and settings on the phone (including bookmarks, SMS, MMS, contacts, APNs and other internet settings) to avoid data loss during firmware installation. It is recommended to use custom recovery tools such as ClockworkMod (CWM) or TWRP for data backup, as it creates a complete image of the existing phone setup.
• Make sure that USB Debugging mode is enabled on the phone by navigating to Settings > Developer Options (if the device is running Android 4.0 or later) or go to Settings > Applications > Development (if the phone is running Android 2.3 or earlier).
• Ensure that the phone is factory unlocked and not locked to a specific carrier.
• Verify that the device has at least 80 per cent battery charge.
• As this is an official release, root access to the device will be lost soon after installing the firmware. Just root the phone again to regain full system access and be able to install third-party root apps, custom ROMs and latest system tweaks on it.
• The instructions provided in this guide are meant for reference purpose only. IBTimes UK will not be held liable if the device is damaged or bricked while installing the firmware. Users are advised to proceed at their own risk.

Here is the step-by-step guide to install official Android 4.1.2 ZSEMC1 Jelly Bean firmware on Galaxy S3 I9300 (courtesy of Team Android):

How to Install Official Android 4.1.2 ZSEMC1 Jelly Bean Firmware on Galaxy S3 I9300

Step 1 - Download Android 4.1.2 ZSEMC1 official firmware for the phone on computer and extract the zip file.

Step 2 - Download ODIN v3.07 which is needed to install the official firmware on Samsung Galaxy S3 I9300.

Step 3 - Turn off the phone and boot it into Download Mode. To do so, Press and hold Volume Down and Home buttons together, and then tap Power button until the construction Android robot icon with a triangle appears on screen. Hit the Power button again to progress into Download Mode.

Step 4 - Launch ODIN on computer and connect the phone to it while the phone is still in Download Mode.

Step 6 - When the phone is connected successfully, one of the ID: COM boxes will indicate yellow with the corresponding COM port number. This process is time-consuming and may take about five minutes to complete. So, leave it alone.

Step 7 - Choose the files that need to be flashed or installed on the phone, which can be found among the extracted files in Step 1.

• Click the 'PDA' checkbox and choose the file with 'CODE' or '.tar' in its name.
• Select the 'Phone' checkbox and click the file reading 'MODEM' in its name. Ignore this step if such file is missing.
• Choose the 'CSC' checkbox and choose the file that reads 'CSC' in its name. Ignore this step if such file is absent.
• Click the 'PIT' checkbox and choose the .pit file. Ignore this step if there is no such file.

Step 8 - In ODIN, enable Auto Reboot and F. Reset Time options. But, the Re-Partition option must be selected ONLY if a .pit file was chosen in the previous step.

Step 9 - Now hit Start button in ODIN and the firmware installation process will begin. It will take just a few minutes to complete.

Step 10 - Once the firmware installation is done, the phone will reboot. When the phone boots-up to the home screen, just disconnect its USB cable from the computer.

Congratulations! Samsung Galaxy S3 I9300 is now successfully updated to Android 4.1.2 ZSEMC1 official firmware. Go to Settings > About Phone to verify the firmware version installed.

Galaxy S3 I9300 users, who have already updated their device to the latest Android 4.1.2 ZSEMC1 official firmware (either through Samsung KIES or manually with this guide), can now root the phone using CF-Root with our step-by-step guide given below (courtesy of Best Android Stuffs):

CF-Root Package Details

CF-Root package includes the following:

• SuperSU v0.93
• ClockworkMod (CWM) recovery v5.5
• CWM Manager v3.60

How to Root Galaxy S3 I9300 on Official Android 4.1.2 ZSEMC1 Jelly Bean Firmware

1. Download CF-Root package for Samsung Galaxy S3 I9300 (CF_Root-SGS3-v6.4.zip) and ODIN (Odin307.zip).

2. Extract the ROM and Odin zip files to the desired location on the computer's desktop. Two files namely ".tar" and "Odin3 v3.07.exe" are obtained.

3. Now, Power off the device and boot it into Download mode. To do so, press and hold Volume Down, Home and Power buttons until the device Powers on and then tap Volume Up button to enter Download mode.

4. Then connect the phone to computer via USB cable. The phone is now detected in Odin and one of the ID: COM boxes will indicate yellow with a status message reading "Added". Just reinstall the phone's USB drivers on computer, if Odin fails to detect the device.

5. Click the 'PDA' checkbox in Odin and then browse to select ".tar" file which was downloaded earlier in Step 2.

6. Now, enable Auto Reboot and F. Reset Time options. But, make sure that Re-partition option is unchecked.

7. Then hit Start button in Odin and the root installation begins. Once the flashing process is complete, a PASS message pops-up on screen.

8. At this point, disconnect the device from computer and the phone should reboot automatically.

Galaxy S3 I9300 is now successfully rooted on official Android 4.1.2 ZSEMC1 Jelly Bean firmware. Download and install Root Checker app from Google Play Store to verify if the device is rooted correctly.