Update: A Sprint official has just posted on the Samsung Epic forums saying that this is not the final version of Froyo for the Epic. What's more, he gave one commenter an ETA of about three weeks. Ridiculous, isn't it?

Below is a statement from the Epic Product Manager regarding the leaked release (DK28):

Sprint is working on a software package for the Samsung Epic4G that will upgrade it to the Froyo version of Android.  Over the weekend, some users were able to access and download a test build (DK28) for the Samsung Epic from some 3rd party developer sites.  Unfortunately, this is not approved software for Sprint production devices and we strongly recommend that users refrain from loading it.


Note: The method described below will not work if you're already running a custom ROM. Therefore, you should use the method and the files at this link to update if you're using anything other than the stock Éclair software that came with the Epic 4G.

I've been waiting for Android 2.2 (aka Froyo) to arrive on the Epic 4G ever since buying the phone for my wife, so you can only imagine my excitement when I heard that kain203, an XDA-Developers forum member, found the update sitting on Google's own servers. To be clear, this isn't the first time the Epic 4G and Froyo have met, but it appears to be the final version of the update - the one that will, presumably, be rolling out over the air to users' devices over the course of the next few days.

So how do you install it? The process is pretty simple:

  1. Download the update from Google's servers.
  2. If you aren't rooted or aren't using ClockworkMod recovery, rename the file to "update.zip."
  3. Plug your Epic 4G into your computer, mount it as a USB drive, and copy the file to the root of its SD card (the main folder).
  4. Unplug the phone.
  5. Turn it off and boot into recovery mode (hold down the "volume down," "power," and "camera" buttons all at once).
  6. If you're using the Epic 4G's stock recovery mode, keep hitting the "volume down" key until you get to "Apply update.zip." Then press the "camera" button and confirm that you do indeed want to proceed. Alternatively, it you're using ClockworkMod recovery, press the "volume down" key until you get to "Apply zip from SD card." Select it using the "camera" key, and then confirm your choice.
  7. Wait for it to finish flashing before selecting "Reboot system now."
  8. You're done! Note that the device may take a little longer than usual to boot up - this is normal.

Naturally, the update comes with all the usual Android 2.2 goodies, including Adobe Flash 10.1 compatibility, a JIT compiler that drastically increases performance, and that oh-so-handy "Update All" button in the Market (not to mention the new "Related" tab). However, Samsung has also upgraded TouchWiz from 2.1 to 3.0, which, from what I can tell so far, includes a few updated icons, a new "Silent" toggle in the notification bar, and the ability to add/remove homepages. The bad news? App organization is now even less convenient than it was with TouchWiz 2.1, at least in Grid view. Whereas the old TouchWiz at least had the apps in alphabetical order by default, the new version scatters them all over the place in a seemingly random order upon installation (although you can put the icons back in alphabetical order via a hidden option that most users will probably miss altogether).

Still, overall, I don't think there's really an argument here - whether you're planning on updating  now using the instructions above or waiting for the official OTA to roll out, you've got a lot to look forward to. And now for some screenshots:

Sources: XDA-Developers, Google