Our long national nightmare is over – AT&T has finally started pushing the KitKat update to Galaxy Note 3 owners. After updating, you'll see a new system UI, improved GPS, and an improved camera experience. It's all just a download away.

The update clocks in at a fairly hefty 541.77MB and requires WiFi to download. Here's the full changelog from AT&T.

  • Improved user interface: The latest version of Android includes enhancements such as re-styled status and navigation bars, a new full-screen-immersive mode, color emoji support, improved closed captioning support, stronger security and smarter power use.
  • Default messaging app: Choose a default messaging app when multiple messaging services are installed.
  • Improved GPS performance
  • Enhanced music access: Full screen album art and media controls are available from the lock screen when listening to music.
  • Camera access: The camera can also be accessed directly from the lock screen.
  • Location menu: An integrated location menu enables users to easily activate GPS and share location details.
  • Wireless printing: Integrated support for wireless printing available in enhanced settings.
  • New sound controls: Set sound for specific Samsung applications in enhanced settings.

The OTA will be pushed down to all devices soon, but you can also check for updates manually. This update should improve GPS, which has been an ongoing complaint from users. Samsung is also adding a camera shortcut to the lock screen at long last.

Keep in mind, the KitKat update probably includes the changes to SD card support that limit writing to external storage. You probably won't have a choice, though. The update is going to keep bugging you until it's installed.

Update: Samsung published a much more detailed changelog just now:

On March 27, 2014, AT&T and Samsung released a software update for the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 (SM-N900A). This software package updates the phone to Android 4.4.2 (Kit Kat), baseband version to N900AUCUCNC2, and includes general performance enhancements for the device.

Software update includes

The size of the update file is 452MB and is available for download via Wi-Fi.

  • Android OS upgrade (KitKat 4.4)
    • New platform support for secure NFC-based transactions through Host Card Emulation (HCE),
    • You can add printing support to your apps or develop print services to support specific types of printers.
    • A new storage access framework makes it simple for users to browse and open documents, images, and other files across all of their their preferred document storage providers
    • The new provider and semantics help to improve the user's experience when multiple messaging apps are installed, and they help you to build new messaging features with fully-supported, forward-compatible APIs
    • Full-screen Immersive mode
    • System-wide settings for closed captioning : Settings > Accessibility > Google subtitles (CC) and Samsung subtitles (CC)
    • On-device memory status and profiling : Settings > Developer options > Process stats
    • More details about Android KitKat are available at: http://developer.android.com/about/versions/kitkat.html
  • Beat Music pre loaded
  • ISIS Wallet pre loaded
  • Default value for Air view is set as OFF
  • AT&T Drive Mode is changed to Drive Mode
  • On/Off slider for Airplane mode and Location is added.
  • Home > Apps > Settings > More networks Default messaging app and printing are added.
  • Home > Apps > Settings > Sound Samsung applications (call/msg/email/calendar) are added.
  • Home > Apps > Settings > General Default applications menu is added.
  • In Camera app, location of settings icon is changed
  • In Camera, 3096 x 3096 resolution is added.
  • In Timer, Button color is changed
  • Home > Apps > Internet > Bookmarks Saved pages tab is added
  • Home > Apps > Messaging > Menu > Settings Default messaging app menu is added
  • New options for Security policy updates under Security/Security update services.

[AT&T]