Galaxy S4 (GT i9505) has been left out of contention for the official Nougat update as suggested by Samsung in its recent update-roadmap for Galaxy phones, while the industrious CyanogenMod team has just released the Android 7.0.1 Nougat based CyanogenMod 14 ROM for the handset.
The CyanogenMod ROM is designed to increase performance and reliability over stock firmware for your device. It can be installed and used without the need to flash any Google App package.
As the CyanogenMod ROM is still under development and testing, it may harbour a few untested bugs or broken features. Folks at XDA have composed a list of fully-functional features along with some known bugs with the new firmware.
Check out the full list of working as well as broken features below as confirmed by a senior member of XDA Developers forum:
Fully-functional features
- The CM14 ROM boots just fine without any hiccups.
- All the basic features such as calls, SMS and data are reportedly working fine.
- Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Camera and Video Playback are confirmed to be working as intended.
Broken features
- Native Camcorder is not working, but you can use the Google Camera app instead.
Interested users can install the latest Nougat-based CyanogenMod ROM on their Galaxy S4 I9505 by following the step-by-step guide provided below.
IBTimes SG reminds readers that it will not be held liable for any damage to device during or after the custom ROM installation. Users are advised to proceed at their own risk.
Downloads Required
Android 7.0.1 CyanogenMod 14 ROM for Galaxy S4 i9505
Pre-requisites
- The instructions given in this guide are meant for international variant of Galaxy S4 (GT-I9505) only. Verify device model number by navigating to Settings > About Phone
- Ensure the phone has at least 80% battery chargeto prevent unexpected device shutdown (due to battery drain) while installing the ROM
- Back up data and settingsusing a recommended custom recovery tool, like ClockworkMod (CWM) or TWRP, as it creates a complete image of the existing phone setup. In Recovery, choose Backup and Restore and tap Backup
- Verify correct USB driversfor the phone are installed on the computer (download Galaxy S4 USB drivers)
- Enable USB Debugging mode via Settings > Developer Options (if running Android 4.0 or above) or Settings > Applications > Development (if running Android 2.3 or earlier)
- Ensure that the device is rooted with custom recovery (TWRP or CWM) installed and its bootloader is unlocked
Steps to install Android 7.0.1 Nougat based CM14 ROM on Galaxy S4 i9505
Step 1 - Download Android 7.0.1 CyanogenMod 14 custom ROM for Galaxy S4 on the computer.
Step 2 - Connect and mount the phone's USB mass storage on computer with the USB cable.
Step 3 - Copy the downloaded CyanogenMod ROM zip file to the root folder on the phone's SD card.
Step 4 - Power off the phone and disconnect its USB cable from computer.
Step 5 - Boot the device into Recovery Mode by pressing Volume up, Home and Power buttons on your phone.
Step 6 - Once the phone enters into CWM Recovery, perform a full data wipe task by clicking Wipe Data/Factory Reset. Use the Volume keys to navigate between options and the Power button to select an option in the Recovery Mode.
Step 7 - Then, perform Wipe Cache Partition and wait until the process completes.
Step 8 - Perform Wipe Dalvik Cache as well. To do this, go to the 'advanced' option and then click Wipe Dalvik Cache. This will help in preventing boot loop issues or any boot ROM related errors during firmware installation.
Step 9 - Return to the main recovery menu and chooseInstall Zip from SD card.
Step 10 - Click Choose Zip fromSD card. Use volume keys to navigate to the CyanogenMod ROM zip file that you copied earlier to your phone's SD card and choose it by tapping the Power button. Confirm the ROM installation on the next screen and the installation process will begin.
Note: Repeat Step 9 and Step 10 to install Google Apps (Gapps) as well.
Step 11 - Once both the Gapps and ROM are installed, choose "+++++Go Back+++++" and select Reboot System Now in the Recovery menu.
The phone will now reboot and the first boot may take about five minutes to complete. So, please be patient.
Your Galaxy S4 GT-I9505 is now running the latest Android 7.0.1 Nougat update via CM14 custom ROM. Go to Settings > About phone to verify the firmware version installed.
[Source: XDA]
