Samsung releases Galaxy S "Value Pack" in Korea

It was initially thought that the Samsung Galaxy S would beĀ receivingĀ a tasty Ice Cream Sandwich update, although Samsung quickly stated that it wouldn't happen. Instead, the company proposed a "Value Pack", that would bring certain ICS features to the Gingerbread handset. There was a leak of the Pack back in January that gave users an idea of what to expect, and now the official release is rolling out in South Korea.

Samsung say that anyone still using Eclair and Froyo should update to Gingerbread before installing the new pack. When they do so, they'll be privy to the following features:

  • Face Unlock
  • Photo capture during video recordings
  • The ability to adjust font size in certain applications
  • Additions and improvements to the Launcher as well as folders
  • Users will need Kies 2.0 in order to upgrade their device, as well as the necessary free space to install the update. Samsung also provided updates for the Galaxy K and Galaxy U phones. There's no word yet on when the Value Pack will be coming to other countries.

    While customers may have been disappointed to find that they wouldn't be receiving Ice Cream Sandwich on their Galaxy S, the ICS update for the Galaxy S II showed that Samsung are determined to keep the TouchWiz aesthetic. Part of the draw of Ice Cream Sandwich was a completely retooled UI, which is completely hidden under TouchWiz on the ICS Galaxy S II update.

    It's not all bad news: if you enjoy rooting your device and installing custom ROMs, there are fully functional Ice Cream Sandwich ROMs available for the Galaxy S on xda-developers. As always, proceed with caution before installing anything, as you could potentially brick your device.

    [via Samsung Tomorrow]