Deployed little by little on recent smartphones or still eligible for major updates, Android 12 can also be installed on certain old devices... not to say ancient ones. By exploiting LineageOS, a developer managed to install the latest version of Android on the venerable Samsung Galaxy S3.

With a little elbow grease, it is possible to upgrade an old Galaxy S3 to Android 12 // Source: Samsung

Some mobiles are quickly forgotten at the bottom of a drawer or an old cupboard, but the Samsung Galaxy S3 is not one of them. Launched in 2012, the smartphone hasn't received official updates for years, but it continues to be of interest to Android root enthusiasts. As XDA Developers points out, they have continued to develop on the device, to the point of making it dual-boot compatible, but also allowing it to natively support the Linux-based Sailfish operating system, as well as the main Linux kernel.

Better yet, the specialized site reports that the Galaxy S3 now benefits from a custom ROM via LineageOS 19.0, based on Android 12. A developer has indeed managed to animate the latest version of Android on the old Samsung mobile and its Exynos 4412 processor.

A few forgotten features and bugs… but the gist is there

With this brand new software skin, the device supports the essential functions to remain usable. The cellular network is supported, as well as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or photo sensors. Hardware and software acceleration is also relevant to allow video playback in good conditions. We nevertheless learn that certain features specific to LineageOS are currently inaccessible, but they should be invited later on the Galaxy S3.

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Beware of bugs, however, some are annoying. The unlocking of the PIN code for the SIM card is for example inert for the moment. In the immediate future, and while waiting for a fix, you must therefore first deactivate the PIN code using another device before placing the SIM card in the Galaxy S3. Other known problems: formatting a microSD card causes the smartphone to restart in a loop, and its NFC module is not yet functional.

If you feel confident to install Android 12 on a Galaxy S3, you can find the LineageOS 19.0 ROM developed for the device at this address.

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