Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Update Release Date: Delay Until November Due to Samsung's Recent Earnings?

Samsung Galaxy Note 2 owners expecting an Android 4.2.2 update anytime soon might be in for some disappointment, as Samsung's recent quarter earnings could mean the South Korean electronics manufacturer might hold off on rolling out the firmware until as late as November.

Samsung's forecast for Q2 2013 indicates that it will earn around $50 billion in revenue and $8.3 billion in profit. With these kinds of numbers, Samsung will have increased its profits and revenue from the quarter before, setting a new record for the company. Sadly, this isn't enough for investors, who were expecting $8.9 billion in profit. The 6.4 percent gap caused Samsung stock to swing downwards, as investors are increasingly alarmed that the Galaxy S4 cannot keep its sales momentum despite selling over 20 million units since its launch and becoming the fastest-selling Android phone ever.

The reason this affects the Galaxy Note 2 Android 4.2.2 update is because the talk around town is that Samsung does not want customers to opt for cheaper, older handsets over the Galaxy S4. If both the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 run Android 4.2.2, the same version the Galaxy S4 runs (remember, the Android 4.2.2 update for the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 will bring a ton of Galaxy S4 features to the older phones), Samsung is afraid that too many sales will be lost to budget-minded buyers. Instead, Samsung could opt to wait until the Galaxy S4 is upgraded to Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie, which should release sometime in October or November, and then bump its older lineup up to Android 4.2.2, ensuring that consumers who want the latest and greatest will have to shell out the cash for the newer Galaxy S4.

Of course, all of this is unconfirmed speculation, but the investor reaction to Samsung's recent quarter does add some credence to the plan. An Australian wireless service provider does list the update as coming sometime in August, and Samsung should be aware that it could alienate a lot of loyal fans with this strategy, so not all hope is lost. We'll simply have to wait for more news to trickle down from the technosphere. 

Let us know what you think of Samsung's rumored Android 4.2.2 strategy in the comments section below, and whether a delay until October or November would convince you to change to another smartphone.