Just a quick update: thanks to a kernel compiled by AndreiLux, and thanks to artesea for doing an eMMC RAM dump on his device, we've got the 0xf7 firmware!
It seems that it is runnable on the same hardware. It means that we can probably field upgrade I9300 devices, just as Samsung does with I9100.
The interesting question is whether we're able to preserve the data on the eMMC during the process. If the answer is no, a firmware upgrade would require PIT repartitioning and reflashing of SBOOT so that the device won't become a brick.
It seems that it is runnable on the same hardware. It means that we can probably field upgrade I9300 devices, just as Samsung does with I9100.
The interesting question is whether we're able to preserve the data on the eMMC during the process. If the answer is no, a firmware upgrade would require PIT repartitioning and reflashing of SBOOT so that the device won't become a brick.