Samsung Galaxy S III (S3) Won't Connect via USB with Android File Transfer with MacBook Pro - Mountain Lion I saw some similar questions along these lines with newer Samsung devices, but I will post a question here anyway in case an answer for me ends up being an answer different than that for someone else. I have not seen a post concerning my particular phone, Mac hardware, and Mac OS.

Problem:

My Mountain Lion MacBook Pro (10.8.3) doesn't recognize my Samsung Galaxy S3 (4.1.1) for file transfer over USB. I am trying to use Android File Transfer, having been promised that it would solve all my woes.

The Situation:

I've downloaded Android File Transfer, and, when connected with my device, the app launches, but it just continues to demand that I attach the USB cable and or restart my device.

What I've tried doing:

Settings > Applications > Development > USB debugging

When set to on, nothing happens. When set to off, nothing happens either. I've turned it on, then on and off, then off, and restarted before, during, and after connection, and every combination possible. The result is the same: app launches and then gives error message.

USB Cable:

I've tried with two different new cables and the error message is the same.

Connected to a Windows device:

My phone is recognized just fine by my desktop PC running Windows 7. The phone is recognized and the SD card is recognized, and I can transfer files between them. However, my Windows device is not my primary computing device, and I am frequently away from home (otherwise, at this point, I would chuck the Mac and that would be that).

As with the person who posted a similar question about the Galaxy S2, please do not post answers suggesting the use of Kies, Bluetooth, Wireless, and the like unless they lead to me being able to use Android File Transfer via USB. I want my phone to work over USB and with AFT for a reason (speed, convenience, and better synchronization). Kies seems to be the default suggestion to solve this issue, but it is terribly buggy and it accomplishes file transfer much the same way that nuking my house would get rid of spiders. (Always good to have a little levity at this level of frustration.)
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4163985?start=0&amp;tstart=0
Android File Transfer worked with S3 on Mac running Snow Leopard once I used the right cable! 
I discovered I had 2 different type USB cables- one seems to just charge and so Android File transfer didn't recognize the phone at all. The other cable, bearing the Verizon label, was entirely different. Please see link above and go to my posting under Interpret for full explanation.

Post from linked site:


  As already mentioned, download and install Android File Transfer app . NOTE: To connect be sure to use the right cable- in my case, I discovered 2 cables - one is a USB plain one that just charges the phone. After much frustration I discovered there was another one (it has a Verizon label in my case.) They both seem to be USB cables but I discovered one works with Android File Transfer and not the other.
  
  When I connected the wrong one, Android File Transfer said: No Android device found. Please connect your Android device with a USB cable to get started. I wasn't getting any notification or option on my phone to switch any configuration menu.
  
  When I switched to the right cable however, I got a notification in the top notification area of the phone stating:
  
  Connected as an installer and a USB icon next to it. Swiping down the top notification part there was yet another notification stating Connected as a media device. Touch for other USB options. Tapping on that statement I got the following screen:
  
  USB PC Connection
  
  Connect as
  
  Media Device (MTP) box to check
  
  xxx explanatory text which mentions you can sue Android File Transfer on a Mac in this mode
  
  Camera (PTP) box to check
  
  xxx explanatory text (transfer to PC that does not support MTP)
  
  (Note that these options were not available and not displayed with the wrong cable. I noticed many users stating they don't see that menu, wonder if the culprit is the cable being used.)
  
  I checked off MTP box and voila, clicking on the Android File Transfer icon I could see  the files organized under Phone and Card and had access to them.