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So ive had a lot of questions from friends and family about my S7 Active; lots of rumors and false info too. Ask me anything.
UPDATE - Tried old AT&T 'phone' APN settings that worked with my S4 for tethering, they do not work on S7 Active, even with tethering provisioning disabled.
The camera is excellent, has approximately 11-11.5 stops of dynamic range (in RAW, obviously), and the OIS is fantastic. Very sharp (again in RAW) optics as well; about up there with my ancient Nikon D300 with the excellent 18-200VR lens attached in terms of sharpness, BARELY less dynamic range, and the OIS works just as well as the Nikon VR lenses i own; highly impressed actually. VERY good low light, very low noise and no discernable noise pattern. I have not shot anything in JPEG; I usually drag a BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera with a Panasonic Lumix OIS 12-35 f2.8 lens around as well as my Nikon D300 with assorted stabilized zooms and prime optics as well, as i shoot and film everything in RAW (i filmed and shot ads, corp videos, music videos, etc professionally for several years). The S7 Active does NOT shoot RAW video, but one might be able to downsample 4k footage to a decent bitrate 1080p with very good results and much higher bitrates to play with. Dynamic range is limited in JPEG from what ive seen, although HDR more works pretty decent for a cell phone, in both video and photo modes. OIS is ALWAYS on, and AF tracking works pretty good; about the same as 3D Tracking on the Nikon D300, just a hair slower. AF is fast and accurate, nowhere near DSLR's, but WAY faster than most phones, and WAY faster and more accurate than 'Focus' push on the Blackmagic Pocket cam, but thats to be expected from a camera you usually rig up and manually pull focus on anyways.
Tethering is natively accessible in the stock ROM, i have an (ancient) grandfathered unlimited data plan through AT&T, and i have full access to APN information and settings, and am wondering if tethering may be enabled natively with the stock ROM. I have disabled all bloatware (via paid app), tweaked and tested it out since launch day; it really does easily last about 30 hours with moderate use once tweaked; with most useful options enabled (even S-voice, NFC, Always-On Display and GPS). I also have access to a totally vanilla, unmodified/untweaked S7 Active that i bought for my parents (coming from a launch day AT&T Sammy S3) to compare with; GSAM battery stats etc, for a wholistic 'Out Of Box' vs tweaked comparison.
Ideally, and mostly for app/settings backup/misc tweaks, id like to see the S7a rooted, but i dont feel its entirely needed, all things considered. Mine is now pending SIM unlock via AT&T (obviously) and i have all bloatware disabled, greenified, and tweaked for even better battery life as well as a simple, smooth, one page launcher/one page dock to keep things nice, neat and clean.
I upgraded from a rooted/ROMed/SIM unlocked Galaxy S4 with an ancient S4 Goldeneye Int'l ROM that i heavily modified, only because i kept getting SIM NOT INSTALLED errors and GPS refused to lock on after i dropped it (for only the second time i might add, after 3 years), with an Anker 5200Mah battery/cover, and i absolutely love it. Being able to rinse it off without fear and let it get bumped about is a relief; i really took great care to keep my old S4 in excellent shape and not damage it. For the first time, i bought a case (TPU) and screen protector, as i intend to keep it for at least 3 years; same as the S4; i just dont plan to baby it, as i bike, kayak, am active in motorsports, horseriding, camping, skydiving, and just about anything else i can do. Normally, i would stuff my S4 into a ziplock with paper towels or foam around it when doing anything 'risky'; its nice to have a phone thats decently durable again; my first phone was a Nokia 5165; it survived being backed over by my ancient 1983 Mazda RX-7, having the antenna chewed on for hours by a bored German Shepard, as well as thrown down a staircase by a crazy high school ex-girlfriend; i missed its rugged durability, though not the ex'es mood swings, though i am far more careful now, both with my phones and romantic choices.
I have been modding phones since WinMo 5.0 and Pineapple for iPhone 3G; from the HTC Hermes/AT&T 8525, HTC 8925 TyTN II/Kaiser, iPhone 3G, Moto Atrix 4g/Olympus, Sammy S3 and Sammy S4; ROMs, add-ons, hacks, tethering, misc tweaks, and all means of assorted risky business to make my mobile better suited to my lifestyle and what i want out of it. I travel a lot for work, sport, and vacations.
This appears to be the first fully featured, ruggedized flagship with no compromises (aside from locked to GSM and initially via AT&T only), but otherwise i have found no real faults. I prefer plastics and rubber over glass and metal; they tend to last longer and survive far better than pretty/elegant/unique metal/glass designs. I paid for it outright, and AT&T kindly sent me the SIM unlock code 2 days after i requested it, for free, as i am travelling to France, Greece, and Russia shortly to visit family and friends. I had a few friends who have had S4, S5, and S6 Actives and loved them, although 2 did manage to crack the screens dropping them. Based on recent youtube stuff, i cant see that happening as frequently with the S7 Active due to the plastic laminated screen, though it will scratch easier.
I will not attempt to test its durability, so dont ask. Plenty of youtube and misc reviews do that and far more; i think its kind of useless, redundant, and wasteful to intentionally subject anything to needless duress just to 'test' out its capabilities, so please dont ask about that. Anything else is a total go; from adoptable storage to wifi and APN testing, i am totally game.
UPDATE
just to clarify some specs, the screen is actually a laminate of polycarbonate plastic on top of Gorilla Glass 4, so while it is much improved in terms of shatter resistance, it is MUCH more prone to scratches, i highly recommend a glass screen protector so you dont scratch up the polycarb screen. I bought a SuperShieldz 2 pack for $8 that works great. the laminate plastic is NOT removable, so once scratched, its there permanently. A cheap case isnt a bad idea either, i bought a clear Cimo TPU cover for $8 for the hell of it.
I have never broken a screen yet, but i had dropped my phones a few times, never used screen protectors or cases/covers either, but figured for a few bucks, considering im much more into kayaking, hiking, biking, and skiing now (funny how more income=more toys and more fun), why the hell not? its a big device as is; but i have been consistently seeing 30 hours of battery life between charges, which is enough to get me through 2 days of moderate to heavy use in areas with terrible signal and no wi-fi.
Adoptable storage really isnt needed; it CAN be done, but there's no going back besides a factory reset if you want things to work properly. I tried it for 3 days, and eventually reset and went back to external portable storage, and transferred all apps, data, pics, etc to ExtSD as well as scripted an auto transfer of all videos, pics, downloads, etc from internal to external storage nightly onto the 200GB microSD card i bought. Also, im paranoid about wearing out the micro USB port as i did (twice) with my S4, so i bought a Samsung Fast Wireless Charger. Its just as fast as the regular, wired fast charger you get in the box, plus its basically just a tilted disc cradle with a Fast Charger plugged into it; same cable and power brick as the S7 Active charger you get in the box. I bought a second, black one i intend to hack down and stealth install into the center console of my Mazda RX-8 above the transmission tunnel behind the shifter so i can hide the wires.
how do you delete a screenshot on the galaxy s7... or how can I remove the gallery app so I have more control over what I can delete or store....Yes I'm a noob and I dont want to root the phone if I can help it... any hepl will be appreciated... Cheers
Can you extract Activity Zone Apk from system? You don't need root permission to copy. I want to know if it is possible to run on regular S7.
Sent from my SM-G930F using XDA-Developers mobile app
nooob1963 said:
how do you delete a screenshot on the galaxy s7... or how can I remove the gallery app so I have more control over what I can delete or store....Yes I'm a noob and I dont want to root the phone if I can help it... any hepl will be appreciated... Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The easiest and cleanest way without root is to utilize Package Disabler Pro in the Google Play store, and disable 'Gallery'. You can also enable private mode on the folders or albums you dont want to see (i did this to avoid seeing ad based albums, system albums, as well as album covers for music that i have on a 200GB MicroSD card).
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ospolice.packagedisablerpro&hl=en
goTouch said:
Can you extract Activity Zone Apk from system? You don't need root permission to copy. I want to know if it is possible to run on regular S7.
Sent from my SM-G930F using XDA-Developers mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If it does not require root to copy, i am sure i could snag it for you, how would i go about doing so? PM me and i will snag it and send it to you.
The activity button is awesome to have actually; its why i went for the S7 Active over the regular S7; programmable to 3 different apps (short press, double press, long press, or you can disable them individually). Mine is set to Camera (short) and a free flashlight app (long) with double press disabled (i rarely use activity zone).
I have a new unlimited plan with AT&T, just switched from Verizon, and I am having trouble getting any tethering working. I even tested FoxFi and several other apps from the store.
Do you have any solutions?
Does the phone use a custom rom other than the standard samsung s7 (edge) rom? I noticed the model number is different and ofc it has the extra button...
So, will at&t update this phone with all the (limited) updates samsung provides? And if we were to get root access, will we be able to install the roms for s7?
Other question: Why doesnt this phone work with the gear VR platform? (what are the differences?)
thx!
EnduringGuerila said:
I have a new unlimited plan with AT&T, just switched from Verizon, and I am having trouble getting any tethering working. I even tested FoxFi and several other apps from the store.
Do you have any solutions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Easy tether pro works flawlessly for me. I also use a vpn so att hopefully have a harder time telling I'm tethering
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using XDA-Developers mobile app
Slade8525 said:
The easiest and cleanest way without root is to utilize Package Disabler Pro in the Google Play store, and disable 'Gallery'. You can also enable private mode on the folders or albums you dont want to see (i did this to avoid seeing ad based albums, system albums, as well as album covers for music that i have on a 200GB MicroSD card).
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ospolice.packagedisablerpro&hl=en
If it does not require root to copy, i am sure i could snag it for you, how would i go about doing so? PM me and i will snag it and send it to you.
The activity button is awesome to have actually; its why i went for the S7 Active over the regular S7; programmable to 3 different apps (short press, double press, long press, or you can disable them individually). Mine is set to Camera (short) and a free flashlight app (long) with double press disabled (i rarely use activity zone).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you please upload the apk somewhere where I can download it too? Thank you in advance.
"Galaxy S7 Active - Ask me anything"
How long are your toe nails?
Sent from my SM-G930W8 using XDA-Developers mobile app
EnduringGuerila said:
I have a new unlimited plan with AT&T, just switched from Verizon, and I am having trouble getting any tethering working. I even tested FoxFi and several other apps from the store.
Do you have any solutions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are tethering apps and VPN options, but i havent tried them out just yet. Tethering with the rooted/unlocked/ROM'ed S4 was a quick launch button away, and was awesome because i could manage portfolios for clients right on their own computer or tablet at a golf course or at a race track or wherever. my clients LOVED when i did that for them lol.
I dont REALLY need it anymore as i switched careers and only hold majority stake in my brokerage, and no longer deal with clients regularly, and am taking summer and fall off for adventures, but ill look into it as eventually ill want to use my laptop or ipad again somewhere without wifi.
Arthasdude said:
Does the phone use a custom rom other than the standard samsung s7 (edge) rom? I noticed the model number is different and ofc it has the extra button...
So, will at&t update this phone with all the (limited) updates samsung provides? And if we were to get root access, will we be able to install the roms for s7?
Other question: Why doesnt this phone work with the gear VR platform? (what are the differences?)
thx!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The ROM appears to be different, is activity zone and activity button functionality all built in. I doubt we will get root access, frankly, but i dont think its really needed, once i have a solution worked out for tethering i'll be quite happy.
baseband - G891AUCU1APE7
kernel - 3.18.20-7999892
[email protected] #1
Mon May 16 14:08:53 KST 2016
build - MMB29M.G891AUCU1APE7
As for Gear VR, it WOULD work, its the physical size of the device that is the main constraint, although a buddy modified his VR to work with it. I have no interest in VR so havent bothered. Ill ask him to send some pics.
Vismis said:
Easy tether pro works flawlessly for me. I also use a vpn so att hopefully have a harder time telling I'm tethering
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using XDA-Developers mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you pay for your VPN, and have you ever gotten pinched/texted from AT&T with easy tether pro? i desperately miss this from the unlocked/rooted/ROM'ed S4!
arnes_king said:
Can you please upload the apk somewhere where I can download it too? Thank you in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check your PM's
BCSC said:
"Galaxy S7 Active - Ask me anything"
How long are your toe nails?
Sent from my SM-G930W8 using XDA-Developers mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol all are uniformly extending approximately 1mm past the end of the toenail bed
root s7 with stock rom
How can i root my sm-g891a?
doubtful root will be achieved.
Hi Slade8525, I got my S7Active few weeks ago, because I was very attracted by the 4000 mAh battery.
The problem is... I can't get even a full day! I found Android System sucking >30% of the battery, is this something happening also in your device?
Unfortunately I couldn't find any battery analyzer that will break down the drain by package, so I always have Android System and Android OS as the mayor battery offenders...
Licantrop0 said:
Hi Slade8525, I got my S7Active few weeks ago, because I was very attracted by the 4000 mAh battery.
The problem is... I can't get even a full day! I found Android System sucking >30% of the battery, is this something happening also in your device?
Unfortunately I couldn't find any battery analyzer that will break down the drain by package, so I always have Android System and Android OS as the mayor battery offenders...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, Android System is closer to 15% and thats with literally EVERYTHING turned on (GPS, wifi, NFC, Bluetooth etc); with it stripped down and all excess services (google app, svoice, etc) its closer to 8%.
Try backing up apps, install GSam battery monitor (not root version), and let it run for 2-3 days to figure out whats eating your battery. Also check out Apk Disabler Pro for Samsung; i'll post the list of disabled services from mine if you like. Aside from that, some clever work in Tasker and Greenify and you should hit 30 to 40 hours with decent SOT out of it.
May want to try a factory reset and start fresh; ive done it twice already, to learn what combo's work best or cause issues. its a pain but was worth it.
Hi there,
Where did you get your set from and is it unlocked?
Thanks!
ROOT
Hello,
I think you've already answered this, but where can I find a root file for my Samsung Galaxy S7 Active ?
I think I saw that file is archived somewhere, I am a new user, do you have a link to these files ?
Thank you.
Matt.
Could you post pics of modified vr for s7 active? Also, will s7 roms be compatible with the s7 active? Only thing I believe could be issues would be with the quad core processor (where the s7 has an 8 core), battery size, and tactile buttons.
MattHoyZ said:
Hello,
I think you've already answered this, but where can I find a root file for my Samsung Galaxy S7 Active ?
I think I saw that file is archived somewhere, I am a new user, do you have a link to these files ?
Thank you.
Matt.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Friend tried to install a rooted S7 (non-edge, USA Qualcomm 820) ROM and it simply bootloops, he managed to get it back to stock (ill try to find the stock S7 Active ROM for Odin/brick purposes and post a link). Root has not been achieved for S7 Active and likely never will, sadly.
chesterchen said:
Hi there,
Where did you get your set from and is it unlocked?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
AT&T store in USA (bought 5 total actually; folks, myself, GF, and for 2 relatives in Europe). I requested that AT&T unlock them, and as they were paid for outright, AT&T sent the correct unlock codes for each unit. S7 Active is ONLY available in USA through AT&T, however WILL work on any international GSM carrier or USA GSM carrier ONCE it is SIM unlocked. Again, if you pay for it outright, are in good standing with AT&T, they will unlock it no questions, no problems, and no additional costs. They can also be unlocked, for a price, by certain websites that you could find by doing a google search, id prefer not to refer or name companies.
TD68 said:
Could you post pics of modified vr for s7 active? Also, will s7 roms be compatible with the s7 active? Only thing I believe could be issues would be with the quad core processor (where the s7 has an 8 core), battery size, and tactile buttons.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
SOME nationally available and all int'l S7/S7 Edge have the Exynos octa-core; all AT&T S7, S7 Edge, and S7 Active have Qualcomm 820 quad core processor. I will try to get pics of my friends modified VR; he just left overseas for work. S7/S7 Edge ROMs will lead to endless bootloops (ie have to ODIN back to stock) and it is likely there will never be root or ROM options for these phones, which is unfortunate.
I played with an S7 and S7 Edge; the programmable active button is awesome, there are no cut corners on specs (do get a glass screen protector asap though), and the battery i average 40 hours with Greenify, a tasker screen-off kill-open-apps task, and bloatware (including all facebook crap) disabled. i leave S-voice on, Google App on, wifi on about 50% of the time, and GPS always on.
Thx. Also could we use kingroot?
My rear camera glass cover shattered after just 1 week for no apparent reason (never been dropped) in a perfect circular pattern. Any way it can be replaced without paying the insurance cost? Can't find parts online anywhere.
To the Note 4 community at large, I have officially joined you and am so happy to have done so. I was on a gs3 for 3.5 years and finally upgraded to a LG V10. 2 weeks ago and after 20 months of relatively issue-free use, my V10 bootlooped itself to death in my hand and I immediately took that opportunity to start shopping for a Note 4. (LG replaced the main board for free way beyond their extended warranty because it "wasn't charging through the port"... Whatever, didn't cost me anything but the inconvenience.)
Anyway, I picked up a gently used N4 on ebay for 215 shipped and it just got here this afternoon, already had a glass screen protector, uag case, zerolemon and case and OG box/charger. It came with MM and is on baseband CQD1, which seems pretty far along as far as downgrading/rooting/roaming from reading through the threads available but I obviously wanted to check in with everyone here first for options. Am I screwed as far root/romability? When I bought this phone, I was picturing running a rooted stock rom. I just want the hardware to not be hindered by the software. Currently running Oct-N on my gs3 and for the most part it's all good but the lag makes maps essentially useless. I don't want that for my daily driver, especially on a phone that I've wanted since it released.
Thanks in advance for any advice/helpful pointers, love xda and all it provides through the people here
You can try this link in xda try to ask there. Thata the thread to go from mm 6.0.1 to a custom rom it tells you cm13 but you can install something else instead.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/no...guide-step-step-stock-n910v-6-0-1-to-t3426905
AirForceOnes0010 said:
To the Note 4 community at large, I have officially joined you and am so happy to have done so. I was on a gs3 for 3.5 years and finally upgraded to a LG V10. 2 weeks ago and after 20 months of relatively issue-free use, my V10 bootlooped itself to death in my hand and I immediately took that opportunity to start shopping for a Note 4. (LG replaced the main board for free way beyond their extended warranty because it "wasn't charging through the port"... Whatever, didn't cost me anything but the inconvenience.)
Anyway, I picked up a gently used N4 on ebay for 215 shipped and it just got here this afternoon, already had a glass screen protector, uag case, zerolemon and case and OG box/charger. It came with MM and is on baseband CQD1, which seems pretty far along as far as downgrading/rooting/roaming from reading through the threads available but I obviously wanted to check in with everyone here first for options. Am I screwed as far root/romability? When I bought this phone, I was picturing running a rooted stock rom. I just want the hardware to not be hindered by the software. Currently running Oct-N on my gs3 and for the most part it's all good but the lag makes maps essentially useless. I don't want that for my daily driver, especially on a phone that I've wanted since it released.
Thanks in advance for any advice/helpful pointers, love xda and all it provides through the people here
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Get that bad boy unlocked and come join the party. You just bought the last in a line of kings that began with the s2 skyrocket (first sammie i had lol) and this is my last ....everything beyond this is sim locked w/o the ability to remove the battery . Btw what did/do you think of the lg v series ive heard good things and i do like the secondary display even though its really more of an extension than a 2nd display . Was wondering how it runs comparitively to oh say your note 4 lol
mojoswagger1980 said:
Get that bad boy unlocked and come join the party. You just bought the last in a line of kings that began with the s2 skyrocket (first sammie i had lol) and this is my last ....everything beyond this is sim locked w/o the ability to remove the battery . Btw what did/do you think of the lg v series ive heard good things and i do like the secondary display even though its really more of an extension than a 2nd display . Was wondering how it runs comparitively to oh say your note 4 lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I still need to run the 50+ step gauntlet and unlock it. Bone stock, but setup like my V10 with nova and such, it's just a hair slower. I rarely notice or care. I kept my V10 in case *knock on wood* some tragedy should befall my note but I really like this phone better. The screen is absolutely amazing compared to the v10 and I do occasionally use the s-pen, mostly for writing dimensions on pictures so I can remember sizes of whatever.
I thought the second screen was awesome, mostly with the screen off. One swipe and there's your flashlight button, another swipe and there's your music controls. Paired with a zerolemon, it got epic battery life for not being rooted because I didn't need to turn the screen on as often. I know some people really hate the light bleed from the second screen and it is uselessly dim for notifications so I used the NoLED app to make them more noticeable and had no complaints after that. I solved all my second screen withdrawals by putting a s-view case on the note and haven't looked back. It's more functional and makes it look like a giant ipod classic lol.
AirForceOnes0010 said:
I still need to run the 50+ step gauntlet and unlock it. Bone stock, but setup like my V10 with nova and such, it's just a hair slower. I rarely notice or care. I kept my V10 in case *knock on wood* some tragedy should befall my note but I really like this phone better. The screen is absolutely amazing compared to the v10 and I do occasionally use the s-pen, mostly for writing dimensions on pictures so I can remember sizes of whatever.
I thought the second screen was awesome, mostly with the screen off. One swipe and there's your flashlight button, another swipe and there's your music controls. Paired with a zerolemon, it got epic battery life for not being rooted because I didn't need to turn the screen on as often. I know some people really hate the light bleed from the second screen and it is uselessly dim for notifications so I used the NoLED app to make them more noticeable and had no complaints after that. I solved all my second screen withdrawals by putting a s-view case on the note and haven't looked back. It's more functional and makes it look like a giant ipod classic lol.
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Click to collapse
Lol its really only sketchy the first time you unlock it ...and look on the bright side your finally grtting around to learning to use adb minimum (not to mention all root methods after this will feel easy) i had the note 3 and this is the same exploit i used to unlock it so i wasnt shell shocked by the concept of super sketchy temp root) it is a phenomally good idea to use dr. Cools stabalized method to unlock the bootloader (its in the forum somwhere) for at least his method some of his files are outdated and should maybe be updated but his guide is still my personal reference . Also you do not need a verizon sim card ! The note 4 isnt sim locked i used a cricket wireless sim . You do have to manually enter apn info though i found mine at apngeisha.com (really only applies if you want to update to 6.0.1 and above) Good luck !
AirForceOnes0010 said:
I still need to run the 50+ step gauntlet and unlock it. Bone stock, but setup like my V10 with nova and such, it's just a hair slower. I rarely notice or care. I kept my V10 in case *knock on wood* some tragedy should befall my note but I really like this phone better. The screen is absolutely amazing compared to the v10 and I do occasionally use the s-pen, mostly for writing dimensions on pictures so I can remember sizes of whatever.
I thought the second screen was awesome, mostly with the screen off. One swipe and there's your flashlight button, another swipe and there's your music controls. Paired with a zerolemon, it got epic battery life for not being rooted because I didn't need to turn the screen on as often. I know some people really hate the light bleed from the second screen and it is uselessly dim for notifications so I used the NoLED app to make them more noticeable and had no complaints after that. I solved all my second screen withdrawals by putting a s-view case on the note and haven't looked back. It's more functional and makes it look like a giant ipod classic lol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just bought a new n4 and did the 6.1.1 to stock 5.1.1 to unlock and root. Well worth it, phone is so much nicer without bloat and ability to use all the root apps. Its not terribly difficult process just time consuming. Good luck
Hi, I'd suggest you use the Batman Rom by Star53, it combines the features of the note 4 and the s8, it's well developed and battery friendly, it can be found over at the Note 4 Snapdragon forum, and a good kernel with that Rom is modest kernel by Kevintm78, with this setup you'll easily be able to get at least 4 hour SOT
Thanks for all the advice, why I come here really nice having a phone with development still on-going, Verizon v10 forum was very depressing
Twowong4words said:
Just bought a new n4 and did the 6.1.1 to stock 5.1.1 to unlock and root. Well worth it, phone is so much nicer without bloat and ability to use all the root apps. Its not terribly difficult process just time consuming. Good luck
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only moderately difficult the very first time. The phone takes root way easier after it has been rooted once.
Get yourself unlocked and once you do, either use MoDestROm or N7. User kevintm78 is the author of MoDestRom and he has released a kernel which is compatible for both ROMs, if I understand correctly. There are actually 4 separate kernel files, you only need one. Basically, there are two kernel files for each ROM, one without, and one WITH ZeroLemon battery compatibility. If you don't use one of these ZL compatible kernels or if you stay on stock rom, then your phone is likely to not read your battery percentage correctly. Moreover, it'll stay at 1% like mine did for quite a few hours, which is extremely annoying, considering the phone goes dim at 3%.
Here's a link to the Kernel thread. - MoDest Kernel
I don't know what else is out there, or what else works with the Note 4 (SM-N910V) in terms of ZeroLemon battery compatibility, so there could be more stuff out there. But I'm fine with this. In fact, I've even inquired about using a different battery, there's an even higher capacity battery, I think 11,800 mAh (ZL is 10,000 mAh), and kevin told me that he thinks it should work fine but this is more than likely untested and more like a theory of his.
I'm a T-Mobile user & have been holding out on an upgrade for the S9, but am seeing some really concerning chatter about its performance, battery life, & T-Mobile signal quality, and am now wondering if I should just go with an S8. Snapdragon is a non-option for me (having *proper* backup - aka Titanium - is IMO a bare essential). Thus I'm only comparing Exynos S8 to Exynos S9.
1) The Anandtech review everyone's been talking about shows the Exynos S9's battery life / performance as even worse than last year's Exynos S8. I realize these are synthetic tests, but so far they're the best direct comparison I've got, & I would assume they'd be at least somewhat representative of real-world behavior (though they may i.e. inflate the difference). And *if* these results are indeed representative of what to expect, it feels a bit silly to pay more for a newer phone that's a downgrade in battery life. I've read through a number of threads & seen a pile of individual numbers, but if anyone has some specific experience with a 1:1 Exynos S8 to Exynos S9 comparison, it could be very enlightening. Most of the comparisons I've found on here seem to be Snapdragon vs Exynos.
2) I've also seen some threads that say Exynos S9 is getting really bad speed on T-Mobile (i.e. here). The same user later said in another thread (here) that they were somehow able to get it working better, but that it still has noticeably worse signal than Snapdragon S9. Again, I'd be interested to know if Exynos S8 vs Exynos S9 show similar behavior.
3) Finally, as I live in a weak signal area, T-Mobile WiFi calling is essential. From what I understand it isn't yet possible on Exynos S9, but based on past trends it's pretty safe to assume that at some point someone will figure out how to enable it. It looks like it's currently working on Exynos S8 (reference). Is this accurate?
For the sake of longevity & the centered fingerprint reader I'd obviously prefer the S9...but not *if* it comes at the cost of worse battery, worse T-Mobile signal, & no T-Mobile WiFi calling. The *IF* is what I'd really like to try & determine before pulling the trigger on one or the other
metal450 said:
I'm a T-Mobile user & have been holding out on an upgrade for the S9, but am seeing some really concerning chatter about its performance, battery life, & T-Mobile signal quality, and am now wondering if I should just go with an S8. Snapdragon is a non-option for me (having *proper* backup - aka Titanium - is IMO a bare essential). Thus I'm only comparing Exynos S8 to Exynos S9.
1) The Anandtech review everyone's been talking about shows the Exynos S9's battery life / performance as even worse than last year's Exynos S8. I realize these are synthetic tests, but so far they're the best direct comparison I've got, & I would assume they'd be at least somewhat representative of real-world behavior (though they may i.e. inflate the difference). And *if* these results are indeed representative of what to expect, it feels a bit silly to pay more for a newer phone that's a downgrade in battery life. I've read through a number of threads & seen a pile of individual numbers, but if anyone has some specific experience with a 1:1 Exynos S8 to Exynos S9 comparison, it could be very enlightening. Most of the comparisons I've found on here seem to be Snapdragon vs Exynos.
2) I've also seen some threads that say Exynos S9 is getting really bad speed on T-Mobile (i.e. here). The same user later said in another thread (here) that they were somehow able to get it working better, but that it still has noticeably worse signal than Snapdragon S9. Again, I'd be interested to know if Exynos S8 vs Exynos S9 show similar behavior.
3) Finally, as I live in a weak signal area, T-Mobile WiFi calling is essential. From what I understand it isn't yet possible on Exynos S9, but based on past trends it's pretty safe to assume that at some point someone will figure out how to enable it. It looks like it's currently working on Exynos S8 (reference). Is this accurate?
For the sake of longevity & the centered fingerprint reader I'd obviously prefer the S9...but not *if* it comes at the cost of worse battery, worse T-Mobile signal, & no T-Mobile WiFi calling. The *IF* is what I'd really like to try & determine before pulling the trigger on one or the other
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Click to collapse
Off topic- since 2007 I have been flashing and modding my phone's, as they were not even near performance I could get out of. I had the S7 Exynos , than went with S8 and now S9 Snapdeagon. As much as I miss the flashing , the over all performance, the fact it works great out of box, no crap installed by TMO, and Sammi actually doing a decent job, MAYBE it is not a big thing getting the TMO phone.. I'm not sorry I did, and I am a flashoholic..
BigE said:
As much as I miss the flashing, the over all performance, the fact it works great out of box, no crap installed by TMO, and Sammi actually doing a decent job, MAYBE it is not a big thing getting the TMO phone..
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Click to collapse
I'd actually really love to go that route too - but until Android offers a proper "complete" backup, I just don't see how a non-rootable phone is an option. I switched from iPhone not too long ago, bought my first Android phone which had a locked bootloader, & was absolutely baffled by the inability to do a complete device backup. "Complete" as in including all the data of every app, full OS customization, etc - to the point where you can just restore to a new phone & have it completely 100% setup where you left off. I'm not at all a fan of iPhone, but full device backup is something it's offered since...forever...and apparently on Android, the only way to get this is through Titanium. So after spending a few days trying every non-root backup solution I could find, I eventually gave in & returned the phone to be replaced with one that could be rooted.
Beyond full backup, I really don't have interest in flashing/customizing/etc. But until that's resolved natively, it's unfortuately rootable-only for me.
metal450 said:
I'd actually really love to go that route too - but until Android offers a proper "complete" backup, I just don't see how a non-rootable phone is an option. I switched from iPhone not too long ago, bought my first Android phone which had a locked bootloader, & was absolutely baffled by the inability to do a complete device backup. "Complete" as in including all the data of every app, full OS customization, etc - to the point where you can just restore to a new phone & have it completely 100% setup where you left off. I'm not at all a fan of iPhone, but full device backup is something it's offered since...forever...and apparently on Android, the only way to get this is through Titanium. So after spending a few days trying every non-root backup solution I could find, I eventually gave in & returned the phone to be replaced with one that could be rooted.
Beyond full backup, I really don't have interest in flashing/customizing/etc. But until that's resolved natively, it's unfortuately rootable-only for me.
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Click to collapse
Well, while a valid point, I have restored only once in 3 years.. and it was not perfect , yet was not a complete disaster. It took less than 40 minutes . I didn't need to restore once on the TMO phones, simply because I did not flash and made my phone unstable. Yes, I know what you mean regarding iPhones. I have 2 more lines and they are used by apple fans in the house. Yet again- iPhone 8 is a bit different than the 6 or 7 were .. things change , and actually improve. If in 2007 I had to actually wtite code (use kitchen) , mod and flash, now days I don't see a need. Did I get old? Maybe, and again, I don't answer your fundamental question , but you may get an unlocked S9 (Snapdragon), root it in few months when available, and enjoy root and TMO CSC.. I can tell you , if I have to choose between battery life and backup, then battery life it is.. I can live with partial backup, I can't with lousy battery life. But- this is me and it may not be good enough for you. Just a different point of view of an old guy..
BigE said:
I have restored only once in 3 years.. and it was not perfect , yet was not a complete disaster. It took less than 40 minutes . I didn't need to restore once on the TMO phones, simply because I did not flash and made my phone unstable.
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Click to collapse
The issue isn't about needing to restore because it's unstable - it's about having a backup of your personal data. Stable or not, phones can get lost/stolen, and will eventually be replaced regardless. Samsung's SmartSync "solution" backs up no app data whatsoever, and other 3rd party non-root backup apps like Helium are spotty at best (for instance, they don't backup any chat history from WhatsApp, Viber, or Line). Currently, my message history in every app I use goes back to the start of when I got my first ever iPhone, many many years ago. Switching to non-root Android would mean nuking it every time I get a new phone. While it truly baffles me that there's no proper/official Android solution & that so many people seem fine with this, in my case, I feel like Titanium is the one & only option (for being able to use Android without risking large chunks of my personal data).
BigE said:
you may get an unlocked S9 (Snapdragon), root it in few months when available, and enjoy root and TMO CSC.. I can tell you , if I have to choose between battery life and backup, then battery life it is..
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Click to collapse
Actually, the previous/first non-rootable Android I mentioned getting was a Snapdragon S7. It technically *was* rootable, but its method of rooting broke the ability to use Secure Startup, in addition to introducing noticeable issues with lag & battery drain. That's why I returned it. It seems like you're suggesting I wait until S9 Snapdragon is rootable as a solution for having root w/ stability+battery life...but my very reason for looking at Exynos in the first place is because the last time I tried rooting a Snapdragon it had pretty bad stability/battery life, & I was pointed in the direction of Exynos.
I was under the impression that an Exynos, due to being unlocked, should be *the* solution for rootable without negatively affecting its battery life...not the other way around.
I have an S8 exynos, I do not have wifi calling. the S8 is a great phone and I do not feel like I'm missing out by going to S9, however if there is a really good deal I would jump ship. The only thing I dont have on my S8 right now is the 960fps camera, otherwise dual stereo speaker and everything else is the same, speed is getting irrelevant up here, I felt the S7 edge was pretty damn fast too, but I gave my family both of those and bought an S8.
I have both Snapdragon and Exynos S9(plus versions). Exynos does not bottom out on T-mobile LTE like S8 Exynos did. I am not a dev but extracted WiFi calling related files from Snapdragon and tried changing the CSC to TMB and got VoLTE to work on Tmobile but I keep getting "com.android.phone has stopped working". I am either missing a setting or it is due to the new /omc partition Samsung introduced for CSCs.
Hopefully Tkkg1994 or someone takes interest into this to get this working. Another huge issue with Exynos is you cannot record any calls with call recording apps due to Samsung removing that feature. I haven't seen any rooted apps that enable call recording on Exynos yet.
KeepItzRoot said:
I have an S8 exynos, I do not have wifi calling.
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Click to collapse
You mean you tried but were unable to get it working? Or you just didn't feel like you needed it, so couldn't offer input one way or the other (about its availability on S8)?
KeepItzRoot said:
the S8 is a great phone and I do not feel like I'm missing out by going to S9
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Click to collapse
Right, but in my case I have neither, & am just trying to determine which would be best to go with. If there's no deterioration in performance/battery as the Anandtech article would indicate, I'd obviously prefer the S9 for longer longevity & the other improvements. But if it's actually worse...then...well, that's what I'm trying to figure out.
VICosPhi said:
I have both Snapdragon and Exynos S9(plus versions). Exynos does not bottom out on T-mobile LTE like S8 Exynos did.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you mean by 'bottom out'?
VICosPhi said:
Another huge issue with Exynos is you cannot record any calls with call recording apps due to Samsung removing that feature. I haven't seen any rooted apps that enable call recording on Exynos yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh crap, that is a serious issue. Ugh, wtf. So you mean it's there in the Snapdragon but for some reason they killed it in the Exynos? Is this true of the S8 too, or just the S9?
metal450 said:
What do you mean by 'bottom out'?
Oh crap, that is a serious issue. Ugh, wtf. So you mean it's there in the Snapdragon but for some reason they killed it in the Exynos? Is this true of the S8 too, or just the S9?
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Click to collapse
I meant to say the Exynos S8 has carrier aggregation issues with t-mobile and you'd get less LTE speed than snapdragon. My S9 Exynos runs a lot better on t-mobile LTE.
Yeah Samsung want to be the policing nanny that dictates how one should use their phone. They're going to push the new update to all of their phones including S8 to disable the use of recording apps. I can't believe they want to impose this on everyone despite call recording being legal in many places. For now it works with snapdragon but that may not be the case soon.
Sent from my SM-G965U1 using Tapatalk
VICosPhi said:
My S9 Exynos runs a lot better on t-mobile LTE.
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Click to collapse
Ahh - so just to be clear, you're saying that your S9 Exynos runs a lot better on T-Mobile than your S8 Exynos, right? If so, that definitely sounds like a +1 vote for S9 over the S8.
VICosPhi said:
Yeah Samsung want to be the policing nanny that dictates how one should use their phone. They're going to push the new update to all of their phones including S8 to disable the use of recording apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ughh...so now even Samsung is turning into Apple? :silly:
Still, if this is being done entirely via software update, it stands to reason that custom roms would not be affected, right? Which seems to just make the case for Exynos even stronger. Because *if* they do indeed disable this on all their phones, but only Exynos can support custom roms...that would mean that ultimately *only* Exynos would retain call-recording. No?
metal450 said:
Ahh - so just to be clear, you're saying that your S9 Exynos runs a lot better on T-Mobile than your S8 Exynos, right? If so, that definitely sounds like a +1 vote for S9 over the S8.
Ughh...so now even Samsung is turning into Apple? :silly:
Still, if this is being done entirely via software update, it stands to reason that custom roms would not be affected, right? Which seems to just make the case for Exynos even stronger. Because *if* they do indeed disable this on all their phones, but only Exynos can support custom roms...that would mean that ultimately *only* Exynos would retain call-recording. No?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes S9 runs much better on T-mobile's LTE network.
Yep, they're surely turning into Apple of Android... I've bought every galaxy phone since the first but looks like it is time to look elsewhere soon if Samsung starts restricting user choices. Huawei P20 and One plus 6 may give 90% of what Samsung offers.
Actually the call recording apps do not yet work on custom ROMs either. I agree Exynos is safer bet as there's still some chance someone will get call recording working with root and possibly T-mobile wifi calling too...
Sent from my SM-G965U1 using Tapatalk
VICosPhi said:
Actually the call recording apps do not yet work on custom ROMs either.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does that mean on custom roms for the S9 only, or does it apply to the S8 as well?
metal450 said:
Does that mean on custom roms for the S9 only, or does it apply to the S8 as well?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Call recording apps work on S8 but if you're on Oreo then it will have intermittent issues due to Samsung limiting it in new updates.
Sent from my SM-G965U1 using Tapatalk
VICosPhi said:
Call recording apps work on S8 but if you're on Oreo then it will have intermittent issues due to Samsung limiting it in new updates.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the confirm. I guess I should probably just disregard this as an S8 vs S9 criteria for now then, because if Samsung is breaking it in software they're likely to do so on both phones eventually - and if it's fixable in software it's likely the xda community will overcome it for both phones eventually too.
Still, the battery life thing is very disconcerting. People in this thread are continuing to post numbers like:
S9: Usage ~14 hours and 5 hours sot
S8: Usage ~20+ hours and 7+ hours sot
If true, that's a *very* big regression...
Personally, the battery life has been more or less the same for me if that helps.
Sent from my SM-G965U1 using Tapatalk
VICosPhi said:
Personally, the battery life has been more or less the same for me if that helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm, that's good to know, thanks. I guess I'll hold off for at least a few more days & see if there's more of a consensus, as this Anandtech review that started the whole thing is still pretty recent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkNXCK2iVO8
Maybe have to go with snapdragon after all....
Nurmi_CEO said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkNXCK2iVO8
Maybe have to go with snapdragon after all....
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Click to collapse
LTE works fine now after software update he says in his update
Nurmi_CEO said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkNXCK2iVO8
Maybe have to go with snapdragon after all....
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Click to collapse
I don't get that video. He got the same crappy speeds with snapdragon Note 8. The only difference was the LTE vs HSPA indicator which is likely due to band 71 lacking on exynos. I have both Exynos and snapdragon S9+ phones and haven't noticed any issues. Snapdragon is probably 10-20% faster on LTE and coverage is identical. It is true that exynos lacks band 71 but that's about it.
Sent from my SM-G965U1 using Tapatalk
VICosPhi said:
I don't get that video. He got the same crappy speeds with snapdragon Note 8. The only difference was the LTE vs HSPA indicator which is likely due to band 71 lacking on exynos. I have both Exynos and snapdragon S9+ phones and haven't noticed any issues. Snapdragon is probably 10-20% faster on LTE and coverage is identical. It is true that exynos lacks band 71 but that's about it.
Sent from my SM-G965U1 using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
So for sure the Exynos is missing Band 71? I was trying to find it but I swear someone posted saying he received his S9 Exynos and confirmed it had b71.
EDIT: Found the thread. I was confusing the Exynos for the US Unlocked version (SD845) https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s9-plus/help/s9-9-unlocked-band-71-t-mobile-t3758387/page3
I've been researching this for a couple days and find a ton of generic sites stating you can upgrade this phone but none of it seems to work. Some people on xda were working on projects and from what I can tell they either abandoned it or failed. The big problem is it's on 4.4.2 android and some apps don't work or you're stuck with an outdated partially functioning app. I had a Verizon S6 on PagePlus that bit the dust so I went back and activated my SCH-I435 and really like the size of it again.
The one thing I hated about the S6 is the battery life sucks unless you have everything disabled and barely use it and there's no SD card slot. If I could update the S4 mini and get a new battery it'd be great, but it's not looking possible. Looking at new phones for around $200-250 like the Moto G5 or G6, they cost as much as the S6 and don't have nearly the features like wireless charging on the S6. If I have to buy another phone for that price the S6 is looking like the best deal to this day, though I'll never understand why people want a huge screen and a paper thin phone with less than a day of real usage on a single charge. I'd rather have a thicker phone that can last 2-3 days.
Is there anything I can do with the SCH-I435 or am I stuck with that android version?
They gave me a $400 trade in credit on my Tab S4, so this cost me 250. Will I notice much of a difference?????
ScottBroker said:
They gave me a $400 trade in credit on my Tab S4, so this cost me 250. Will I notice much of a difference?????
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Click to collapse
no
ScottBroker said:
They gave me a $400 trade in credit on my Tab S4, so this cost me 250. Will I notice much of a difference?????
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Click to collapse
You wil definitely notice the shty lcd screen.
Did the same exchange (for S7+), and I do really love some stuff:
- 120Hz screen, this is very noticeable if you are used to that frequency.
- Official keyboard accessory isn't crap anymore, it won't disconnect easily and has touchpad. No more external mouse.
- Camera is best now, as its located horizontally instead of vertically
- Fingerprint reader >>>> Optical
- RAM improvement is great. Many people don't often see that, but if you are multitasking is quite easy to observe. Specially if you ran Linux inside.
- Audio is definitively better.
If you are artist (I'm not), S-Pen is noticeably better, more responsive. If you have some official cover, it won't fall easily. S-Pen protection at S4 tab was awful, I lost that S-Pen once while traveling.
I also did the exchange/trade in with my old 12.9 inch iPad Pro 2017 model. They gave me $500 for it which is like practically what I bought it for almost 4 years ago. So couldn't turn that down. Unfortunately Pro-Motion on the iPad Pro (120hz refresh) really spoiled me and there was no way I'd be able to go back to 60hz refresh. Luckily Samsung came out with these otherwise I'd of been forced to get another iPad Pro. Not that I hate iOS but man after using it for 4 years and then coming to Android again you really notice how restrictive iOS is.
Have had it for about a week and a half now. I grabbed the S7+ with 256gb storage mainly for the extra 2 gigs of ram. I don't tend to really use to much storage, but figured the extra 2gb of RAM would be nice. Not sure if it'll makes a difference but I figured it can't hurt and may help future proof the device a bit down the line as I plan on keeping this for years. I heard the LCD screen on the regular S7 is actually quite nice so you should like it. The speakers are excellent, get very loud and sound good. SD 865+ makes the device very snappy. The fact it comes with a S-Pen is also awesome. I find myself using it often even though I don't do any kind of drawing or art like stuff.
I've been very happy with everything so far and I'm sure you'll love it as well. Samsung did a great job this year with this tablet!
Ripx88 said:
I also did the exchange/trade in with my old 12.9 inch iPad Pro 2017 model. They gave me $500 for it which is like practically what I bought it for almost 4 years ago. So couldn't turn that down. Unfortunately Pro-Motion on the iPad Pro (120hz refresh) really spoiled me and there was no way I'd be able to go back to 60hz refresh. Luckily Samsung came out with these otherwise I'd of been forced to get another iPad Pro. Not that I hate iOS but man after using it for 4 years and then coming to Android again you really notice how restrictive iOS is.
Have had it for about a week and a half now. I grabbed the S7+ with 256gb storage mainly for the extra 2 gigs of ram. I don't tend to really use to much storage, but figured the extra 2gb of RAM would be nice. Not sure if it'll makes a difference but I figured it can't hurt and may help future proof the device a bit down the line as I plan on keeping this for years. I heard the LCD screen on the regular S7 is actually quite nice so you should like it. The speakers are excellent, get very loud and sound good. SD 865+ makes the device very snappy. The fact it comes with a S-Pen is also awesome. I find myself using it often even though I don't do any kind of drawing or art like stuff.
I've been very happy with everything so far and I'm sure you'll love it as well. Samsung did a great job this year with this tablet!
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Click to collapse
Did you guys buy WiFi or cellular devices? Apparently AT&T doesn't have the s7+ yet and I don't know if I get another carrier device will they be interchangeable or unlockable to another carrier??
jcrompton said:
Did you guys buy WiFi or cellular devices? Apparently AT&T doesn't have the s7+ yet and I don't know if I get another carrier device will they be interchangeable or unlockable to another carrier??
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Click to collapse
I got the WiFi only version. Surprised AT&T doesn't have it yet. That seems weird. Its been on the market for like 6 months.
I've only owned one tablet with data and that was actually the first generation of this tablet, the Tab S 10.5. I don't know if you would be able to ever change the carrier though. I was going to say I wouldn't think so but honestly I'm not sure. I had mine stolen all those years ago so I never saw if I could unlock it. I presume once its paid off they wouldn't care about it being unlockable. But what do I know lol. Hopefully someone will respond who can shed some light on this for you bud.
Ripx88 said:
I got the WiFi only version. Surprised AT&T doesn't have it yet. That seems weird. Its been on the market for like 6 months.
I've only owned one tablet with data and that was actually the first generation of this tablet, the Tab S 10.5. I don't know if you would be able to ever change the carrier though. I was going to say I wouldn't think so but honestly I'm not sure. I had mine stolen all those years ago so I never saw if I could unlock it. I presume once its paid off they wouldn't care about it being unlockable. But what do I know l---- ol. Hopefully someone will respond who can shed some light on this for you bud.
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Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply ..... I sure hope my ATT rep is correct but he said that I could order the TMO S7+ from Samsung and that it was already unlocked .... But I guess we'll see in a couple of days!! I ordered it
jcrompton said:
Did you guys buy WiFi or cellular devices? Apparently AT&T doesn't have the s7+ yet and I don't know if I get another carrier device will they be interchangeable or unlockable to another carrier??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just got the S7+ a few days ago, really liking it so far. I got the WiFi only model. Had a Tab S6 LTE through Verizon but I never really used the LTE as I was always in a place with WiFi. Went with the unlocked Samsung version of the S7+ since Verizon likes to remove features like Call and Text on other devices. I love that feature between my Fold 2 and S7+. Plus I wanted the larger screen of the S7+ as I use it primarily for media consumption.