I have a 3 yr old Galaxy S5 I'm about to retire. It was acquired from AT&T. This model has been notoriously difficult to root.
With whatever I get I don't want to be as stuck in no-root hell as I have been with this S5. (The phone itself has been great, I have just wanted to get in and mess with it.)
Generally speaking, if I buy an unlocked phone off of Amazon, for example, are these easier to root than versions that come from the carriers? In my periodic research on rooting the S5, for example, I've found that versions from other carriers are rootable but AT&T's has not been. So that's leading me to believe that the carrier's software is either 1/ more secure or 2/ more vulnerable, depending on the degree to which the carrier invests in making it bullet proof.
I've been so happy with the Samsung, buying an S8 seems quite logical. But like I said, I don't want to be stuck in no-root hell for the forseeable future.
Thanks.
Jim
Essential phone..... cheaper...... mod heaven
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I've recently been looking for a good phone to join my parent's AT&T family plan. I've tried out the Note 4 and really love it, I just don't like the Samsung bloat. I want to buy a phone in about a month, and my budget is around $450. I searched on eBay for an unlocked Note 4 and found that there a lot of listings for AT&T unlocked phones at $400. At first, I though this would be great. It's not expensive, it's a great phone, etc. But then I looked at the XDA Developers forum and found a mess of different versions. After looking around, I'm pretty disappointed to find that the N910A is not rootable, which is a pretty big deal for me. I can deal with Samsung bloat if I can use a root disabler or something. But if it's not even rootable...
Anyway, I just want to ask a few questions regarding the Note 4 models.
1) Is the AT&T Version really not rootable? Is it just more difficult? (if yes, does anyone know why not?)
2) Would the T-Mobile version (N910T) work if I could find a nice unlocked one on eBay?
3) Will the pre-installed ROM update to Android M when it's available?
I hope these questions make sense.
Thanks in advance!
Yes it is not fully rootable and most likely never will be because of the locked bootloader and the write protection in the kernel it protects.
Get the 910T and you will never have to worry about it. You can flash the M rom from tmobile when it comes out (you will lose root) or you can look in the dev section and flash a pre rooted android m release that meets your needs. More than likely the dev section will have android m months before tmo sends out the update.
Generally, taking the auto updates when rooted is not advised because depending on what they have changed and what you have customized, it could mess things up and break things. Nothing a factory reset couldn't fix though. Do the updating according to your free time and schedule, not theirs.
Be wary when buying from eBay or Craigslist, $400 new and unlocked is a great deal but those phones could very well be fakes
I'm looking at both AT&T and Verizon services. Ideally I'd like to get a Nexus 6 that could work with both of them, should I decide to migrate. If I get a carrier-specific phone I want to flash it to Google defaults. I really don't like carrier-specific apps or other hooks. And I don't want to have to wait for the carrier to approve an OS version before I get it. I played that game with T-Mobile and never got a single update for Gingerbread, and Verizon had a huge delay before offering 5.1 to Nexus users. I want freedom from their whims.
1) Are there any special technical or business concerns about flashing the phones from either operator? Do any of these companies deny service (anymore) if we dump their company-approved OS?
2) Is it getting too late to just now buy into a Nexus 6? Is there a replacement for this on the near horizon? I don't want to pay full price for hardware that's getting obsoleted by the carrier or Google as I walk out the door. Google already says on their factory OS page that some phones (generally over 18 months old) may no longer be able to upgrade. I think the Nexus 6 is getting close to that line.
3) And given the choice between getting a phone from some third-party, or from the operator, it looks like (because of the age of this device?) some of them are offered for less than US$400, but the operators still charge $600+. Are there any do's and don'ts about buying from a third party and then asking one these "big two" companies to use it on their network? I know/believe that for an LTE network we don't need to get an unlocked phone, which only applies to the SIM for GSM. But is there any other way that an off-the-shelf Nexus can be incompatible (for business or technical reasons) with one of these carriers?
Thanks.
This might not be the best spot to ask since it's the galaxy nexus specific forum
I know this may be an open ended question but as on now which carrier provides tho best opportunity when it comes to rooting and rom development. I've been rooting and flashing roms for years with other android phones but only on At&t. With the current state of updates from At&t as well and not being able to flash on at&t i'm possibly going to drop att after contract runs out. Current cell is N910A and I miss flashing new roms to try. I seen a vid of a guy flashing Dr. Keatons rom to his Note 4 N910 g/h i think and it looked awesome. Thanks guys
frankly its best to buy an unlocked phone. if you need a carrier branded phone then try t-mobile
Carriers' advantage is with the phone subsidy..
And though the Note series is probably the best coming from Samsung (probably the best Android, too), it is quite expensive to be honest..
boofman said:
Carriers' advantage is with the phone subsidy..
And though the Note series is probably the best coming from Samsung (probably the best Android, too), it is quite expensive to be honest..
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Click to collapse
The AT&T NEXT plan you are paying for your phone in increments. The old way was to give you $X amount of subsidy and have you pay a discounted price for the phone itself. Then they locked you into a contract where you were basically repaying that subsidy.
Basically you always paid for your phone, so I think that carriers' advantage only applies if you can't afford to purchase the handset outright.
Stay with ATT and buy an international phone that will work on it (ATT may or may not throttle your data speeds though. Not sure)
Or leave ATT and go with T-mobile and get a rootable phone. Or go with Verizon and MAYBE get LUCKY and get a rootable phone.
Those are really the two options if you want a rootable phone. You can keep ATT and still be able to use a rootable phone. Just don't expect root on an ATT phone.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk
Hi there,
Sorry if this is an obvious question - I'm a big mobile enthusiast, but probably not as technically minded as some of you folks
I'm in the UK right now but am moving to the US permanently in a few weeks. I'm getting the Note 7 and am torn between what to do - buy it here or there.
Here's my thinking: If I buy here, it will be free of all that yucky bloatware you get over there since I gather that even if I purchase from BestBuy, there's nothing quite like a sim-free unlocked phone of the type we would get here. And that carrier bloatware scares me. I don't want to have to be rooting my phone and messing about with it to make it run at an acceptable speed when it inevitably starts to slow down, down the line. Plus, I just hate the thought of having all of that rubbish on my phone. If I'm spending $900 or so, I want it to be pure as the driven snow!
I'm not sure which network I'm going to be going for in the US (as an 'Alien' new to the US with no credit history, it's not easy to get a contract) but what I'm looking at is either T-Mobile or AT&T (possibly Cricket, if not main AT&T.) Although I hear T-Mobile signal can be patchy. I'll be in Los Angeles, so I imagine signal should be good.
So what I'm wondering is - will it all work OK there? I'm assuming the GSM version we get in the UK will be compatible with those two networks, though not Verizon. Although I doubt I'll go with Verizon because their packages don't really look good for what I need and also I hear their bloatware in particular is immense!
I know we have a different processor in the Exynos edition (or is that the one you guys have and we have Snapdragon? Anyway, you know what I mean..) But would that processor make any actual difference in day to day use? Does the processor just run the software or does it have an influence on how the phone actually works with the network as a phone and data device? Am I likely to run into problems?
Also, you probably can't answer this - but worth a try.. I assume that Samsung's warranties are not international? Right now, I am on an iPhone and I know that if it breaks in the US, I can just take it to an Apple store in the US. My gut tells me if I buy in the UK and it starts playing up, I'll be on my own, unless you know different? But hey - it's a trade off. Bloatware vs warranty.
Anyway, any thoughts or advice would be gratefully received.
Thanks all.
Phil :good:
Definitely buy the Exynos International version of the phone. I live near Los Angeles and plan to purchase the international version as well because it has no bloatware. It will be my first purchase of an international unlocked phone. I'm on AT&T but my understanding is that T-mobile rocks in Los Angeles. You can't go wrong with AT&T or T-Mobile, but I would lean toward T-Mobile if I were you, they are really kicking butt right now.
The exynos version of the phone will have better battery life by just a bit and it will be only slightly faster. They both have trade-offs, but in the end, it doesn't make a big difference, just get the international version, which is what all of us Americans want. I don't know about the warranty, you might have to ship the phone off for that.
if you buy one in the UK, make sure you make a few phone calls before you move.
European Samsung phones usually refuse to accept US SIM cards unless you make a phone call for a few minutes using a European SIM.
thedicemaster said:
if you buy one in the UK, make sure you make a few phone calls before you move.
European Samsung phones usually refuse to accept US SIM cards unless you make a phone call for a few minutes using a European SIM.
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That's a very good point! I remember reading about this with my old Galaxy when it said that it locked it to the country where the first phone call was made.
But would this possibly present problems? If I made a few calls with my Vodafone sim, would that then mean that it locks it to UK networks and makes a T-Mobile USA or AT&T sim incompatible?
And bands-wise, they're all good to go, right? There's no reason a local US sim wouldn't work 100% in that model? And the processor doesn't make a difference? Just wondering why they bother to put two different processor types in the phone otherwise?
DuffmasterFresh said:
Definitely buy the Exynos International version of the phone. I live near Los Angeles and plan to purchase the international version as well because it has no bloatware. It will be my first purchase of an international unlocked phone. I'm on AT&T but my understanding is that T-mobile rocks in Los Angeles. You can't go wrong with AT&T or T-Mobile, but I would lean toward T-Mobile if I were you, they are really kicking butt right now.
The exynos version of the phone will have better battery life by just a bit and it will be only slightly faster. They both have trade-offs, but in the end, it doesn't make a big difference, just get the international version, which is what all of us Americans want. I don't know about the warranty, you might have to ship the phone off for that.
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Click to collapse
Thanks - this is really helpful. Good to know TM are good there as had heard a few stories about bad coverage.
it's the opposite.
unless they changed it just for the note 7, you have to use the phone in the UK before you can use it in the US.
here's a quote from an article regarding the region lock in the S7 and S7 edge:
its box will be sealed with a sticker reading "European SIM card only."
The tab below this sticker explains how and why, albeit in tiny and rather verbose script. Essentially, in order for your unlocked European GS7 to be fully unlocked, you first need to make a total of five minutes worth of phone calls using a European SIM. If you don't do this, and try to use it with a SIM from outside of Europe, it won't connect to the network.
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this is to prevent shops from selling European phones in the US.
the unlocking method is so that people moving outside Europe after buying a phone can continue to use it.
thedicemaster said:
it's the opposite.
unless they changed it just for the note 7, you have to use the phone in the UK before you can use it in the US.
here's a quote from an article regarding the region lock in the S7 and S7 edge:
this is to prevent shops from selling European phones in the US.
the unlocking method is so that people moving outside Europe after buying a phone can continue to use it.
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Click to collapse
Got it - just been reading up on it. Thanks for this.
Well, that all looks simple enough. Shouldn't be an issue.
In fact, my only fear is warranty now. If I smash or crack it (which I will try not to obvs, but heaven forbid, it happens), I may be spannered.
I doubt my insurance will cover it if it is an international model and Samsung look like they don't do international warranties.
That's the only thing stopping me sitting here pressing 'order' when I'm on the verge of it.
Also, I wonder if Samsung Pay will be affected, If maybe, somehow, that's region specific.
It's a big risk.. Eeek!
Screw it, I've ordered.
So just to clarify - the bands on the international (UK) unlocked version will be compatible with ATT/Cricket and T-Mobile?
Man, I've been having a bad week. First, I break my phone. Then, I search around for a replacement that LineageOS supports. LineageOS has Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ listed on their "Supported Devices" page. Great! So, I run off to T-Mobile and get an S9 for a replacement.
Unfortunately, now I find out that the T-Mobile S9 cannot be rooted! There goes the main reason I was buying it. What is fortunate, though, is that apparently T-Mobile will allow you to return phones within 14 days. (Although there might be a restocking fee. Boo.)
From all I've been able to find on XDA and other places on the web, as far as anybody knows, the T-Mobile S9 is unrootable, and it will remain unrootable for the foreseeable future. My next question is this: Which phone should I get to replace it? I'd like to get something with similar specs. Does the T-Mobile S10 have the same problems with rooting? What's the most root-friendly, modern phone?
(BTW, I am aware that not all S9s have this limitation, but I can't afford to pay full price for a phone right now.)
Your first mistake was running to a carrier for one of their phones.
Pretty much any US carrier branded phone is unrootable. That's one of their requirements from an OEM... a locked bootloader, to prevent someone from doing what you're trying to do.
They feel that if they are supporting it, they should control what's on it.
Your only real option is to buy a factory unlocked model. Meaning, not a carrier branded model.
fajrero said:
Man, I've been having a bad week. First, I break my phone. Then, I search around for a replacement that LineageOS supports. LineageOS has Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ listed on their "Supported Devices" page. Great! So, I run off to T-Mobile and get an S9 for a replacement.
Unfortunately, now I find out that the T-Mobile S9 cannot be rooted! There goes the main reason I was buying it. What is fortunate, though, is that apparently T-Mobile will allow you to return phones within 14 days. (Although there might be a restocking fee. Boo.)
From all I've been able to find on XDA and other places on the web, as far as anybody knows, the T-Mobile S9 is unrootable, and it will remain unrootable for the foreseeable future. My next question is this: Which phone should I get to replace it? I'd like to get something with similar specs. Does the T-Mobile S10 have the same problems with rooting? What's the most root-friendly, modern phone?
(BTW, I am aware that not all S9s have this limitation, but I can't afford to pay full price for a phone right now.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
even if it is unrootable, cant you just flash another carriers firmware that is rootable and go from there? The hardware revisions arent vast and as long as youre flashing a version thats built for your processor type and if its for the regular one or the + model, you should be ok
No US carrier phone after the Samsung Galaxy S6 the bootloaders are locked so flashing another carrier wont do you any good. The only samsung phones that can be root are the international variants so you would want the 960f which will still work on tmobile i believe last i was aware of or the SM-G9650/SM-G9600 variant if you want snapdragon hardware.
But i dont think the SM-G9650/SM-G9600 has LOS though.