Develop Bugs

Which version, AT&T or Unlocked?

Hi all.
I'm sporting a Galaxy S3 and I believe it's time for an upgrade. I've been considering the Note 4 and it looks like a great phone. I was wondering, however, which version I should get. I'm on AT&T and the price for the phone is $845. I looked around a bit and unlocked versions of this phone are about $550. I would get the benefit of mobile insurance, should I want it, from AT&T, and maybe some support with them if the unit is faulty for some reason. But I'm not sure if it's worth the price difference. Why are the prices so different? And what are the differences between the AT&T version and the unlocked version?
Thank you in advance.

I'm happy with the Note 4 on AT&T, even without root, but if you can hold out, there's rumor that the Note 5 will drop in July. Also rumored is that it will have SD card slot.
Remember, the AT&T version is still unable to be permanently rooted nearly 9 months after release, so if that matters to you, stay away from it.

[Q] Is this a viable phone for me?

Hi!
I previously had a Note 4 for a day or two after release, coming from at that time, an iPhone. I subsequently returned the note, kept the iPhone, and recently upgraded to the 6+. Now with ATT's mobile share, I'm looking at adding a second line for how cheap it is. I'd like for that second line to be an android device, to get the best of both worlds. As a result of being out of the mix when it comes to android, or more like never having been in it, I have a couple questions.
I distinctly remember how much junk was on my ATT Note 4. Junk apps from Samsung, junk from ATT- and worst of all, I couldn't do anything about it (no root?). Has that changed? Is there a way to remove these apps, fix touch wiz annoyances, etc? I'd think that would require root, but like I mentioned, I don't know the details of note4 root status, or even rooting in general.
I currently have a Nexus 6 and Oneplus One on order (good prices on both of them), but personally like the Note4 the best- can I change it to make it perfect? Or is it still locked down and junked up?
Thanks for your help!

Don't get the AT&T Note 4. Get the T-Mobile Note 4 and use it on the AT&T network. The AT&T version is locked down whereas the T-Mobile version is not which means it's rootable. It looks like the AT&T Note 4 will never see permanent root, ever.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

I just bought my note 4 two weeks ago. If I could go back in time I would have bought the nexus 6. This phone lags too much for my liking. It is actually slower than my g2 was at opening apps. I thought I would like this phone but at this point regret my choice.

Gods Son said:
Don't get the AT&T Note 4. Get the T-Mobile Note 4 and use it on the AT&T network. The AT&T version is locked down whereas the T-Mobile version is not which means it's rootable. It looks like the AT&T Note 4 will never see permanent root, ever.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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Click to collapse
So just to be clear, I can root a T-Mobile version of the note 4, and use it on att, with no loss of functionality(network speeds/lte bands/that sort of thing)? That sounds like a really attractive option to me. Would T-Mobile let me walk in and buy a device just straight up?
Thanks for the help!

citius117 said:
So just to be clear, I can root a T-Mobile version of the note 4, and use it on att, with no loss of functionality(network speeds/lte bands/that sort of thing)? That sounds like a really attractive option to me. Would T-Mobile let me walk in and buy a device just straight up?
Thanks for the help!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK heres what you do if they won't let you buy it straight up. Buy the t mobile version on the payment plan because like that there's no contact or ETF. Go home and make a call for 5 min on T mobile sim, then submit the imei to cell unlocker net. Then in a few days call and cancel the service with Tmobile and pay the remainder of the phone off, which by the way is $100 cheaper then the AT&T version. After receiving the unlock code from cell unlocker stick the AT&T sim in and when it boots it will ask for the unlock code, put it in and your good to go.
I have both versions of the note 4 and the t mobile version works perfect on the AT&T network except you have root, custom roms and kernels. All the rom developers in the note 4 t mobile forum full support the AT&T network in there roms straight out the box.
You might want to wait 3 months for the note 5 because this phone is already dated and is a big investment.
Good luck.
Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk

Thanks for the help Sand, that is a great explanation. The tmobile device is clearly better then- no loss of service quality or anything, but still having the root, roms, etc. I think regardless of the imminent release of the note 5, I might still get the four for now, or just keep that incoming OPO One- waiting 3 months for the note 5, plus however much more time for rooting dev is a bit long for me. Regardless, I appreciate your information!

Solutions to get ATT Updates on other carriers

Wondering what solutions people have used to get ATT updates while using other MVNO's (I'm on Crickett and still have not gotten the security update - wonder if it hasn't rolled out to me yet, or if I need to do something creative).
I have an old ATT Sim card, but it is not provisioned, so it didn't help.
Would buying a ATT GO phone sim work? Would that only work once, or could that one SIM card work perpetually (i.e. another update 6 months from now)? I have two Note 4's, could one sim work for both Note 4's?
I also hear Best Buy could help, but I want to find a solution I can do in my own home..
Thanks!!!!

just go to best buy and get the phone updated thru samsung rep

You could try Samsung's Kies program.

Best buy is quick and easy
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

I have tried before to go to best buy, but they only flash the current version, not updates. Has anyone tired gotten best buy to update rom? I have att note 4, using cricket carrier.

I'm having the same issue! (note 4 at&t sm-n910a) currently running 5.1.1 N910AUCU2DOI2. id like to get to N910AUCU2DOI3. unlocked using metrics carrier. how can i get the update?

kparikh82276 said:
I have tried before to go to best buy, but they only flash the current version, not updates. Has anyone tired gotten best buy to update rom? I have att note 4, using cricket carrier.
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They won't flash just the update, but instead the latest entire firmware with updates mixed in.
In other words, when you get these OTA updates that aren't an entirely new OS (like going from Kitkat to Lollipop), they're just patching the update into your existing firmware, which also results in the firmware version changing. However, Best Buy will flash the complete firmware with the patches already included. They can't just give you the patch. Odin will do the same exact thing as Best Buy too.
Also, you'll need to wait about 2 weeks after an update before going to Best Buy. They told me that only some Best Buys in highly populated cities will get the update files immediately. It can take a week or two for your neighborhood Best Buy to receive the needed update files.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

best buy won't update unlocked phones on different carriers

hey xda family long time no see, im just curious to see if anyone knows about this. i went to best buy to update my unlocked att note 4 since im on metro pcs and can't get the update because im on different carrier. when i went to the desk and told the guy what i wanted to do, he said no problem and i handed him my phone. when he plugged it up he had asked if it was an unlocked device and i said yes, he then asked if i had att i said no im on metro. he then said unfortunately because of best buys policy that he can't update my phone because i wasn't on att which didn't make any sense because i did the same thing with my last note 4 that unfortunately got watered damaged. apparently somebody with an unlocked t mobile phone tried to update through best and it hard bricked his phone, which is odd to me because the only way you could HARD brick your phone is unless he had the exynos note 4 or he had tried to install official software on a modified device which is a big no no. he kept telling me that because im on metro pcs i'd have to go to odin and reflash my note 4 back to att which made no sense because it's still an att phone it's just on a different carrier. i do know as long as you install the right firmware for your device in this case an update file thats exclusively for sm-n910a devices. what gives did i run into a clueless rep? im thinking of going to another best buy and just taking out the sim card and play stupid when they bring up the word unlocked. sorry for the long paragraph folks

omnipotent93 said:
hey xda family long time no see, im just curious to see if anyone knows about this. i went to best buy to update my unlocked att note 4 since im on metro pcs and can't get the update because im on different carrier. when i went to the desk and told the guy what i wanted to do, he said no problem and i handed him my phone. when he plugged it up he had asked if it was an unlocked device and i said yes, he then asked if i had att i said no im on metro. he then said unfortunately because of best buys policy that he can't update my phone because i wasn't on att which didn't make any sense because i did the same thing with my last note 4 that unfortunately got watered damaged. apparently somebody with an unlocked t mobile phone tried to update through best and it hard bricked his phone, which is odd to me because the only way you could HARD brick your phone is unless he had the exynos note 4 or he had tried to install official software on a modified device which is a big no no. he kept telling me that because im on metro pcs i'd have to go to odin and reflash my note 4 back to att which made no sense because it's still an att phone it's just on a different carrier. i do know as long as you install the right firmware for your device in this case an update file thats exclusively for sm-n910a devices. what gives did i run into a clueless rep? im thinking of going to another best buy and just taking out the sim card and play stupid when they bring up the word unlocked. sorry for the long paragraph folks
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Click to collapse
Most of those reps are clueless.
Your phone is an AT&T version and is running AT&T firmware. Just tell them that it's an AT&T phone. Don't mention that you're using an unlocked device on Metro. I think you may have confused him by telling him that. He may have thought your Note 4 was a Metro version and running Metro firmware. They only have AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile firmware. They may have international too, but not sure. He probably was afraid to flash AT&T firmware onto what he thought was a Metro phone.
Again... clueless. I went there once and the idiots refused to work on my phone (needed to be reflashed and I couldn't get Odin to work) because I was using Nova Launcher. The guy said it wasn't Samsung's home screen and that I had hacked the phone to change it. Well, first, the 910a isn't rootable, and second, a launcher has nothing to do with root.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N930A using Tapatalk

So you have a N910a unlocked on Metro PCS and you wanted to have the software updated to the latest? And you brought it into a Best Buy store to have them update the software? (sorry, your post is hard to read in a big block form like that).
May I ask: have you thought to try the update yourself? Even if you pulled the SIM card and connected via Wifi...

HotShotAzn said:
So you have a N910a unlocked on Metro PCS and you wanted to have the software updated to the latest? And you brought it into a Best Buy store to have them update the software? (sorry, your post is hard to read in a big block form like that).
May I ask: have you thought to try the update yourself? Even if you pulled the SIM card and connected via Wifi...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need an AT&T sim card in order to get the update OTA. That, or the Odin files. Are the latest Odin files uploaded? If so, then that'd be the easiest (DIY) solution here. Make sure to back up your files though.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N930A using Tapatalk

thank you all for your input, i managed to get the latest firmware through another best buy that was within reasonable driving distance. however, i still think att sucks for not allowing the bootloader to be unlocked and for being slow with marshmallow it's ridiculous. if att had the image files posted somewhere i wouldn't mind doing it myself.

omnipotent93 said:
hey xda family long time no see, im just curious to see if anyone knows about this. i went to best buy to update my unlocked att note 4 since im on metro pcs and can't get the update because im on different carrier. when i went to the desk and told the guy what i wanted to do, he said no problem and i handed him my phone. when he plugged it up he had asked if it was an unlocked device and i said yes, he then asked if i had att i said no im on metro. he then said unfortunately because of best buys policy that he can't update my phone because i wasn't on att which didn't make any sense because i did the same thing with my last note 4 that unfortunately got watered damaged. apparently somebody with an unlocked t mobile phone tried to update through best and it hard bricked his phone, which is odd to me because the only way you could HARD brick your phone is unless he had the exynos note 4 or he had tried to install official software on a modified device which is a big no no. he kept telling me that because im on metro pcs i'd have to go to odin and reflash my note 4 back to att which made no sense because it's still an att phone it's just on a different carrier. i do know as long as you install the right firmware for your device in this case an update file thats exclusively for sm-n910a devices. what gives did i run into a clueless rep? im thinking of going to another best buy and just taking out the sim card and play stupid when they bring up the word unlocked. sorry for the long paragraph folks
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Click to collapse
That is not cool. Call Samsung on them. I wasn't even questioned either time. Samsung referred me to the samsung experience at Best Buy in the first place.

Pre-Recall Verizon Note 7

I have the opportunity to get a brand new pre-recall (before the first recall) Verizon Note 7 for $600. I already have a Verizon Note 7 with the PHE firmware that can't be rooted so at the very least at this new phone can be rooted. I was hoping to get one of the international versions of the Note 7 for the ROM support but it seems less and less likely these days. (Feel free to message me if you have any info on how to get one)
Anyone have any opinions on if I should or shouldn't buy it? I'm kind of torn right now so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Don't get one until we know for sure they won't be IMEI blocked. Also, even with root unless you can make your own Roms, they will be extremely limited.