[Q] Convert S4 to GPE S4 with Official OTA? - AT&T Samsung Galaxy S 4 Q&A, Help & Troubleshootin

Hello,
Alright - I did some poking around but still haven't been able to find an answer to this question. Threads I found relevant:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2401971
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2341528
In the latter thread it mentioned an issue where the partition from a GPE S4 couldn't be replicated, otherwise I'm not sure what all is happening with this topic/issue.
This link is what got me curious about this, as if it was possible to convert my S4 to a GPE S4, with official OTA updates, that would be peachy. So far I've seen are the ROMs posted that don't have support from Google.
So, long story short:
Is there a way to convert a regular (Canadian) S4 into a GPE S4 with Official OTA Support/Updates?
Preemptive thank you to anyone with news! I feel like I may have used the wrong search terms, as a Google search didn't pull up any answers other than guides on how to install the GPE ROM without OTA updates.

No, not possible to get googles ota updates, just gotta wait for devs to get ahold of them amd convert them to a cwm flashable
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 4

I too was looking for this as I had converted my HTC one into a GE One. Now m just waiting for GE with touchwiz camera.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 4

Bah!
Alright, thank you.

Related

[Q] convert i9505 to 100% i9505g

Hi,
Since both phones are identical in hardware. Is it possible to convert the international 9505 to be a 100% gpe with ota working? I don't mean by flashing one of those custom roms floating around.
I tried several custom roms like janjans and jamals, but both drain battery twice as fast as the stock Samsung rom (18h vs. 32h).There is no wakelock issue. The roms simply drain the battery faster for no reason.
My hope is to have a clean gpe that's provided and updated by Google.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app
Mitsch79 said:
My hope is to have a clean gpe that's provided and updated by Google.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That won't happen. Samsung *may* provide something..
These problems aside.. as far as I can see, what we need it a full Odin package that can be flashed onto a i9505 or a i9505G (since they share the same hardware). As far as I can find.. so far, no such package exists.
I don't have a i9505G, but I wonder.. does it come with a Samsung Kies package? What is the procedure to flash it back to factory settings? I can't recall the last Samsung device where system images were not available.. these are usually pulled directly from the Kies/Samsung update server.
Anyway.. I'm here waiting like many of you are as well.
xyzulu said:
That won't happen. Samsung *may* provide something..
These problems aside.. as far as I can see, what we need it a full Odin package that can be flashed onto a i9505 or a i9505G (since they share the same hardware). As far as I can find.. so far, no such package exists.
I don't have a i9505G, but I wonder.. does it come with a Samsung Kies package? What is the procedure to flash it back to factory settings? I can't recall the last Samsung device where system images were not available.. these are usually pulled directly from the Kies/Samsung update server.
Anyway.. I'm here waiting like many of you are as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't find an ODIN package either, and no--the GPe GS4 does not come with a Kies package. I wish it did. I want one now.
Yes, a full Odin package would be the best, but as you found there seems to be none. Even sammobile does not provide any rom for the gpe. It's like the phone doesn't exist in the Samsung world oO.
On the other hand side the has to be an Odin package (which might not be available to the public) because the i9505g is out in stores and it had to be flashed at least once.
And honestly I don't think that Samsung flashes the gpe in a different way as the i9505. Since this would require new tools that cost money.
So, there has to be an Odin package we just don't know about it by now *hoping*
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app
I only really envy the fastboot ability of the I9505G SBL. Anyone with JTAG tried flashing I9505G SBL to I9505?
Mitsch79 said:
Yes, a full Odin package would be the best, but as you found there seems to be none. Even sammobile does not provide any rom for the gpe. It's like the phone doesn't exist in the Samsung world oO.
On the other hand side the has to be an Odin package (which might not be available to the public) because the i9505g is out in stores and it had to be flashed at least once.
And honestly I don't think that Samsung flashes the gpe in a different way as the i9505. Since this would require new tools that cost money.
So, there has to be an Odin package we just don't know about it by now *hoping*
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I Just got galaxy s 4 for wifey, and i am really upset that i9505 cannot be converted like my HTC One on which I got 4.3 OTA, I wonder why no one thought about it here. may be people are happy with custom rom, but me, I would like OTA as its served, not custom ones.
I'm with you guys... I know that it will be a reason why we can't "convert" our I9505 in to I9505G just like that, with a simple Rom flash, but:
I found this http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=44425206#post44425206 [ODIN][TAR] 4.3 I9505GUEUBMH1 Full Rooted Restore , an ODIN file to restore I9505G.... the warning text says: NOT FOR I9505-I9500 (in red!), but why? is not the same hardware?
Maybe is the ray of light we are waiting for? :fingers-crossed:
If someone try to flash it, let us know if its works.
onalocse said:
I'm with you guys... I know that it will be a reason why we can't "convert" our I9505 in to I9505G just like that, with a simple Rom flash, but:
I found this http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=44425206#post44425206 [ODIN][TAR] 4.3 I9505GUEUBMH1 Full Rooted Restore , an ODIN file to restore I9505G.... the warning text says: NOT FOR I9505-I9500 (in red!), but why? is not the same hardware?
Maybe is the ray of light we are waiting for? :fingers-crossed:
If someone try to flash it, let us know if its works.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The boot partition is locked so you can't but you can root get custom recovery and flash a Google play edition ROM from the I9505 android development section.
Sent from my GT-I9505G using xda premium
I will! thanks!!
nicotheandroidguy said:
The boot partition is locked so you can't but you can root get custom recovery and flash a Google play edition ROM from the I9505 android development section.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But didn't a poster above imply these ROM's are not stock and don't perform as well? I'm thinking about trying to do this too, but this thread implies it is impossible to make a regular 9505 into a 9505G?
downwiththebanksters said:
But didn't a poster above imply these ROM's are not stock and don't perform as well? I'm thinking about trying to do this too, but this thread implies it is impossible to make a regular 9505 into a 9505G?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is impossible to do a full transfer but the Google play edition Roms run very smooth I'm running one now from my sprint version which is the smoothest ROM I've used. You can change the build prop to say GT-I9505G
Sent from my GT-I9505G using xda premium
nicotheandroidguy said:
It is impossible to do a full transfer but the Google play edition Roms run very smooth I'm running one now from my sprint version which is the smoothest ROM I've used. You can change the build prop to say GT-I9505G
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Changing the build prop does not a ROM make. I guess I should do proper research on some of these ROMs. I was psyched to get wireless charging back, that was my fave thing about my Pre. For the record, every day I spend here trying to decide what's next, I keep looking at my i9100 and say; why do I need to?
Sprint: Nilay Patel was right...poor poor americans, but more importantly they, your carriers, poison the whole world as well.
Is it possible to get the extra 1700MHz bands by doing a full flash?
Can someone upload the sbl from a i9505g rom?
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app
Seems good if this works
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 2

[Q] Stock 4.3 without root

Hi
I'm searching for a stock ROM 4.3 google edition for my Samsung Galaxy S4. If there is a way without root, I'd prefer that one.
The most important thing for me is the possibility to get OTA updates directly from Samsung/Google. So I'd like to turn my stock S4 into a stock Google edition S4. Is there a way?
I already searched for this in various Sub-Forums on this site, but there are so many ROMs and I don't know which is the right one for me?
Thx
lupoalberto28 said:
Hi
I'm searching for a stock ROM 4.3 google edition for my Samsung Galaxy S4. If there is a way without root, I'd prefer that one.
The most important thing for me is the possibility to get OTA updates directly from Samsung/Google. So I'd like to turn my stock S4 into a stock Google edition S4. Is there a way?
I already searched for this in various Sub-Forums on this site, but there are so many ROMs and I don't know which is the right one for me?
Thx
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which device & model are you using ?
Mnt-XDA said:
Which device & model are you using ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Samsung Galaxy S4 I9505
lupoalberto28 said:
Samsung Galaxy S4 I9505
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can try the following links
1) Omega -- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=40778494&postcount=6
2) http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2348272
http://www.technobuffalo.com/videos/how-to-turn-a-galaxy-s4-into-a-google-edition-phone/
3) In case of AOSP 4.3 , Try this --- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2397511
Best of luck .
lupoalberto28 said:
Hi
I'm searching for a stock ROM 4.3 google edition for my Samsung Galaxy S4. If there is a way without root, I'd prefer that one.
The most important thing for me is the possibility to get OTA updates directly from Samsung/Google. So I'd like to turn my stock S4 into a stock Google edition S4. Is there a way?
I already searched for this in various Sub-Forums on this site, but there are so many ROMs and I don't know which is the right one for me?
Thx
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With or without root, you can't get official updates if you're on google edition 4.3.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 4
Thank you for the links. The ROM of the first link you posted I'm using for about 2 months, but unfortunatly it does not seem to support ota updates, since I'm still on built number JWR66.S005.130625 and there are newer builts on the internet.
Also the rest of your posted ROMs don't seem to get ota updates directly. The only way to get updates seems to be by installing them manually.
Maybe there is no way (atm) to turn a S4 into a pure stock Google Edition S4.
chickentuna said:
With or without root, you can't get official updates if you're on google edition 4.3.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's what I ment.
Is there a way to get an "incremental" update for my built number to a more actual version? I don't like it to completly restet the device just for an update...
All the 4.3 GE roms are custom ones and you won't get any OTA. This may change but that's it for now I'm afraid.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app

[Q] Upgrading to Android 4.4 KitKat

Hello. Quick question. I got my Galaxy S4 from at&t and removed the stock TouchWiz ROM and put in the official Google Edition Android 4.3 ROM from the Galaxy S4 i9505G (I believe that model is the Google Play edition S4). I just wanted to know since I have the official Google Edition stock ROM on my at&t Galaxy S4, will I get the update for 4.4 KitKat? Please let me know if a question I am asking is already out in the forms. Other than that, let me know with an answer to this question.
The official 4.3 ota isnt out yet for our we have a long way to go unless someone delevops it
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app
I believe the OTA wouldn't work, or may brick your device. I'd wait for someone to build it so it doesn't try and replace your bootloader or anything
Sent from my SGH-I337 running Foxhound 2.0
No. Do not take the official 4.4 update. It may brick your phone. Wait for the devs to make a cwm flashable ROM and then flash that.
Sent from my SGH-I337 using Tapatalk
The stock OTA in the GPE rom shouldn't even work on our SGH-1337 devices, and if it somehow did manage to work it would probably soft-brick the device. Just wait until 4.4 builds come out for custom roms, it'll probably take a couple months to see a stable release but it'll be worth the wait. On a side note, there is a thread laying around here somewhere with some of the 4.4 apps ripped off a Nexus 5 that will run and function correctly on the 4.2.2 - 4.3.1 builds. I'm using the 4.4 keyboard and I find it a lot more accurate with swipe. :good:
Alright. Now I know. I will definitely wait for the ROMs then.
Thank you so much everyone for answering my question.

Very confused about MF3

I just bought the HTC One for $200, but then I saw that Best Buy had the Samsung Galaxy s4 on sale for $50. I did not know which one I wanted and was truly torn between the two and ended up buying the HTC but if I can save $150 I will gladly get the s4. My only problem is that as I've been reading up on cs4 forums to make sure that I would be able to unlock root and flash custom roms I had came across what seems to be the problem with an AT&T firmware update known as mf3. If I cannot root and flash custom kernels and roms I do not think I will take advantage of the offer from Best Buy. My problem is that even after all the reading I cannot figure out whether it is possible to root and flash custom ROMs and kernels to the new version from AT&T, known as mf3, or if it is still not possible, or if it will be possible very soon so that I'm may use Android 4.4 Kit Kat on the phone or any custom Rom I wish. Can someone please clarify this for me as soon as possible because my time to return the HTC One to AT&T is coming close to its end?
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk
You can root and flash some roms using safestrap. But it's very limited. Imo I'd stay away from the s4
It's there any progress toward cracking MF3? I've had a one x for pat year and kinda wanted a change and I love the screen on the s4. If you had to choose between the s4 and the HTC one taking into consideration the mf3 problem, which would you choose? And which would you choose if there was no mf3 problem?
Sent from my HTC One X using xda app-developers app
If you can find a S4 with MDL or earlier firmware it's a excellent phone. Personally if it has MF3 or later I wouldn't bother. But that's just my opinion.
You might as well get rid of the One as well. It's just as locked down.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Untrue, about HTCone being just as locked down. It can have it's boatload unlocked quiet easily and if you want to, although it's not necessary, you can even do s-off to get full unbridled access. I previously had a HTC one x and also from everything I've read it seems AT&T went out of there way to lock down s4 tight , just like they did to the one x but eventually the devs got it. I do want the s4 though,even though this phone is awesome(HTC One), and I can live with no custom Rom for a while but I can't go without root. So if I get a s4 with mf3 will it still be able to be rooted ? I've read up on it but don't understand what everyone is talking about when they say if the phone is encrypted or notand it seems to be random.
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk
So sick and tired of reading about MF3, or MK2 constantly on these forums. If you want to buy an S4 on AT&T look for an MDL one on eBay. It's not that hard, really.
Or buy the T-Mobile variant or International version.
Thanks for your kind response to my honest question mattmjb0188. I can't get a t mobile or international variant bc I'm on a budget. I will use my upgrade to get the phone at best buy for $50, and the condition of this price is that it must be a contract renewal/upgrade, which is another reason I can't get diff version of the phone. Did you even read the op? I would love to get one brand new out of the box with mdl but the odds of that are slim hence why I asked the question in the 1st place. So if you can't help or don't like the question then don't respond, but I do thank you for your info about the other variants that don't have issues, it just doesn't help me.
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk
Rad ryan said:
Thanks for your kind response to my honest question mattmjb0188. I can't get a t mobile or international variant bc I'm on a budget. I will use my upgrade to get the phone at best buy for $50, and the condition of this price is that it must be a contract renewal/upgrade, which is another reason I can't get diff version of the phone. Did you even read the op? I would love to get one brand new out of the box with mdl but the odds of that are slim hence why I asked the question in the 1st place. So if you can't help or don't like the question then don't respond, but I do thank you for your info about the other variants that don't have issues, it just doesn't help me.
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Anyone new on these forums just asks over and over about MF3 and the Android 4.3 update. Basically, if you get an S4 with Mf3 or later firmware, you are pretty much stuck on stock. Then we have noobs who don't read and attempt to root their MF3 phones and brick them.
On pure stock, the S4 is a bad phone. The software is very laggy and needs a lot of improvement. I was one of the early adapters when it first came out. The phone was a nightmare with MDB and MDL firmware. Mf3 made slight improvements, but not enough.
I would not even invest in buying this phone right now. Most development for it has died down because of the restrictions. Developers are moving on. Those of us with MDL firmware (like myself) won't see much continued support for Loki nowadays anyway. If the bootloader could be unlocked, I believe it would have been unlocked by now. All these workarounds are very limited, and dangerous.
Personally, I wouldn't even buy the phone at this point. Scrape the funds together for either the T-Mobile S4 or Note 3.
Get the nexus 5, you'll be very happy
Thank you very much for that answer, that was an excellent answer. Although I'm not a noob bc I've been doing this stuff for years and been a member for years.I did the trading but I am not familiar with Samsung at all bc the last Samsung I had was a captivate. It's there a lot of active development for the t mobile variant? I'm guessing it's probably around $600, right? Lastly do you think that there will be a solution to the lock down of mf3 and later in the next few months?
Again thanks for your very helpful answer.
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk
Rad ryan said:
Thank you very much for that answer, that was an excellent answer. Although I'm not a noob bc I've been doing this stuff for years and been a member for years.I did the trading but I am not familiar with Samsung at all bc the last Samsung I had was a captivate. It's there a lot of active development for the t mobile variant? I'm guessing it's probably around $600, right? Lastly do you think that there will be a solution to the lock down of mf3 and later in the next few months?
Again thanks for your very helpful answer.
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The development for the AT&T S4 has died down. In my opinion, no one will ever unlock the bootloader for it. Maybe someday with some future device, but not this device. The closest we got was with the loki method, which was great. But that's long gone now.
Look on negri for the T-Mobile variant. I think its M919. I'm not sure. T-Mobile developers have been able to make great roms for the device, instead of wasting so much time to find a workaround. Maybe even try T-Mobile out and see if they've improved in your area. They got a lot better in my area, but still a lot of EDGE.
If I were you, I'd go for the Nexus 5.
Rad ryan said:
Thanks for your kind response to my honest question mattmjb0188. I can't get a t mobile or international variant bc I'm on a budget. I will use my upgrade to get the phone at best buy for $50, and the condition of this price is that it must be a contract renewal/upgrade, which is another reason I can't get diff version of the phone. Did you even read the op? I would love to get one brand new out of the box with mdl but the odds of that are slim hence why I asked the question in the 1st place. So if you can't help or don't like the question then don't respond, but I do thank you for your info about the other variants that don't have issues, it just doesn't help me.
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Heres my suggestion, if you want the s4, get it from best buy than sell it unopened for as much as you can and than with the money you get buy a tmobile or i9505 international variant...(not i9500 or the verizon or sprint one)
The tmobile variant is probably your best bet, the tmobile variant supports all of ATT service bands so youll have no issues with reception or internet. The tmobile variant can flash roms from any of the other s4 variants (verizon sprint att i9505...just not any roms from the i9500)
So in other words if you get the tmobile variant you dont have to worry about a dead dev scene as you can always flash roms from a differnt carrier...only thing is you will probably have to set up your apns for att rom flashes
Hope that helps you
And on another note if you decide to stick with the ATT s4, every firmware can be rooted
Mdb has real recoveries, so you can flash anything as long as you "loki" the kernel - Unfortunately I do not think there are any stores that are selling phones with this firmware
Mdl has real recoveries, so you can flash anything as long as you "loki" the kernel...Unfortunately it is pretty much impossible to find a phone with this firmware in any store now
Mf3 has safestrap which is kinda like a recovery, with it you can flash any touchwiz based 4.2.2 rom (stock roms) or any 4.2.2 Google Phone Edition (aka GPE, which is an aosp experience S4, no bloatware no samsung features, its like having a nexus in the body of an s4) rom...NO CUSTOM KERNELS, NO AOSP ROMS (no cyanogenmod) - this is the firmware most phones come with
Mk2 (latest firmware) recently got a beta safestrap...as of now you can flash some 4.3 touchwiz stock based roms, alot dont boot yet, and the GPE 4.3 rom doesn't boot with it either. As it becomes stable it should work identical to the one for mf3 - phones will probably start coming with this one soon
In other words, safestrap allows you to run roms that are built off the same firmware version as your stock rom, safestrap flashes no kernel, so whatever rom you flash has to be compatible with the stock kernel of your current firmware
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk
---------- Post added at 08:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:40 PM ----------
Rad ryan said:
Thank you very much for that answer, that was an excellent answer. Although I'm not a noob bc I've been doing this stuff for years and been a member for years.I did the trading but I am not familiar with Samsung at all bc the last Samsung I had was a captivate. It's there a lot of active development for the t mobile variant? I'm guessing it's probably around $600, right? Lastly do you think that there will be a solution to the lock down of mf3 and later in the next few months?
Again thanks for your very helpful answer.
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They actually seem to be getting close to another work around which will allow you to flash any rom or kernel using safestrap...turns out theres a feature in the 4.3 mk2 kernel which allows unsigned drivers to run, in theory they can compile a kexec driver for the kernel which would allow you to use any kernel thus allowing the flash of any rom...theres a how-to thread in the original development section with more info, however...its not a guarentee we will see this anytime soon, as you never know what issues they may run into...but something to look into if your interested
EDIT: actually heres a post from the thread i mentioned which pretty much sums up how we hope this "exploit" will work as far as kernel flashing goes http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=48703510&postcount=10
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk
With all that said; how come I have the MF3 baseband my s4 (jflteatt), and I still have a custom recovery with the ability to flash different roms and kernels? Is it because I installed the custom recovery on an earlier baseband and then it got updated to a newer baseband but still kept recovery?
I only found out I had MF3 on my phone now because I couldn't flash a different recovery anymore.
Yes
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noel_leon said:
With all that said; how come I have the MF3 baseband my s4 (jflteatt), and I still have a custom recovery with the ability to flash different roms and kernels? Is it because I installed the custom recovery on an earlier baseband and then it got updated to a newer baseband but still kept recovery?
I only found out I had MF3 on my phone now because I couldn't flash a different recovery anymore.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is literally impossible to have officially updated through OTA while on a custom Recovery. What I suspect has been done is the same as my phone. I got an MDL device and quickly installed TWRP and a custom ROM. As new updates came out, I flashed just the baseband. So now, I have a 4.4 ROM with the MK2 baseband and am able to install anything I like.
If I were to have ever done an OTA, I would no longer be able to have a custom recovery because of a blown Qfuse.
Please don't try to say that what you have is the only phone with OTA MF3 and custom recovery.
The only way to have anything like that is through SS and that is not a true recovery. If you do have that, you can only install certain ROMs not including AOSP, AOKP, MIUI, or CM.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
When did I ever say I was the only one? I asked a simple question that I mostly had the answer to already; which in turn was answered by a simple "Yes" from HiTideBlastoise.
And I never said anything about OTA either. I said I had installed custom recovery on an earlier baseband and then my baseband was updated but recovery was still intact.
I never said you did say that. It was preemptive. Secondly, you make it out to seem like you did nothing to update your baseband. You are making it seem like it just happened. Well, that can't happen without either updating the entire phone or flashing it yourself. The funny thing is the baseband means nothing when it comes to recoveries and flashing ROMs. It can only be used as a possible sign on a stock device as to what version one is running. On a modified device, like yours, it is worthless information on the version of Android. Like I said before, I have 4.4 with MK2 as my baseband. How can I install ROMs. Not because it updated my baseband after I already have a custom recovery... But because I never took an OTA and made it do the stuff I wanted.
Basically what I am saying is that you need to be clear with what you say. Everything you said makes it sound like your phone did it all by itself without you or someone else making it the way it is. There is no other option. You have to have done something to have a custom recovery and an MF3 baseband with pre MF3 bootloaders.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
I agree with graydiggy that the only way to still have a custom recovery and mf3 baseband is that you either flashed an mf3 tw rom with a modem or a a standalone modem to your mdl software. If you took the "OTA" successfully, you will definitely have a locked down bootloader now.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app

Developers edition - possible to extract goodness from ota?

Figuring that the stock one is so locked down, is it possible to take new features of an ota of the regular s5 and flash it to a dev edition one without messing up root? Things like updated boot, going from 4.4.x to 4.5, etc?
I recall but never fully understood that was the problem with the s4, they never sent out ota update for the dev edition....
Just debating getting an s5 dev edition, but don't want to be stuck with original firmware/software
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
808phoneaddict said:
Figuring that the stock one is so locked down, is it possible to take new features of an ota of the regular s5 and flash it to a dev edition one without messing up root? Things like updated boot, going from 4.4.x to 4.5, etc?
I recall but never fully understood that was the problem with the s4, they never sent out ota update for the dev edition....
Just debating getting an s5 dev edition, but don't want to be stuck with original firmware/software
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe you can upgrade from 4.4 to 4.5 but have to flash a unlocked bootloader like one from t-mobile or a international version. From what I gather from the Note 3 thread that's pretty much how they do it.
Well I know the s4 dev edition's problem was that they wouldn't update firmware for it, stuff like the boot (I forget which other things weren't able to get updated since they weren't sending out otas), which left the device with only it's original firmware
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
You'll be able to do some stuff. Consider how cm releases updated firmware even though the carrier doesn't make a release. It's tough but possible.
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