[Q] Australian Galaxy Note 3 Region Lock (An inquiry- repsonse pending) - Galaxy Note 3 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Below is a copy of an email I sent to Samsung through their contact us link. It is my (perhaps naive) hope that this will bring some clarity to Region Lock issue in the Australasian region.
Dear Samsung Australia,
My question is two fold:
(Redacted first part of question- not pertinent to this issue)
Secondly, my next question refers to Region Lock. Does the new region lock measure implemented by Samsung influence the Australasian Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy series in general? As a student (and Samsung fan who is influencing those around me to purchase Samsung products, such as my parents two Galaxy S3 devices and most likely impending Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 edition) I plan to use the Note 3 for as long as it will last me and would like to take comfort in the knowledge that if I purchase a 64GB variant from sources such as Kogan or a Samsung Experience store, that when I travel I won't have a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 "BRICK" but a phone that is able to use what ever sim card a region I visit may have. As a student I will be required to travel in the upcoming two years and the device I purchase, as a single father on low income, must be able to provide reliable communication from wherever I am in what ever countrry I might be so that I may keep in contact with my daughter in this period of time where I am away from her. Region locking a device that I have paid over 800 dollars for would be very counter productive to the whole notion of GSM.
On the note of Region locking I understand two things about it so far:
1. That it may be unlocked by a local Samsung Service center (for free I hope- but am unsure if it will cost)
2. That the impending update of Android 4.4 Kit Kat will implement Region Locking on Galaxy devices receiving the update.
What I would like to know is:
1. If the Australasion Note 3 (3G or 4G Variants) are Region Locked.?
2. If they are, is unlocking them at a service center free?
3. Will the roll out of Kit Kat Android 4.4 Relock a Region unlokced device ( because assuming unlocking an outright device is not free, I as a customer would then need to pay again to unlock the device again.)?
I desperately need to upgrade my device. The battery life is starting to die on me ( it is over 3 years old) and I desperately want to buy the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 as a Samsung loyalist who appreciates the innovation that Samsung provides. If you could provide me with the above information it will greatly help my decision as to whether I continue to support Samsung both personally as a customer and in an advisory role (which is quite strong willed and at constant countenance to those who have Apple products looking to upgrade- I can be quite persuasive) within my social (at University and College) and familial circles.
I sincerely hope that my questions can be answered as Samsung's Customer Focus and willingness to listen has played such a pivotal role in its great success and meteoric rise over the last few years.
Thank you for your time.
Hopefully this will bare some answer to the questions regarding Region Lock in Australia. I will keep the community posted.

I bought my OG NOTE from Hong Kong.
I think I might get the N3 from there aswell.
Why?
HK is the capital city of the travelling world.
Majority of businessmen need devices that work on many bands, and with ease.
Region Lock would mean a "no sale" for these businessmen. And HK's full of them (both local and Int).
As long as the HK version has the superior SD800 model, I'd say go for that one.
The only thing you need to check for are the GSM bands for 4G.
3G is covered, 4G *may* not be with what Telstra/Optus have in store.

http://ausdroid.net/2013/10/01/52838/
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Related

Samsung’s region lock causing problems, might extend to Galaxy S3 and Note II after A

It seems like the regional SIM lock Samsung has put on the Galaxy Note 3 in Europe and the U.S. is an issue that isn’t going away any time soon. After initial outrage from users, Samsung recently issued a statement that the SIM lock only comes into effect if you turn on the device for the first time with a foreign SIM card, and that the handset can be used anywhere in the world after it has been activated with a local SIM card.
However, that doesn’t seem to be the case for many users out there, and a Samsung official has reportedly confirmed to an XDA user that the Note 3 cannot be used with SIM cards from a region that it wasn’t bought in. The company rep, after being asked several times, said that the region lock means that you simply cannot use a European Note 3 with a SIM card from the USA, even if the device has been turned on with a local SIM for the first time.
Basically, the region lock cannot be bypassed and is final, with many users over at the XDA forums complaining of incidents such as a Note 3 bought in Germany not working with a SIM from Thailand. Moreover, what’s worrying is that the aforementioned company rep said that the region lock will be extended to current devices like the S3 and Note II with the Android 4.4 KitKat update, meaning international roaming would become impossible unless you continue to use a SIM from the home country of the device.
Now, usually we’d rejoice at hearing that the rep could have unintentionally confirmed that an Android 4.4 update is coming, but the gravity of the region lock situation is a serious one. The region locking is being done to supposedly curtail grey imports, but really, how many grey importers import devices that have been in use for more than a year or so? It’s clear that despite Samsung’s attempts to clear the air and try to talk down the commotion over its rather stupid region locking stunt, the problem isn’t going away and could cause major backlash in the coming weeks.
But hey, maybe that backlash will cause them to backtrack on their plans to region lock old devices, and perhaps remove the limitation from the Note 3 through a software update as well. Fingers crossed that the Korean manufacturer does what’s in the best interest of consumers, instead of troubling them just to stop a few grey importers from making a quick buck.
It's fully copy paste from Sammobile
Just wanna let it know :good:
If Samsung definitely keeps to that route and it happens xda members can't unlock it, I'll get a nexus as my next phone.
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Here I come Sony, I really regret getting a Galaxy S3, lack of Exynos drivers ruined AOSP and Touchwiz ruins Samsung stock. I personally like the look of Xperia's UI.
I will never buy a Samsung again if future devices have a region lock, I travel over seas a lot and this is a deal breaker for me. By November my phone will be on eBay.
so thats what it was.
i went to pakistan recently with my uk i9300 which i bought sim free.
he sim there wouldnt work so i went to a shop there and the guy rooted it for it to work.
he said something like country lock.
have they removed this in the s4 or the latest 4.1.2 s3 update?
gunner786 said:
so thats what it was.
i went to pakistan recently with my uk i9300 which i bought sim free.
he sim there wouldnt work so i went to a shop there and the guy rooted it for it to work.
he said something like country lock.
have they removed this in the s4 or the latest 4.1.2 s3 update?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
don't know what you're talking about dude... it hasn't been implemented yet
gunner786 said:
so thats what it was.
i went to pakistan recently with my uk i9300 which i bought sim free.
he sim there wouldnt work so i went to a shop there and the guy rooted it for it to work.
he said something like country lock.
have they removed this in the s4 or the latest 4.1.2 s3 update?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not implemented for S3 yet. Might have been some other issue.
As for S4, I'm not sure.
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Oomahey said:
Not implemented for S3 yet. Might have been some other issue.
As for S4, I'm not sure.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought i9300 S3 on 16 sept 2013 in switzerland, and its REGION LOCKED similar like note 3
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2450728
it comes with jb 4.1.2 mg4 from the factory...
i bought this phone for my girlfriend in indonesia as a gift, but until this moment, it cannot be use....F*CK SAMSH*T, never ever samsung anymore.
But if I buy one in Germany, I can still use it in Belgium? It is Europe right?
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dajumper said:
But if I buy one in Germany, I can still use it in Belgium? It is Europe right?
Sent from my GT-I9505 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
its not about the roaming, but about the sim card, actually yes, if you bought the phone from german, you can use belgian sim card without any problem, i also tried my switzerland s3 with italian sim card, it works very well.....
SGS3 - Bought in march 2013, region locked by update?
Oomahey said:
Not implemented for S3 yet. Might have been some other issue.
As for S4, I'm not sure.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not entirely sure whether or not you are right about this
When I checked my own S3 I was somewhat perplexed that a phone I bought in march 2013 has a 38 country long list of NetworkLock-entries in it's customer.xml-file. The extracted information, incl. device information, can be found in the attached PDF.
It appears that the official Samsung ROM is being shipped with region locks. Even to those who bought their phone before (!) Samsung implemented this infuriating "feature".
tqgia2 said:
don't know what you're talking about dude... it hasn't been implemented yet
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
oh hasnt it.
weird. cant be coincidence that what happened to me is very similar to this.
r_ween said:
I bought i9300 S3 on 16 sept 2013 in switzerland, and its REGION LOCKED similar like note 3
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2450728
it comes with jb 4.1.2 mg4 from the factory...
i bought this phone for my girlfriend in indonesia as a gift, but until this moment, it cannot be use....F*CK SAMSH*T, never ever samsung anymore.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
UPDATE.....my gf bring that phone to samsung authorized service center in jakarta, Indonesia.......and they reject that phone, they say it can be unlocked only by samsung authorized service center in switzerland.....
im really angry with samsung...really....
At the moment only the Note 3 is confirmed to have this region lock, the S3 is a much older model and may or may not gain this 'feature', as far as the S3 is concerned this is currently speculation.
Even if it turns out true that Samsung will retroactively region lock existing handsets, without a major backlash in mainstream (i.e. not just XDA and tech websites) media Samsung are likely to get away with it. What concerns me is if other handset makers follow suit, and based on who I perceive to have the most to gain from such a move, I'd say mobile networks are behind this.
The only thing I certainly take away from this issue/question is to not buy another Samsung handset when I move on from my S3, as it appears that they are definitely taking the region locking route going forward.
kenyw said:
At the moment only the Note 3 is confirmed to have this region lock, the S3 is a much older model and may or may not gain this 'feature', as far as the S3 is concerned this is currently speculation.
Even if it turns out true that Samsung will retroactively region lock existing handsets, without a major backlash in mainstream (i.e. not just XDA and tech websites) media Samsung are likely to get away with it. What concerns me is if other handset makers follow suit, and based on who I perceive to have the most to gain from such a move, I'd say mobile networks are behind this.
The only thing I certainly take away from this issue/question is to not buy another Samsung handset when I move on from my S3, as it appears that they are definitely taking the region locking route going forward.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
please read this:
http://www.androidauthority.com/samsung-note-3-region-lock-statement-277346/
its happen for note3, note2, s3, s4, s4mini that produced since end of july 2013
including on my s3 i9300 phone that bought on 16 sept 2013 in switzerland
r_ween said:
UPDATE.....my gf bring that phone to samsung authorized service center in jakarta, Indonesia.......and they reject that phone, they say it can be unlocked only by samsung authorized service center in switzerland.....
im really angry with samsung...really....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Samsung warranty is not transferable between all countries anyway .
Clove have received new stocks of region locked S4/S4 mini so it would not surprise me if it happens to newer S3/Note 2 too.
check this out http://omegadroid.co/chainfire-intro...egionlock-app/
Your link is broken, here is the thread from Chainfire: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2470551
It seems the region lock is only in the software and not very deeply hidden (so it might be possible to remove it without root in the future).
And for the people here using custom roms, this won't be an issue anyways.
TheCraig said:
Here I come Sony, I really regret getting a Galaxy S3, lack of Exynos drivers ruined AOSP and Touchwiz ruins Samsung stock. I personally like the look of Xperia's UI.
I will never buy a Samsung again if future devices have a region lock, I travel over seas a lot and this is a deal breaker for me. By November my phone will be on eBay.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same.... Unless Nexus 5
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app
r_ween said:
please read this:
http://www.androidauthority.com/samsung-note-3-region-lock-statement-277346/
its happen for note3, note2, s3, s4, s4mini that produced since end of july 2013
including on my s3 i9300 phone that bought on 16 sept 2013 in switzerland
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got mixed up, when I wrote that I was thinking about how Samsung might put the region lock on Galaxy S3 units sold before this whole region lock came about. You're right about newly sold phones carrying the region lock already.

Why are we begging for root? There should be a class action lawsuit!

We bought our devices! Why should we not have full access to them?
A lot of laws are designed to prevent abuse, granted, but which abuse is not having root preventing?
What the hell?
We should start a class action lawsuit against companies and manufacturers who prohibit root, like Verizon!
Uh good luck lol
Lol. Read the terms and conditions of your contract.
And this issue has been presented before with other devices. To no avail. If I remember correctly the idea was kicked around by X2 users and others.
Also getting a phone for a price with either an upgrade or new contract is different than paying retail price for the phone off contract. Ithink the note 4 is $600 but for $100-200 more you get the unlocked DE phone.
Thread closed in 3...2...1...
Should be closed
This is Korea
This is Korea
I want to use verizon note 4 on SK Telecom in Korea
In Korea there is no 800 mhz smart phone
and number like 016-xxx-xxxx or 011-xxx-xxxx only can use 800 mhz phone (2 generation phone)
There are only feature phone (old phone)
To use note 4 on SK Telecom, Phone need rooting
Because N910V is not suitable is not suitable for sms, mms system in korea
So I must change SecMms_cherry.apk (SMS, MMS application) and framework
I need root
and I begging for root
I bought N910V one month ago
but I can't use sms and mms now
Seriously?
Device works as advertised by the manufacturer and carrier.
You will have as much luck as the guy who claimed his 2 year old accepted the update and updated a rooted phone to locked
Thread closed

Verizon & AT&T Samsung Note 5: KNOX/Root Of Trust; Unable to Root

Article can be found here: http://www.idigitaltimes.com/samsun...d-features-att-and-verizon-models-wont-468357
Copy and Pasted Below:
Samsung’s Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ flagships will officially hit stores Friday. But if you are a Verizon or AT&T subscriber who is used to rooting smartphones, beware. Rooting these carrier models of the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ will shut down your phone completely.
The Verizon and AT&T models have a carrier specific mechanism, which is apart of the Samsung Knox Security Suite, Samsung Knox director of business development Ram Motipally detailed to iDigitalTimes at a recent briefing in New York prior to the Galaxy Note 5 and S6 Edge+ launch. “In most of the U.S. devices, if you root the device the device won’t even boot up; if it’s AT&T or Verizon,” he said.
Root prevention has been an on-going aspect of Samsung Knox since it’s inception. In the early days of Knox, rooting a Samsung smartphone could trip a key on a device, which would void the warranty. Root prevention through Knox has been developed to where the rooting Samsung Galaxy S6 or Galaxy S6 Edge handsets will disable the Samsung Pay mobile payment feature. But now, if a Verizon and AT&T variant of the Galaxy Note 5 or Galaxy S6 Edge+ is rooted, users will see only a black screen with a message explaining the device cannot boot up because it has been rooted, Motipally explained.
Other Galaxy Note 5 or Galaxy S6 Edge+ handsets, such as T-Mobile, Sprint and unlocked variants do not include this feature. Rooting would simply disable Samsung Pay as it does on the Galaxy S6 or Galaxy S6 Edge. Root prevention is heavily tied to Samsung’s enterprise push, to get more devices like the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ in the hands of business users.
Samsung Knox was once a feature introduced to devices through software updates, but it now comes standard on all Samsung smartphones. The software is heavily ingrained within the Android framework and the kernel of Samsung’s devices, Samsung Business vice president, mobile product marketing, Eric McCarty explained at a business launch for the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ last Thursday.
In particular, Samsung Knox includes a Root of Trust, which dictates what tasks a device can execute with confidence. Some of the functions of a Root of Trust are detecting rootkits and recognizing unauthorized changes to a smartphone’s system or program. This especially speaks to the Verizon and AT&T models of the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ as Verizon and AT&T are especially adverse to customization of their devices.
The continued implementation of Knox onto Samsung devices has alleviated many concerns about safety in using Android in the enterprise space, Samsung vice president of marketing strategy and operations, Ed Abrams told iDigitalTimes in July. However, this focus on enterprise users could be a detriment to dedicated Android developers or Samsung enthusiasts who are not in love with the TouchWiz user interface.
Android-based smartphones have been popular, largely due to the open source nature of their software and user’ ability to customize devices through rooting. But with Google as one of Samsung's partners for its business sector, users could continue to see root prevention efforts in new and upcoming devices.
Samsung needs to allow all apps in multi window without root, and android needs a full device backup procedure.
Sure you can let the play store put your apps back but it doesn't restore the data.
I may be able to live without root on the Note if it had those two things.
I'd really miss lmt and xposed though.
For data restore, I use Helium. Its the next best thing when we can't use titanium backup
pool_shark said:
Samsung needs to allow all apps in multi window without root, and android needs a full device backup procedure.
Sure you can let the play store put your apps back but it doesn't restore the data.
I may be able to live without root on the Note if it had those two things.
I'd really miss lmt and xposed though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if you have tried MIUI they do have full system restore. dont get why google cannot put it in stock android.
I read that on idigitaltimes yesterday, but is that the 100% final word on AT&T and Verizon Note 5?
It seems to be the only article out there with this information - would there not be any (theoretical) way around it at all?
More than likely idigitaltimes is correct. for the last 2-3 yrs (with the exception of the G2 and g3 for LG) Verizon units have been difficult to root
Is there any proof?
any word on root for note 5 t mobile? i'm about to buy mine soon
i just sold my note 4 didn't know someone was gonna buy it full price that soon
http://youtu.be/qCh0QuEwAgY
Maybe this will work?
Another reason why I will be boycotting another round of samsung phones.
gbux said:
Another reason why I will be boycotting another round of samsung phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed, me too.
Oh well, it's Samsung's loss anyway...
TheUndertaker21 said:
any word on root for note 5 t mobile? i'm about to buy mine soon
i just sold my note 4 didn't know someone was gonna buy it full price that soon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It stated in the article that rooting would only disable the Samsung Mobile Payments app.
Thats jst silly, you should be boycotting big red and the att. seriously, tmobil is a phone junkies best friend. 3 upgrades a year with jump on demand and they couldnt care less if your bootloader is unlocked or knox has been tripped on sammy. all they care about is 1 2 3, turn on, screen is not cracked, no water damage. plus t mo has volte, wifi calling, and lowest prices. I was big red for almost a decade, from back when it was LA cellular or airtouch, cant remember. THen i gave up the best reception in america for great reception in my area and a company that doesnt try to screw me at every angle. love tmo so much i actually bought some stock in it. but that was also because i think leger is hilarious and i wanted to vote for him with my wallet.
pool_shark said:
Samsung needs to allow all apps in multi window without root, and android needs a full device backup procedure.
Sure you can let the play store put your apps back but it doesn't restore the data.
I may be able to live without root on the Note if it had those two things.
I'd really miss lmt and xposed though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree... I find it bizarre that iOS has proper backups, as did my old old blackberry (couldn't even tell anything had happened. Yeah it needed a PC connection but I'd be ok with that). The only thing I would add is being able to do things like toggle GPS without root - the fact that I have to go five clicks* to turn my location mode from battery saving to high accuracy and navigate back to my navigation app is insane.
* Long press the location quick toggle, mode, high accuracy, back, back.
Glad I didn't wait for it then. Tired of locked Bootloaders and am loving the plethora of AOSP ROMs on my Nexus 6.
daftlush said:
I was big red for almost a decade, from back when it was LA cellular or airtouch, cant remember.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Verizon was Airtouch -- LA Cellular (me, since 1994) became AT&T.
I've been with T-Mo since '05 :good:
use package disabler pro to remove all bloatware
kodina said:
Agreed, me too.
Oh well, it's Samsung's loss anyway...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The next best thing to root is pacakge disabler pro
At least the international versions only casualty is Samsung Pay if rooted. I'll never ever buy another AT&T branded device again. Would love to switch to T-Mobile but their service isn't good in my area.
The simple solution to this is to switch carriers. And when retentions asks you why you are leaving, say "Because carrier X allows me to root without bricking the device." I think once they lose enough customers that way (and losing market share to other carriers), they might start rethinking it.
daftlush said:
Thats jst silly, you should be boycotting big red and the att. seriously, tmobil is a phone junkies best friend. 3 upgrades a year with jump on demand and they couldnt care less if your bootloader is unlocked or knox has been tripped on sammy. all they care about is 1 2 3, turn on, screen is not cracked, no water damage. plus t mo has volte, wifi calling, and lowest prices. I was big red for almost a decade, from back when it was LA cellular or airtouch, cant remember. THen i gave up the best reception in america for great reception in my area and a company that doesnt try to screw me at every angle. love tmo so much i actually bought some stock in it. but that was also because i think leger is hilarious and i wanted to vote for him with my wallet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only problem is that t-mobile has terrible coverage outside of cities. My only option is to get the t-mobile version then throw a att sim card in there and hope I get good service.

Verizon Galaxy S5 Bootloader Has Been Unlocked!!

Verizon Galaxy S5 Bootloader Has Been Unlocked!!
http://goo.gl/y7pLhm
Proof of Concept Shown on Video
https://goo.gl/sI2ZO4
"Verizon has a storied history with regards to bootloader unlocking – namely, they hate the very idea of it. For years now, Verizon has maintained that preventing you from unlocking your device’s bootloader is for your own benefit.
In a letter sent to customers who filed a complaint with the FCC, Verizon states that:
“[A]n open bootloader could prevent Verizon Wireless from providing the same level of customer experience and support because it would allow users to change their phone or otherwise modify the software and, potentially, negatively impact how the phone connects with the network.”
There is some truth to this claim, as users with unlocked bootloaders are able to modify the device’s radio files which could potentially cause problems with cellular connectivity. Verizon also states that :
“The addition of unapproved software could also negatively impact the wireless experience for other customers.”
We all know what they mean by this – they don’t want people to use tethering. Not unexpected, of course, as Verizon wants to make money off of anyone using their mobile network. The same is true for almost every carrier. However, Verizon (along with AT&T) is unique in its stubbornness to lock down its devices, with nearly every device released for its network being unable to be unlocked. They would rather you purchase an entirely new phone to be able to unlock your bootloader, rather than sticking with what you have.
Victory for the Consumer
For months, Verizon Galaxy S5 users have waited for even a simple root method. They eventually got one thanks to the community coming together and setting a bounty for it, incentivizing any developer looking to claim nearly $20,000! But the holy grail that the Verizon Galaxy S5 community was looking out for – and what they pledged their money to see – was still out of reach. Until today, that is. Beaups, a member of the Firewater team, has just posted a video demonstrating a proof of concept for unlocking the S5 bootloader. This process shows a Verizon Galaxy S5 bootloader being put into developer mode, though the proof of concept should work on any S5. At the moment, there are no determined plans to release the unlocking method as it is merely a proof of concept, but the implications of this development should excite every Verizon Galaxy S5 owner. Who knows, maybe your device will eventually be able to join the list of devices that are tasting that sweet, sweet Marshmallow."
Hoping this will lead to somewhere with the note 4 but I'm not gonna hold my breath
That's a lot of hype for a device that isn't ours. Also:
"At the moment, there are no determined plans to release the unlocking method as it is merely a proof of concept,"
So, that's good to hear. But let's cool the hype a touch. There are so many reasons why this could or could not work for us that its a really premature to be celebrating. Hell, the intended device doesn't even have a release yet.
Saw 4.4.2 on the pc screen in the video?
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
I hope it leads somewhere for you guys, but consider that the S5 is old news,obsolete. Given the time frame from release of the S5 to the "unlock", the Note 4 will be as useful as the old Razor from Motorola is now.....
Im just saying, dont get excited to just be let down again.

S8 Active and using it in germany. Possible? Problemes?

Hi everyone!
I am from germany and right now I own a Samsung Galaxy S5 Neo and wanna upgrade. So I thought of importing a unlocked S8 Active (the outdoor version of the normal S8) to my country. I will use it for geocaching things and in this case it should be nearly perfekt (big accu, waterressist, ....)
I don't like the normal version cause I don't like the curved display. Think the active version should be the better choice for me.
Will it work there in german language and will it get updates here in germany? OTA or so? Or will I have problems with it. Maybe I had to use Samsung Updater (Smart Switch) on PC but better is it when OTA would work here too.
Can I repair it in my country, when something goes wrong or must I send it back to the USA for repair? It is cheaper to repair it here and sending it back it is maybe more expensive than it could be.
Maybe someone can answer my view questions, cause this is nearly the smartphone I like, but it is not officially sold here from samsung, so I had to import it.
Greetings!
I would say .. DONT
A Samsung update killed all my sensors. and no warranty here.
Read here :- https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s8/help/s8-update-messed-sensors-t3812085
There are thousands of users with this problem. for their S8 S8+ Note 8 etc
Stay away from Samsung. Their products are not what they appear, starts deteriorating and slows down. a lot.
I know you are not interested in the Curved screen but just my thoughts. The curve screen is more of a problem than its looks. Many apps do not respond well with the edge touch. for a Tempered Glass you need to pay a lot else they do not work well with the curved screen.
Advice
Stay away from S8 and if you want S8 buy it locally else Samsung has devised up ways to mess your phone pretty bad.
Buy something from your area that would help you and those are better in Utility and 1/4th the price.
Language and updates should not be a problem.
I got some import phones and it wasn't a hard deal to change the system language to german or other.
OTA should work too, because the phone doesn't care if you're in Germany, China, USA or elsewhere. As long as it can connects to the servers, there should be a update possible.
For the repair part, I can't tell you a thing.
I'd say, that you ask all the questions to Samsung's support.
According to frequencycheck, LTE and all other will work just fine in Germany.
Only thing I see is, that it will come with tons of bloatware, which you can (mostly) just deactivate but not uninstall.
Sent from my Galaxy S8 using XDA Labs
Philipp_94 said:
OTA should work too, because the phone doesn't care if you're in Germany, China, USA or elsewhere. As long as it can connects to the servers, there should be a update possible.
...
...
I'd say, that you ask all the questions to Samsung's support.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sadly the two stuffs you stated ain't accurate.
Samsung has messed up my phone with their latest update.. There are thousands of customers who are facing this with their s8 / s8+ and Note 8
Normally anyone with commonsense would know that an update is pushed, only when a device is compatible. But the service center guys shamelessly answer that this is country specific
Which brings up the second question.
You may ask whom so ever. SHAME sung doesn't have International Warranty.. I brought this from the Middle East.
Couldn't sell it as I was relocating ... now just because of a Samsung update, mine and thousand other phones are messed up
AjitBharat said:
Sadly the two stuffs you stated ain't accurate.
Samsung has messed up my phone with their latest update.. There are thousands of customers who are facing this with their s8 / s8+ and Note 8
Normally anyone with commonsense would know that an update is pushed, only when a device is compatible. But the service center guys shamelessly answer that this is country specific
Which brings up the second question.
You may ask whom so ever. SHAME sung doesn't have International Warranty.. I brought this from the Middle East.
Couldn't sell it as I was relocating ... now just because of a Samsung update, mine and thousand other phones are messed up
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That's more than sad for you.
But for me, I never had a single problem with my S8 (newest update) or with the Samsung support (and I consider myself as a heavy user, who modifies and complains a lot).
Also you are the first one S8 user, whom I heard of, that there is a problem with the phone. In addition, I could not find any regional (Germany) information or bigger complaints of the latest update. Several of my family members have no problems, not a single of the ones you stated in your original post. FYI, no one of them flashed other CSC or things like that.
THAT may be a country specific problem (as you stated in another post of you, that your s8 is from middle East imported to India).
So your service center guys are correct, that some things are country related like date of a new update, push service etc. But, the phone will be an import just like yours and I think it should get updates, at least via pc (smart switch).
I think, if the OP would buy an unlocked version, he wouldn't have to flash other CSC or anything just to get it working (but again, better ask Samsung support).
So please, discuss your anger and warn other (potential) users in your topic and not under someone, who just wants to know if the S8 active will function it germany (which it should).
Sent from my Galaxy S8 using XDA Labs
Philipp_94 said:
.
... and not under someone, who just wants to know if the S8 active will function it germany (which it should)...
Sent from my Galaxy S8 using XDA Labs
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Thanks LOL
To the OP
There is a link in this forum itself about the problems I just mentioned
https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s8/help/sensors-android-update-please-help-t3721874
US customers
https://us.community.samsung.com/t5/forums/v3_1/forumtopicpage/board-id/GS8QA/thread-id/35901/page/5
The Service Center head here himself disclosed that there are many many such cases of the same issue after Update. All S8 S8+ and Note 8.
Some Handsets were from Middle East, Most of them were from US and they had even come across those from S Korea too.
As others have already told you, OTA updates etc. won't pose a problem, though if the S8 Active you're buying isn't from Europe (e.g. the US version) you usually have to use it with a SIM card in the corresponding country, meaning you'd have to have a 5 minute call with any old person in the US, otherwise the phone won't accept your SIM and you will be unable to place calls etc. in Europe/Germany.
So just keep that in mind.
Hi from Europe
Can someone with s8 ACTIVE confirm if the latest update messed up their phone. And if so please attach the screenshots where I can see which update this is.
I'm buying used S8 ACTIVE from US and I would like to check if the user didn't updated their phone yet ?
Tnx

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