Planning on getting the LTE unlocked version this afternoon but I'm a bit wary because sony is notorious for having different hardware models of this device. What's the code for the international version that comes unlocked with LTE?
I'm skipping the HTC one m8 because of the possible hardware issues and camera cover that's prone to scratching for the z2. I have never used a sony phone before so I do not know what to expect when it comes to hardware issues and updates. Should I be on the lookout for anything when I get my new phone?
Samsung is pretty reliable with warranty and service + updates. HTC is a joke when it comes to after sales support. They've become pretty good with the updates though lately.
LTE version is D6503.
Related
Sorry if this has been asked a billion times before, but any updates on Xperia being carried by anyone in US (AT&T?)
I'm between a Fuze and Xperia, but the Xperia's hefty price tag is a deterrent. Trying to hold out for any news, but I have an 8525 and the upgrade bug is itchin'.
Nothing from AT&T but Rogers (Canadian carrier, uses same bands as AT&T) will be picking it up and offering it in the Summer it seems, along with a LOT of other really nice phones.
Heres the link: New Phones for Rogers
I'm trying to decide between Sprint's version of the Galaxy S2 and the HTC Evo 3D. The one big knock on the Galaxy S2 I keep hearing is Samsung's lack of support and updates when compared to HTC.
Is this something that has really been problematic for Samsung phones in the past and will it be a huge problem for this phone?
A carrier branded phone is subject to their scheduling for updates. The U.S. carriers typically mandate substantial changes to the hardware and software that add additional layers in the updating and testing process. Samsung's been really good so far in updating the non-carrier version of the SGS2. The UK version got its fourth update in two months yesterday. It'll all come down to Sprint in the long run and I don't see there being a big difference between Samsung and HTC in terms of making updates available to Sprint. At least the SGS2 has an unlocked bootloader making dev support easier.
Samsung Galaxy S2 you can flash latest firmware via ODIN, no root required
http://www.sammobile.com/2014/01/10/verizons-galaxy-note-10-1-2014-edition-sm-p605v-visits-the-fcc/
I have been waiting for the U.S. to get the LTE version of this tablet and it looks like the wait is almost over. I still prefer a GSM version, from T-Mobile or AT&T. Carriers have been known to modify devices, so I am hoping they added USB 3.0 and changed the button layout similar to the Pro series with Kit Kat. That's wishful thinking but the reality is all we may get is a locked bootloader and Verizon logos!
Russbad said:
http://www.sammobile.com/2014/01/10/verizons-galaxy-note-10-1-2014-edition-sm-p605v-visits-the-fcc/
I have been waiting for the U.S. to get the LTE version of this tablet and it looks like the wait is almost over. I still prefer a GSM version, from T-Mobile or AT&T. Carriers have been known to modify devices, so I am hoping they added USB 3.0 and changed the button layout similar to the Pro series with Kit Kat. That's wishful thinking but the reality is all we may get is a locked bootloader and Verizon logos!
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It's a P-605 so it'll be just like all the other P-605's. With the N3, all the U.S. carrier versions had the same h/w (except specific radios) and feature sets. Except of course what each carrier added and took away via s/w modifications. The "V" appended to the model number means VZW's N10.1-14 will probably follow suit. I don't know if you care, but all the U.S. carriers disable MMS and the dialer on their 3/4G tablets because they don't want them used as phones.
Not too concerned about SMS and call features, LTE frequency compatibility to make use of data is my main concern about not getting the non-U.S. version. I think it was AT&T who made hardware variation to the LG G2 buttons, so maybe useful mods can be made for the P605.
Hi. Im living in Russia and there are only exynos variant available. After using rather bad exynos note 4 (overheat, bad reception, 3g/4g battery drain, poor aosp development) i decided to buy snapdragon variant of s7 edge. I believe samsung is using superior versions of their handsets in key markets such as NA and China. But for my surprise all s7 edge sold in USA are carrier bound. My question are there unlocked s7 edge snapdragon? What carrier should i choose? Will at-t and t-mobile phones work with other gsm carriers around the world. Also i need no carrier bloatware and unlocked bootloader. As for network i need band 20 800Mhz and band 7 2600Mhz.
Thanks in advance.
TANKRED_ENDURES said:
Hi. Im living in Russia and there are only exynos variant available. After using rather bad exynos note 4 (overheat, bad reception, 3g/4g battery drain, poor aosp development) i decided to buy snapdragon variant of s7 edge. I believe samsung is using superior versions of their handsets in key markets such as NA and China. But for my surprise all s7 edge sold in USA are carrier bound. My question are there unlocked s7 edge snapdragon? What carrier should i choose? Will at-t and t-mobile phones work with other gsm carriers around the world. Also i need no carrier bloatware and unlocked bootloader. As for network i need band 20 800Mhz and band 7 2600Mhz.
Thanks in advance.
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None of the U.S. devices cover band 7 nor 20 i guess, those bands aren't used over there.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_LTE_networks_in_Europe
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_LTE_networks
Also, normally carrier locked devices won't work for other carriers unless you hack (was not possible at recent devices afaik) it or pay for unlocking it. But you could be lucky there at the s7 with it locking just at first boot. It could be, that it'll lock to your carrier instead of the one you bought it from, but you'll have to verify that it works before, also it'll only work, if it never has been booted by any employ at the carrier you bought it to ship it locked already.
Tectas said:
None of the U.S. devices cover band 7 nor 20 i guess, those bands aren't used over there.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_LTE_networks_in_Europe
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_LTE_networks
Also, normally carrier locked devices won't work for other carriers unless you hack (was not possible at recent devices afaik) it or pay for unlocking it. But you could be lucky there at the s7 with it locking just at first boot. It could be, that it'll lock to your carrier instead of the one you bought it from, but you'll have to verify that it works before, also it'll only work, if it never has been booted by any employ at the carrier you bought it to ship it locked already.
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I saw people importing note 4 sm-910c to USA because its compatible with US lte frequences Same model sold in Russia. I think device itself can support this frequnces though they are not used there.
I'd wait before presuming the Snapdragon model will be superior to the Exynos, especially in terms of things like overheat and reception. It's certainly possible it will be the better option, but there is no guarantee yet. And especially with the debacle on the 810, Snapdragon haven't exactly covered themselves in glory recently.
Hardly anyone has the Exynos model yet, whilst there are a lot of T-Mobile customers in the US who have the Snapdragon, some of who are reporting being unable to use the VR headset for more than 30 minutes without the phone complaining of overheat. Wait until next week and there will be proper comparison reviews that go beyond Snapdragon having a few extra meaningless numbers on some benchmark. That's when an informed decision can be made as to whether it's worth going through the bother of buying your device out of territory and forsaking the manufacturer guarantee.
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Beefheart said:
I'd wait before presuming the Snapdragon model will be superior to the Exynos, especially in terms of things like overheat and reception. It's certainly possible it will be the better option, but there is no guarantee yet. And especially with the debacle on the 810, Snapdragon haven't exactly covered themselves in glory recently.
Hardly anyone has the Exynos model yet, whilst there are a lot of T-Mobile customers in the US who have the Snapdragon, some of who are reporting being unable to use the VR headset for more than 30 minutes without the phone complaining of overheat. Wait until next week and there will be proper comparison reviews that go beyond Snapdragon having a few extra meaningless numbers on some benchmark. That's when an informed decision can be made as to whether it's worth going through the bother of buying your device out of territory and forsaking the manufacturer guarantee.
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Good point. I bother buying snapdragon mostly because of lower TDP and better 4g reception in past models. If exynos become equal in this areas i see no point in importing. And i dont wanna wait long cause if i preorder before 18 march i will get free gear vr though i dont need it xD
Tectas said:
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Note 4 have both sd and exynos variants. Its note 5 only nave exynos.
TANKRED_ENDURES said:
Note 4 have both sd and exynos variants. Its note 5 only nave exynos.
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Yes, that's why I've removed the post, mixed the numbering, sorry.
But if you take a look, at least here aren't any of those bands supported at the U.S. variants.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/s7-edge/how-to/detailed-sm-g935-s7-info-t3326180
But what about carrier software? I heard some carriers replace stock samsung apps like browser. Also is it true what at-t and tmobile phones recieve updates later than their unlocked counterparts?
TANKRED_ENDURES said:
But what about carrier software? I heard some carriers replace stock samsung apps like browser. Also is it true what at-t and tmobile phones recieve updates later than their unlocked counterparts?
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Would be the first time I hear something like the browser replaced by a carrier, but maybe possible, in common they just add stuff though and make small changes (modem, bootscreen,...). And yes, carrier devices in common get updates later, because the carriers have to incorporate their changes (which can be a few days to months, depends on the carrier), but at the european variants we're lucky with stock roms at least (or at least have been). In most cases you simply can flash a unbranded rom there through odin without second thought.
seriously.. you'd think that after you pay full price for an unbranded S7 Edge from Samsung you'd get 'access' to Nougat before more carriers since hey, it's already almost vanilla android and has no carrier bloatware? nope.. zero timeline for us.. here's my latest twitter chain w/SamsungUS Support.. it's almost comical.
https://twitter.com/jimmyselix/status/830191588307501056
can others perhaps chime in on twitter to get the point across?
Samsung doesn't care because they prioritize their new flagships
true.. but i will wear them down..
Back when droid was still a fledgling OS trying to compete fiercely against a few other competitors, the issue of Android updates and their delay came up very frequently as an argument against the OS. The basic bone to pick was that Android updates would rarely be rolled out to devices in a timely fashion. The problem gets even worse when you add in carriers to the picture, as most of the big telecoms insist on every update passing through them.
So the process that already took months added on more time delay, with the end result that updates would already be outdated by the time they reached the end user. The Android update situation has slightly improved in a few regards. For one, OEM flagships do get increased attention and accelerated update timelines nowadays, as OEMs try to retain their competitive edge for a few months after the device has launched.
Further, with the introduction of Android security patches as a separate update cycle distinct from the Android OS update, OEMs can incorporate patches and fixes for security vulnerabilities without needing to update the OS for the most part. This gives them more flexibility on how they can incorporate updates as they need not wait for an OS update to be ready just to push forth security patches. With security becoming a recent focus point (not to mention a pressing issue), a dual-pronged approach has worked out very well in favor of Google and BlackBerry doing their best in pushing out regular and timely security updates to supported devices.
Samsung has been doing a good job too, for the most part. Samsung’s Mobile Security Blog is updated periodically to display the latest information such as the Security Patch Bulletin for every month, in addition to the supported devices as well as information on Samsung-specific patches too. The effort is commendable and sets a good standard for the rest of the smartphone industry to follow.
However, what does not set a good standard is Samsung’s partiality against unlocked flagship devices in the USA.
Internationally and generally speaking, all unlocked variants of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge receive regular security updates. Experiences vary with some regions and users getting updates a week or two later than others, but on a general level, most flagships devices from Samsung are on a recent Security Patch.
But in the USA, if you purchased the carrier unlocked phones in the form of the S7 G930U model or S7 Edge G935U model, security updates on your device will come long after carrier variants receive theirs. This time delay extends on to months, as it has come to light that Samsung follows a quarterly update cycle for unlocked Galaxy devices. Users are reporting that the security patch level on unlocked devices is as old as September 2016. In contrast, some US carriers have already pushed the December 2016 carrier update and are in the process of rolling out January 2017 security patches.
To make things worse, the unlocked variants were also left out of the Nougat Beta test.
A primary reason on why the update cycles between the USA variants and the International variants of the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge differ is simply because of difference in internal hardware. The International S7 and S7 Edge utilize the Exynos 8890 Octa SoC, while the USA variants of the same make use of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 SoC which has support for CDMA technology that US carriers continue to use. This creates a crucial difference between the two variants, and does not allow for easy comparison of update cycles.
On the other hand, there are no internal hardware differences between the carrier variants in the USA and the unlocked variants in the USA. So their update cycles are comparable due to similarity in hardware. Carrier variants would be expected to be updated slower because of the added middleman who needs to approve the update (i.e. add their own bloatware). But as mentioned, the scenario is quite the opposite!
It is unclear why exactly Samsung chooses to push security updates slower than carrier variants, while adopting a quarterly update cycle for unlocked variants elsewhere. One explanation could be carrier pressure or a collaboration arrangement, whereby Samsung promises to provide quicker updates at the insistence of the carrier. The other line of reasoning could be the low number of unlocked devices in the USA, which predominantly sees contract-based sales of smartphones across OEMs.
Either way, the end result is the same — users who purchased the phone at full retail are at a disadvantage against users who opted for a carrier-based contract. While unlocked users can enjoy their carrier-bloat free experience, they do so while staying on older Android versions and security patches.
With the upcoming Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, we hope Samsung clarifies on its security update policy. While they won’t give us our security update, they certainly can not take away our hope.
still fighting the good fight on twitter... anyone else got the S7 Edge update for the USA SM-G935U models? OTA so far has nothing. i'm done w/samsung unlocked phones; your better off going w/a factory branded one sadly... i plan to move back to either sony or apple depending on iphone announcements (however i will be holding onto s7 edge; it is an amazing phone overal still w/microsdxc and waterproofing and headphone jack).
so.. i think it's working.. finally are going to try to get monthly security updates to unlocked models of S7.. feel free to join the fight.. i will not linger!!
http://wccftech.com/samsung-monthly-security-updates-nougat-unlocked-galaxy-s7/
you rock! and get it!
Desterbance said:
Back when droid was still a fledgling OS trying to compete fiercely against a few other competitors, the issue of Android updates and their delay came up very frequently as an argument against the OS. The basic bone to pick was that Android updates would rarely be rolled out to devices in a timely fashion. The problem gets even worse when you add in carriers to the picture, as most of the big telecoms insist on every update passing through them......
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thank you!! i also do not see how the hell they can't release a proper unlocked nougat rom? what do they give say ATT? give us that and we can make it what it needs to be on our own. god i miss the modaco rom ovens they had for paid members; my nexus one rocked some seriously awesome custom backed stock roms