Database Users

Is the Note 4 the last great dev friendly Samsung phone for the near future?

The S7 and S7 edge has a locked bootloader for US versions, and conceivably the same for the upcoming Note 6. S6, S6 edge, note 5 have no removable storage/batteries.
Awesome development on the Note 4 here, and if we possibly get Android N, I can't see myself leaving the Note 4 for a long time.
Btw, seems like LG G5 has an unlockable bootloader but it's not possible to load a custom recovery. Not good. Seems like preventing customization is becoming a trend with the newer US phones. Of course there's still the Nexus but the hardware is only ok IMHO

I'm actively looking for a dual OS phone, contract ends Cyber Monday so I got some time. so far the only decent one I've seen is the Meizu Pro 5 n can't remember exactly why but something about it kept me looking elsewhere lol

I'm keeping both of my note 4's until i know for sure if the N6 bootloader is locked or not. I plan to stay on the N4 and continuing making roms as long as I can and until I have to upgrade my phone due to it being too outdated.

The Note 4, the last great phone Samsung ever made.
Sent from my SM-N910P using XDA-Developers mobile app

tx_dbs_tx said:
I'm keeping both of my note 4's until i know for sure if the N6 bootloader is locked or not. I plan to stay on the N4 and continuing making roms as long as I can and until I have to upgrade my phone due to it being too outdated.
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Yeay!! Thanks for giving us hope tx.
I have no desire to switch phones anytime soon. I love my note 4. It does everything I need it to do and when the battery dies I'll get a new one and the phone will be new again.

This is the best phone ever! Its Limitless!

deeken said:
Yeay!! Thanks for giving us hope tx.
I have no desire to switch phones anytime soon. I love my note 4. It does everything I need it to do and when the battery dies I'll get a new one and the phone will be new again.
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i have been pondering this question since first getting the note 4 . I love everything about it, but after lollipop caused touch screen issues and battery discharge, i thought i might have to go all in for something else- tried the G4 which was def a beast but it cant stand up to this powerhouse and with marsh 6.0 falling from the heavens... everything has been fixed, including the lack of response in the screen(entire top/left corner). if i have to i will buy note 4 replacements until the software starts falling short

I have a good idea. For those of us who want to stick with the N4 due to the locked bootloaders on the new devices, just put insurance on your line and keep using the N4. By the time your N4 finally dies or if you lose or break it, you can get a insurance replacement and most likely will be given a N5 or whichever device is comparable and available at the time. Most likely there won't be anymore refurbished N4's by then. The deductable is still cheaper than the 2-year new contract prices of new high-end smartphones and cheaper than paying out installments for those who do that. So it will all work out for the better if you just wait it out and see how devices & bootloaders turn out.

My wife just got a new Note 5 for a broken Note 3!
Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

kcsween said:
The Note 4, the last great phone Samsung ever made.
Sent from my SM-N910P using XDA-Developers mobile app
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Click to collapse
So my wife's note 4 died and our insurance gave her a note 5. She admits she is non-techie and only uses basic functions and yet she still misses the note 4 functions and hardware (custom rom, IR). Long live the Note 4 and roms from tx_dbs_tx!!

You guys are lucky my note 4 stopped working and they replaced my phone with another note 4 . It took 3 days to come to the sprint store it was refurbished too
Sent from my SM-N920P using XDA-Developers mobile app

A replaceable batter is a must! On heavy use days I have to swap out batteries by mid-afternoon. Not to mention the fact that by the end of year one your original battery doesn't last as long as it used to. I've always had to get a new battery or two before needing a new phone.
Sent from my SM-N920P using XDA-Developers mobile app

tx_dbs_tx said:
I'm keeping both of my note 4's until i know for sure if the N6 bootloader is locked or not. I plan to stay on the N4 and continuing making roms as long as I can and until I have to upgrade my phone due to it being too outdated.
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Click to collapse
I agree with you, a few months ago I upgraded from my Note 2 to the Note 4 and other than missing the dual modem (LTE while using calls), this is the best Android phone I have had. I plan to stick with it until theres no life left as I cant stand the stock OS's (other than the ones you touch) so I cant see myself ever using a stock phone.
If they begin to lock the bootloaders everywhere, this will royally suck for Android. The best thing about Android is the freedom so I hope these asshole manufacturers and carriers listen to their customers before they are no longer customers.

The bootloaders can be unlocked with a little time and effort. However, there is only a very small number of people with the skills to to it. My advice would be to research these talented people and support their efforts in advance

tx_dbs_tx said:
The bootloaders can be unlocked with a little time and effort. However, there is only a very small number of people with the skills to to it. My advice would be to research these talented people and support their efforts in advance
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Click to collapse
I think I am either getting a developer edition of whatever phone is available at the time or move to the Nexus and use vanilla AOSP.
sent from my droid

I find this article to be quite amusing:
http://www.sammobile.com/2016/05/10/the-galaxy-note-4-is-not-the-last-great-note-samsung-ever-made/

beezar said:
I find this article to be quite amusing:
http://www.sammobile.com/2016/05/10/the-galaxy-note-4-is-not-the-last-great-note-samsung-ever-made/
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Click to collapse
Interesting read, I personally didn't know the EXTSDCARD changes and sealed the battery. Dumb dumb dumb, hopefully Samsung figures out in time for my upgrade or I'm buying a Nexus.
sent from my droid

Long story short, I updated my old note 4 from OB7 five weeks ago to marshmallow, and hated it. My replacement note 4 from Sprint had marshmallow on it, so went to 5.1.1 OG5, due to that being all I could downgrade to, and hated it as well.
After 5 weeks of being miserable, I finally made it back to OB7 via a custom rom and OB7 modem, but still on OG5 bootloader.
So, due to me not liking either 5.1.1 or 6.0.1, I will keep my note 4 until I am forced off of it, due to network changes. I will then migrate to Apple.
I didn't like the last two versions of android, so I have zero faith in Android N and being able to root a sprint note 6.

qwash6563 said:
Long story short, I updated my old note 4 from OB7 five weeks ago to marshmallow, and hated it. My replacement note 4 from Sprint had marshmallow on it, so went to 5.1.1 OG5, due to that being all I could downgrade to, and hated it as well.
After 5 weeks of being miserable, I finally made it back to OB7 via a custom rom and OB7 modem, but still on OG5 bootloader.
So, due to me not liking either 5.1.1 or 6.0.1, I will keep my note 4 until I am forced off of it, due to network changes. I will then migrate to Apple.
I didn't like the last two versions of android, so I have zero faith in Android N and being able to root a sprint note 6.
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Why go to Apple? That's the worst thing you could do. You couldn't pay me to use those overpriced pieces of trash.
sent from my droid

Why the Note 4 is King

A friend of mine asked yesterday which phone I think he should upgrade to from the Note 3. Despite all of the newer editions from LG, HTC, and Samsung, I still feel that for power users the Note 4 is hands down the best Android phone ever made for Verizon.
The list of benefits for the Note 4 is plethora: Root. Unlock Bootloader. Replaceable battery. SD card support. MHL. USB on-the-go. IR blaster. Great ROM support up to MM. S-pen.Wireless charging option. Gorgeous screen. Incredibly durable build quality.
Unless I am mistaken, this combination of benefits is not available on any other Verizon phone.

Don't for get about the nexus 6. In my opinion that's the only device that can even come close to the newly rooted and BL unlockable N4! I had a nexus 6 and it's a bad ass device and fast as hell all around great phone. Only thing I didn't like was the N6 didn't have SD card slot, and N6 doesn't have type C plug,like the rest of the devices have. I only got the nexus 6 because I wanted root and the option to BL/unlock. Not being able to do that to the N4 at the time is what kept me away from it. Now I have the LG v10 (VZW) it's rooted but in my opinion that's all it's ever gonna get and I'm still on 5.1. MM doesn't have root yet for v10. I want a note 4 really really bad.
Sent from my VS990 using Tapatalk

I had the v10. Nice phone. As is the G5. The ability to "learn" IR codes is great with LG.
I use the s-pen far too often, though. I sold it and got developers N4.
Retail N4 are quite cheap... temp root while unlocking bootloader is a pain but the result is fantastic!

I just recently had a warranty exchange and they offered me anything from a note 5 down and I had to go for the N4. With the bl unlocked, this is the device to have. I only wish more developers would return. Let's face it, the N5 wasn't a big improvement and only recently got root. Roms may be a long time coming. The n7 is right around the corner and rooting that will probably take a year or better. Roms are anyone's guess. Now I do want the n7 but only with root and roms. The N4 had both already and room to grow.

The few ROMS we have are quite good. I still use Jasmin and love it. CM13 coming along nicely.

I wouldnt say it's King of the Hill anymore but it's still better than 90% of all smartphones. The simple fact that it has a removable battery AND expandable storage is a rare and desirable combination.

I sold my note 4 DE before the retail was unlocked and tried the nexus 6p with project fi, and while the 6p is great, fi sucked compared to the verizon MVNO for coverage. Since the 6p doesn't have two radios, I couldn't get simultaneous voice and data using the vzw mvno on the 6p, so I have purchased a note 4 retail and converted it to DE and I'm a happy camper again

Truth is retail DE is better than true DE. You don't get the brightness slider and mic issues.

BinaryDemon said:
I wouldnt say it's King of the Hill anymore but it's still better than 90% of all smartphones. The simple fact that it has a removable battery AND expandable storage is a rare and desirable combination.
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Root, unlocked bootloader, SD, battery, IR blaster, MHL video out, USB-OTG... can you show me what else offers that?

I just bought and unlocked bootloader on 2 note 4s and I am thinking I will agree that this will be the best because of its versatility for a long time. U forgot it also has quick charge and from what I've read works with the smart dock (which is great on its own). I'm going to sell one of them. I'm thinking it'll be worth at least 50-100 more on swappa work the unlocked bootloader. What do u think?

Quick charge and media dock for sure work. I use them often. Another unmentioned perk is the audio latency that allows the note 4 to be used with mics and guitar pickups. Never really advertised but great nonetheless.
Most ppl on swappa dont care about BL unlock...

Compared to the hardware specs of most of the recent flagships, the Note 4 holds up well.
Besides, mine is paid for.

Telemachus said:
Quick charge and media dock for sure work. I use them often. Another unmentioned perk is the audio latency that allows the note 4 to be used with mics and guitar pickups. Never really advertised but great nonetheless.
Most ppl on swappa dont care about BL unlock...
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Click to collapse
I upgraded from the Note 2.
Back in the day I pre-ordered three note 4's One DE and two Retails. I could never really sync them together because they were on different ROMs. Now that the retail is rooted I can clone them with TWRP so I always have a up and running back- up. I use them for business and security so a replaceable battery is essential. I can't be tied down to a battery charger. I go through three to five batteries every day. We need to erect a statue to beaups for unlocking the bootloader of the Verizon Note 4. He is almost like a god. Thanks a million.

doctor-cool said:
I upgraded from the Note 2.
Back in the day I pre-ordered three note 4's One DE and two Retails. I could never really sync them together because they were on different ROMs. Now that the retail is rooted I can clone them with TWRP so I always have a up and running back- up. I use them for business and security so a replaceable battery is essential. I can't be tied down to a battery charger. I go through three to five batteries every day. We need to erect a statue to beaups for unlocking the bootloader of the Verizon Note 4. He is almost like a god. Thanks a million.
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Unfortunately, my DE doesn't work as well as my retail. Brightness slider issues on several ROMS and worse mics. Ppl cant understand me on speakerphone...

Telemachus said:
Unfortunately, my DE doesn't work as well as my retail. Brightness slider issues on several ROMS and worse mics. Ppl cant understand me on speakerphone...
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Click to collapse
nothing wrong with my DE it is in mint condition. The screen brightness is week due to two years of use. One of my Retails is corrupted it lags. I rooted with Knox Security active and it got f-ed up but it's under Samsung factory warranty so I need to figure out how to make a claim.

Likely you just need a different kernal. Multisystem kernel fixed lagging for me.

Telemachus said:
Likely you just need a different kernal. Multisystem kernel fixed lagging for me.
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now that you mentioned it the multisystem kernel maybe what caused the problem now I may somehow need it. I'll give it another try. Thanks

doctor-cool said:
now that you mentioned it the multisystem kernel maybe what caused the problem now I may somehow need it. I'll give it another try. Thanks
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Click to collapse
]please let us know your success as I have the same problem

Telemachus said:
Unfortunately, my DE doesn't work as well as my retail. Brightness slider issues on several ROMS and worse mics. Ppl cant understand me on speakerphone...
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Click to collapse
Take the plunge at least update your bootloader to BPA lollipop bootloader. Look up a YouTube video on how unlock the phone after you flash the retail firmware to get fimiliar with what you have to do. I had an issue with the first attempt after I rooted that it would bootloop. It required another flash of the retail firmware and I was good. I'm updated to cpd1 mm bootloader. I'm gonna find some good s7 ports eventually to work for our phone. I got you guys.

I did finally take the plunge and convert my DE into a retail.
With the coming and explosive goings of the Note 7, and the flop that was the Note 5, I still hold that the Note 4 is the King of Verizon Android phones.
With CM nougat builds, and great 6.0.1 Roms, the Note 4 offers more than any other phone on the market.
LG v20 is the only thing that comes close, but the lack of S-pen is a deal killer.
Long live the Note 4!!

What is the Future of this phone as of now ?

I've had this phone about 3 months now and thought it was going to be good in the dev community but as im seeing now it seems all dev for this phone is dead or dying, so what hope is there that we will have any roms or new mods for this phone?Yes i understand about the locked bootloader but i was looking at the note 7 forum and they have roms for there phone and the note 7 came out after the 7 edge? i would just like to know in everyone's opinion should we be waiting and hoping for someone to break the codes and unlock our phones true potential or just shut my mouth and sit back and take what i've got and be happy with it. Don't get me wrong i commend the Echoe rom team and all the hard work they did for us and that should not be overlooked. All im saying is what do we need to get this phone poppin like all the other phones ?
Thanks
A New S7 Edge Owner

I guess all we could do is hang on to this one and trade it in or sell it when the S8 comes out and maybe we won't get screwed on the next model.

I was thinking about trading it for one of the new Google Pixel XL phones, but they aren't going to have an SD slot. I think I am still going to trade it for something else though... having a hard time figuring out what I want that's comparable.

If you're looking for a mod friendly device, you should look elsewhere. With a locked bootloader, you're not going to get much dev support. Having said that, I would say that the future of this phone is bright. I can honestly say that I see no reason for me to mess with the system. It's excellent as it is.

slayerh4x said:
I was thinking about trading it for one of the new Google Pixel XL phones, but they aren't going to have an SD slot. I think I am still going to trade it for something else though... having a hard time figuring out what I want that's comparable.
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The Google pixel will be a joke. You'll see iphone 7 Will be years ahead of it. And I'm a android guy
Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk

Yea, hate to say it, but Google should stick to making software. Either that, or actually develop the production capacity to do your own manufacturing or at least quality control, instead of farming it out to random Chinese manufacturers. My only experience with Nexus is the Nexus 5, but that device was awful. In fact, I can't think of a single redeeming quality of that device.

I'm selling mine and going back to the Note 4

slayerh4x said:
I was thinking about trading it for one of the new Google Pixel XL phones, but they aren't going to have an SD slot. I think I am still going to trade it for something else though... having a hard time figuring out what I want that's comparable.
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The V20 seems like a nice alternative
Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

minhajmsd said:
The V20 seems like a nice alternative
Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk
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yeah. I'm thinking about the OnePlus 3, the support for that phone seems very good. Plus it is not too expensive. I wonder what my options are for switching phones, I don't think T Mobile will take back my phone and stop charging me my monthly device installment.

Yeah, I think you have to wait a bit more to be eligible for jump
Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

Wow you guys amaze me, I guess if it isnt made out of glass and metal with diamonds on it then its not worthy for you. I've had the nexus 5, 6 and 2013 7, and although this is a nice phone. Id take the functionality and stability of a nexus any day. You do not know what you are talking about if you really think this phone or an iphone is worlds ahead of a nexus. Yeah, the nexus 5 was cheap feeling, it was $350 brand new, and it was the most reliable phone I've ever had. And I've had a couple iphones, you guys either don't know what your doing or got a bad device.

Andromendous said:
Wow you guys amaze me, I guess if it isnt made out of glass and metal with diamonds on it then its not worthy for you. I've had the nexus 5, 6 and 2013 7, and although this is a nice phone. Id take the functionality and stability of a nexus any day. You do not know what you are talking about if you really think this phone or an iphone is worlds ahead of a nexus. Yeah, the nexus 5 was cheap feeling, it was $350 brand new, and it was the most reliable phone I've ever had. And I've had a couple iphones, you guys either don't know what your doing or got a bad device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've been a nexus user since the Nexus 5 launched. and a CM user for years before then. the S7 edge is my first Samsung device (and only because I got it for free), because I have always felt the same way about Samsung as I do about apple. all hype, all trend, ignorant (non-power-user) fanbase. Samsung is literally the apple of Android, if you know what I mean. I'll never own another Samsung device after this one.

minhajmsd said:
The V20 seems like a nice alternative
Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
Do you think the bootloader will be unlocked? I'm still kinda new to Android and the first recent one I got was this S7 Edge. The V20 does look really nice though, hope it is released soon.
I also like the HTC 10 because there is a ton of stuff for it. The Viper rom looks awesome, pretty crazy they have OTA updates for the rom.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/htc-10/development

slayerh4x said:
Do you think the bootloader will be unlocked? I'm still kinda new to Android and the first recent one I got was this S7 Edge. The V20 does look really nice though, hope it is released soon.
I also like the HTC 10 because there is a ton of stuff for it. The Viper rom looks awesome, pretty crazy they have OTA updates for the rom.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/htc-10/development
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Click to collapse
Typically LG doesn't lock their bootloaders, and since its going to be the same phone internationally its dev community may be loads better.
Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

A few developments in the last month:
Unified 935U based roms - This will be great as the unification of US rom development (and the ability to have VOLTE) will make life better for US S7 users as they will have the newest rom of the 5 options running.
Note 7 release: The Note 7's UI seems better (samsung has already started promised to unify the UI in android 7) and the rom has been ported (same chipset).
Enhanced T-mobile Support on international models: Wifi calling/Volte has now been ported to the International (935F) model, at least if rooted. I switched as the Exynos version is faster and has better battery life (and the gap is greater in rooted versions than stock) and a stronger development community including Note 7 ports.

rp3 said:
A few developments in the last month:
Unified 935U based roms - This will be great as the unification of US rom development (and the ability to have VOLTE) will make life better for US S7 users as they will have the newest rom of the 5 options running.
Note 7 release: The Note 7's UI seems better (samsung has already started promised to unify the UI in android 7) and the rom has been ported (same chipset).
Enhanced T-mobile Support on international models: Wifi calling/Volte has now been ported to the International (935F) model, at least if rooted. I switched as the Exynos version is faster and has better battery life (and the gap is greater in rooted versions than stock) and a stronger development community including Note 7 ports.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
so we should all get the Exynos version and call it a day is what you saying then ?

Icebluemale30 said:
so we should all get the Exynos version and call it a day is what you saying then ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Goodness no. If you root and just care about speed, battery and custom rom options on android 6/touchwiz (and don't care about US warranty support), I would say yes.
If you care about warranty support, want an unrooted phone (or the ability to root without tripping Knox), want to use Samsung Pay or like T-mobile's financing options, The US model is definitely the one. It also has more upside
Long Term, Samsung's Android 7 may see a boot-loader unlock option, which would jump start CM/kernel development (cutting the performance gap between the phones and giving people who like Samsung's industrial design but not their software design a good solution). Next month, there will be Nexus phones running SD820, which will continue the advantage Qualcomm based roms have in custom development.

I'm going to be patient. This is a book I've read before. The fact is that the S7 edge will have the bootloader unlocked eventually.

axne1 said:
I'm going to be patient. This is a book I've read before. The fact is that the S7 edge will have the bootloader unlocked eventually.
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Click to collapse
i hope you are right i hate to get a new phone i really like my S7 Edge

axne1 said:
I'm going to be patient. This is a book I've read before. The fact is that the S7 edge will have the bootloader unlocked eventually.
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Click to collapse
The only fact here is that nobody really knows what may or may not happen. Wishful thinking is one thing, but it is far from fact.
---------- Post added at 06:46 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:36 AM ----------
Andromendous said:
Wow you guys amaze me, I guess if it isnt made out of glass and metal with diamonds on it then its not worthy for you. I've had the nexus 5, 6 and 2013 7, and although this is a nice phone. Id take the functionality and stability of a nexus any day. You do not know what you are talking about if you really think this phone or an iphone is worlds ahead of a nexus. Yeah, the nexus 5 was cheap feeling, it was $350 brand new, and it was the most reliable phone I've ever had. And I've had a couple iphones, you guys either don't know what your doing or got a bad device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Nexus 5 was an awful device, with awful battery life, awful display, awful speaker, and awful camera. It was quick with stock Android, but it literally had no other redeeming qualities. Mine has been used as a paperweight, to keep papers from flying off my desk when my windows is open. I am not joking. I will take an Apple device over the Nexus 5 any day, and I can't stand Apple. And yes, I have an Apple device too. I have not had any other Nexus devices, and probably never will. Samsung devices have treated me very well over the years so I am sticking with them. And honestly, the GS7 is an excellent device all around, I couldn't care less about a locked bootloader. The days of spending hours/days flashing ROMs are behind me. I have more important things to do with my free time. So before you go off and make blanket statements such as "we don't know what we are doing," consider the fact that some of us don't share the same interests as you. The majority of the world wants a device that works out of the box and doesn't know what a bootloader is, much less that it can be locked or unlocked. You, and this community, are a tiny minority of smartphone users. And guess what, there are companies that cater to you as well. Don't be pissed at Samsung for delivering what their customers wanted.

Debating the S7, coming from S8 and S5.

Well I figured it was time to upgrade finally from my S5. Got the new S8.... and now my hand/thumb has to do yoga each time I want to pull the notifications bar down.... and I'm unsuccessful the majority of the time. The S8 is really just TOO tall and narrow.... The other issue I had with the S8 was the aspect ratio, wtf is up with 18.5 by 9 aspect ratio? All my videos and apps have black bars now!
These 2 issues, (phone too tall/narrow & aspect ratio) are why I'm debating going with the S7. I just got some hands on with it in the store and it feels a lot easier to get to that notification panel since the screen doesn't go all the way to the top. It's also a tad bit wider making it feel more sturdier. I have to say, I do not like the direction phones are going if they are going to be this tall and narrow to where you need TWO hands.
Anyway, coming to this forum I'm very glad to see the S7 community is thriving and root access appears to be very easy and there are a lot of dev support, including my favorite S5 rom, Stranglite. WOOOHOOO.
Does anyone know if there is suppose to be a new LG, Moto, or HTC around the corner I should wait for instead of going with the S7? I'm going to give the S8 a week to try, before turning it in for my S5 or the S7, so we'll see.

Considering I have know idea of any new flagship phones coming out I would go with the s7. It is a solid phone with no real drawbacks except the locked bootloader. That's why I recommend that you go with the G930F since I see that the bootloader will be unlocked anytime soon on the Us models.
Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

Theroose said:
It is a solid phone with no real drawbacks except the locked bootloader. That's why I recommend that you go with the G930F since I see that the bootloader will be unlocked anytime soon on the Us models.
Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
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As long as it can be rooted and I can flash roms, I'm okay with it. Thought the bootloaded needed to be unlocked for that to happen, guess not. I see a bunch of roms and root guides for the S7 in the dev forums below.

DFA1 said:
As long as it can be rooted and I can flash roms, I'm okay with it. Thought the bootloaded needed to be unlocked for that to happen, guess not. I see a bunch of roms and root guides for the S7 in the dev forums below.
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Well I wouldn't call them full fledged ROMs considering they are just slightly modified stock firmware with some minor tweaks, but nothing compared to an actual custom Rom. There is also no custom recovery
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---------- Post added at 12:10 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:08 AM ----------
Trust me get the international version. I regret my decision of getting the Verizon model on launch. It's been over a year and still no unlocked bootloader. Words can not explain my frustration.
Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

You couldn't pay me enough to get the S8 for the reasons you quoted.
That being said...
There isn't a lot of custom ROM development for the S7 but don't let the fact that the ROMs available aren't full blown ROMs hold you back.
Stang5litre's​ ROM is highly customizable and has a ton of options. That and using FlashFire there isn't much you can't do with it. Granted, an unlocked bootloader would be great but it hasn't happened yet and it doesn't look good.
Another alternative for your S8, if you use Nova Launcher you can set a gesture (swipe down) to bring your notifications down but it will only work from the main screens of the phone.
Sent from a galaxy far far away

gadget! said:
Another alternative for your S8, if you use Nova Launcher you can set a gesture (swipe down) to bring your notifications down but it will only work from the main screens of the phone.
Sent from a galaxy far far away
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Hey now! That might work. I've purchased Nova a while ago, just hadn't used it in a long time. Still would have an issue with reaching the buttons once the notification bar is pulled down.
I am scared all future phones are going this tall/narrow way

My opinion probably isn't popular. If it were me, I would still get the s7 but I would not root it. I think the way the phone behaves with the fixes etc rooted make the device worse than stock. I've had this phone for coming up on a year and a half and second to my Sony z3v this is one of the best smoothest and fastest experiences I have had on a stock device. Just get the cheapest sim unlocked one you can get and flash the 930U firmware, and it can be used on every US carrier.

JediDru said:
My opinion probably isn't popular. If it were me, I would still get the s7 but I would not root it. I think the way the phone behaves with the fixes etc rooted make the device worse than stock. I've had this phone for coming up on a year and a half and second to my Sony z3v this is one of the best smoothest and fastest experiences I have had on a stock device. Just get the cheapest sim unlocked one you can get and flash the 930U firmware, and it can be used on every US carrier.
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My only downside to rooting is not being able to use android pay. The free apps, game trainers, and wifi teether make rooting worth it for me.
I'm not worried about unlocked carrier phones, Verizon had the best coverage here in the US. Now if the unlocked works overseas I'd be game, but aren't these phones all global anyway?
Sent from my SM-G950U using XDA-Developers Legacy app

I haven't rooted either. It just doesn't get anything extra for me, but I do miss using TiBu though. But, with most phones these days, they come with excellent backup software that backs up the data/settings of the apps so I can easily restore if I have to wipe the phone for any reason.

Went with S7 flat. So much happier with its design and form factor. I can use one hand to for everything again.
The S8 infinity screen is a waste, especially since 99% of people use cases that negate the infinity look/feature .
Sent from my SM-G930V using XDA-Developers Legacy app

SM-G930 series vs. S8
DFA1 said:
As long as it can be rooted and I can flash roms, I'm okay with it. Thought the bootloaded needed to be unlocked for that to happen, guess not. I see a bunch of roms and root guides for the S7 in the dev forums below.
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Unlocking the S7 series does not require root (this is especially true of the NA Snapdragon models) as there is actually a firmware switch right in the phone for this (OEM Unlock); once I unlocked via this switch, I started using U firmware (my particular phone is the unique-to-VZW gold SM-G930V model; however, it is running the May 17 SM-G930U firmware for the Tracfone S7; I switched to this firmware because I'm considering taking this S7 to Tracfone to replace my GNex which is there now). Rooting the phone is a separate process from unlocking it. The fact that the two ARE separate is what has driven folks buggy - we got used to having to do them at the same time. While you must have an unlocked phone to root it, you can unlock an S7 a lot easier than rooting it.

Low development

So maybe it's because I'm coming from a Nexus 6 and a Nexus 6p but the pixel development doesn't seem to be as bountiful. Could be the fact Oreo just got released and devs are busy or the pixel is harder to work with. Not complaining, just an observation. Just scored a pixel for nothing so this should get me through till the pixel 3 comes out. Really nice phone.

snoprosledneck88 said:
So maybe it's because I'm coming from a Nexus 6 and a Nexus 6p but the pixel development doesn't seem to be as bountiful. Could be the fact Oreo just got released and devs are busy or the pixel is harder to work with. Not complaining, just an observation. Just scored a pixel for nothing so this should get me through till the pixel 3 comes out. Really nice phone.
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Also, the ownership takes a huge hit from sooo many Verizon owners being locked out of any rooting or mods of any kind. Big Red tells us that these phones are not ours to do with what we want. I would bet even after you pay the phone off you still won't be able to unlock your bootloader.
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

FUZER384 said:
Also, the ownership takes a huge hit from sooo many Verizon owners being locked out of any rooting or mods of any kind. Big Red tells us that these phones are not ours to do with what we want. I would bet even after you pay the phone off you still won't be able to unlock your bootloader.
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That's true. Guess I didn't think of that. I'm in a area where Verizon is not good at all so to me they don't seem like a big deal. Then again I'm on us cellular which is way small lol. I wish I could get in that TMobile or att train and use a one plus device. That seems like the new Nexus but with no cdma support I can't get it.

This is actually the first phone that I felt satisfied with out of the box. I used be a flashaholic, but now I haven't even rooted my XL. Maybe that sentiment is also common.

yeah dev definitely slowed down after oreo update since it broke twrp for a while and devs had to figure out why rom flashes were bootlooping. just saw pixel dust was released for oreo so if you want a custom rom you can give that one a shot https://forum.xda-developers.com/pixel-xl/development/rom-pixeldust-marlin-t3581750

It wasn't just Oreo hampering development. Even on Nougat it was a long effort just to dev recovery and root due to new system (A/B partitions) and security.
Stock Oreo is so solid no real need for ROM. It's enough to root and do a few tweaks or install kernel or run root apps. Even on 7.1 the custom roms offer very little over stock to bother with them.

So like I said I'm new to the pixel. What is the hot kernel? I know elemental is always a solid choice but I loved @TheFLash kernel on my Nexus 6p. What are you guys running for some additional battery life?

using kirisakura right now https://forum.xda-developers.com/pixel-xl/development/kernel-kirisakura-kernel-0-1-t3554330 dev is active and always updates every month

snoprosledneck88 said:
So like I said I'm new to the pixel. What is the hot kernel? I know elemental is always a solid choice but I loved @TheFLash kernel on my Nexus 6p. What are you guys running for some additional battery life?
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Most use the Elemental X. There was also Franco, but no Oreo compatibility yet.

snoprosledneck88 said:
So maybe it's because I'm coming from a Nexus 6 and a Nexus 6p but the pixel development doesn't seem to be as bountiful. Could be the fact Oreo just got released and devs are busy or the pixel is harder to work with. Not complaining, just an observation. Just scored a pixel for nothing so this should get me through till the pixel 3 comes out. Really nice phone.
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Click to collapse
I think it has a lot to do with how smooth the software is by default and how much Android has evolved. We can now theme are phones without root on stock roms, use picture in picture, split screen apps. Battery life is good, bloat is minimal. I'm running out of reasons to install a rom, there really is no longer a bit performance jump. The only rom I'm really interested in is Paranoid Android when it's Oreo release drops. They offer some very cool features that makes it just worth the effort such as the PIE wheel.

@snoprosledneck88 May I ask how you got a pixel for nothing? Been trying to get one for development/app development but don't feel like spending hundreds when I have a perfectly good phone right now.

loeffler23 said:
@snoprosledneck88 May I ask how you got a pixel for nothing? Been trying to get one for development/app development but don't feel like spending hundreds when I have a perfectly good phone right now.
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It was a replacement phone for a Nexus 6p that had a bad battery.

For me, it has to do with how smooth the phone is out of the box and the evolution of Substratum to enable theming which completes my needs.

harihacker said:
For me, it has to do with how smooth the phone is out of the box and the evolution of Substratum to enable theming which completes my needs.
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That's true. If I was on a "stable build" I would root and use it. (I'm on the Android beta program) I know you can do it without root but you need to buy another app so for right now it's a no-go.

You can root 8.1 beta no problem.

veskostoev said:
You can root 8.1 beta no problem.
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I know you can. Maybe a little lazy haha. How often does android release a new beta? This is my first time being on it, always have flashed roms.

I gotta say I do miss the tons of options that come with custom roms.. Little things like the speed meter in the status bar, customizing the buttons, hardware volume keys to audio skip, etc.
Sure they aren't functional necessities but damn nice amenities once you get used to them. Does there exist something to add these kinds of features to 8.x?

Since Oreo release i don't flash Custom ROMs anymore. too much effort for me and i can spend that time on something productive ? .. I'm not missing any feature either. Skip playlist with volume button can be done with tasker, for data speed on status bar I'm using an app. For missing tiles in the extended notification panel, I'm using"tiles" app.
Right now on 8.1 beta. There will be another DP coming this month and then final launch in December I guess. Most stable DP1 I've even used so far
Sent from my sailfish using XDA Labs

Dp1 with root has been amazing. Incredible fluidity and insane battery. Zero complaints. Miss some small tweaks, and would love always on display, but we've come a long way from donut and eclair

FUZER384 said:
Also, the ownership takes a huge hit from sooo many Verizon owners being locked out of any rooting or mods of any kind. Big Red tells us that these phones are not ours to do with what we want. I would bet even after you pay the phone off you still won't be able to unlock your bootloader.
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
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I did a warranty exchange on my 32GB Verizon Pixel XL and they sent me a brand new 128GB Version. I booted it the 1st time with my TMO SIM and been happy ever since Bootloader UNLOCKED, Rooted, etc. There is however a lack of development compared to the Nexus 6, but flashing on the Pixel is like no other device. I'm new to the community and was confused as hell with the A Partion and B Partion flashing. Never ran into this before the Pixel, but im getting the hang of it...