Related
In this thread I intend to give some basic insight about these two concepts, which are closely entwined with our phone's experience. I'm not a tech guy, but I think this little summary might clear some doubts for people who are new to this kind of issues (people who come from other non-Android phones especially). All feedback is welcome, in particular the one of people who can expand the topic with their knowledge.
"Root" is the common way to refer to the fact to the user account which has superuser rights on the device. Superuser rights imply full control over your phone's capacities, which are determined by the software and the hardware of the device. Non-superuser accounts have limitations, usually established for the sake of software security (for example, not allowing a user to disable critical functions such as phone or GPS), hardware safety (not allowing to change the processor's frequency speed, aka overclocking the CPU) or, in some cases, for someone's profit (disabling wi-fi tethering is a typical one as users are forced to buy data plans in order to use their devices to tether). In Android's case, Superuser is composed of an app* and a set of instructions to give this app root rights.
The bootloader is a program which accesses the internal storage and, basically, controls the loading of the programs and data necessary to initiate the sequence of launching the OS (aka booting, thus the name bootloader). We say that a bootloader is locked when it is programmed in such a way that it won't allow to load the device if it detects data from third-party sources. Unlocked bootloaders do allow these data and will load what these data contain, which will be usually a modified version of the phone's firmware, known as "Custom ROM".
As we can see, there was the fear that one would need to have unlocked bootloaders (i.e the ability to load third-party data in the booting sequence) in order to gain root rights. This would have been terribly inconvenient because only a minority of users will have unlocked bootloaders, since the phones with unlocked bootloaders by default are the ones sold carrier-unlocked. Said carrier-free phones will be a minority as the phone is pretty expensive: most Xperia Plays will be sold using carrier subsidies.
However, our fellow member Chainfire found an exploit (a programming loophole) in Gingerbread which allows said app and instructions to be loaded without the need of touching the bootloaders. Basically, his Gingerbreak program allows the user to have root rights without loading any bootloader-sensitive data. This widens the possibilities for the majority of users who will buy this phone with a subsidy.
*edit 3* Later on, it has become possible to unlock the bootloader even for SIM-locked devices, thanks to different unlockers like Alejandrissimo and Jinx13. This means that, provided that you pay what they charge, you can have your device set up without the bothers of having to buy a SIM-free phone. What's better: their method of unlocking the bootloader SIM-unlocks the phone as well.
I think this is more or less a succint framework of ideas which allows us to define "root" and "unlocked bootloaders" properly. As they say, knowing is half the battle, so I hope this nugget of information allows users to deal with their phones with more confidence.
*edit* as of version 2.3.3, this information has changed. Gingerbreak doesn't work with 2.3.3 anymore, and it seems now that the only way to root with locked bootloaders is to flash a 2.3.2 rom with FlashTool and update through OTA.
*edit2* note that this explanations pertains mostly to the Xperia Play. Other devices are NAND-locked, which means for us that they need unlocked bootloaders to even get root access.
*Note that Android is built in such a way that every app is a user account with limited rights (the ones specified before you download it). Thus, Superuser is a user account as any other app and the set of instructions is meant to give this user account root rights.
Thank you! This was very helpful in clarifying some things.
"As we can see, there was the fear that one would need to have unlocked bootloaders (i.e the ability to load third-party data in the booting sequence) in order to gain root rights. This would have been terribly inconvenient because only a minority of users will have unlocked bootloaders, since the phones with unlocked bootloaders by default are the ones sold carrier-unlocked. Said carrier-free phones will be a minority as the phone is pretty expensive: most Xperia Plays will be sold using carrier subsidies"
by carrier unlocked do you mean sim unlocked? sorry 4 noob question
Indeed, that is what I mean.
Logseman said:
Indeed, that is what I mean.
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Click to collapse
Alright, I asked this question and it was answered, but I want to make sure before I try anything.
I just found out from SE that my phone is the Rogers version. It's obviously been unlocked because I'm using it on AT&T.
What I don't know, though, is whether the bootloader is unlocked. Another member recommended that I check TrackID to see if it worked because it depends on the manufacturer DRM's that are wiped in unlocking the bootloader. It did work, so I assume it's still locked, but I wanted to confirm because of being carrier unlocked.
Sent from my R800a using XDA App
If TrackID works, your bootloader is locked, regardless of simlock.
I have a Sim-Unlocked Xperia Play from Rogers that I am using on ATT's network. My phone is boot-locked. When powered off, if I hold the search key while plugging in the USB cable, I do not get a blue light.
I was able to flash the firmware by holding the back key while plugging in the usb cable (with the phone off). I get a green light when I do this. Using flashtool, I was able get 2.3.3 rooted by loading the 2.3.2 firmware, rooting, and then updating OTA.
I bricked my phone several times while loading the firmware and each time I was able to fix it with flashtool or Sony Ericsson's Upgrade Utility. I found that you need a good USB cable, and even then it failed sometimes. I just kept trying and eventually it worked.
We wanted to provide an update on HTC’s progress with bringing bootloader unlocking to our newest phones. We know how excited some of you are for this capability, and we’ve put significant resources behind making this change as soon as possible. While we wish we could flip a simple switch and unlock all bootloaders across our device portfolio, this is actually a complex challenge that requires a new software build and extensive testing to deliver the best possible customer experience.
We’re thrilled to announce today that software updates to support bootloader unlocking will begin rolling out in August for the global HTC Sensation, followed by the HTC Sensation 4G on T-Mobile USA and the HTC EVO 3D on Sprint. We’re in the testing phase for the unlocking capability now, and we expect it to be fully operational by early September for devices that have received the software updates. We'll continue rolling out the unlocking capability over time to other devices as part of maintenance releases and new shipments.
HTC continues its commitment to unlocking bootloaders and supporting the developer community. Because of the importance of this community to us, please expect an update on this about every few weeks as we make progress toward launch. Thank you for your patience and continued support!
(they claim it will come to only two devices for starters the EVO 3D and the Sensation 4G and then it will slowly rollout to other devices that already have 2.3 or enough internal memory on them, this will all start in last August an early September for the first two droids listed... and others will soon follow suit, the only question is do you want you bootloader to come unlocked stock? Or will you buy it locked and be able to sit around and wait for your device to get an update to do so?? LOL
thats why my phone couldnt flash back to 2.3.2..(?)
I live in singapore.. phones are not carrier specific.. so does that mean my BL was unlocked even before I used gingerbreak?
I know this doesnt pertain to the play per se, but maybe you should add that, with nand locked devices, an unlocked bootloader is required to acheive full root, just incase someone with another device googles this question and ends up here
pros and cons of unlocked bootloader
Pros/Cons of rooting WITHOUT unlocking bootloader?
Since being interested in rooting my N1 I've been googling a lot but it's still somewhat confusing. One of the things that's making me hesitent is the idea of permanently (as of the date of this post) unlocking the phone and thus clearly/visibly voiding the warranty.
I've recently stumbled upon instructions for rooting without unlocking the bootloader? Am I correct in assuming this would make the phone appear (no unlock icon) to be unmodified? Also, does this mean one could fully reverse the rooting process and go back to fully stock google signed roms with OTA updates etc (essentially reverting it back as if it were never modified)?
It would seem this would be preferable to any method involving the unlocking of the bootloader. Are there any disadvantages of this? Any increased risks by NOT unlocking the bootloader? Is there a reason why most people have gone the rout of unlocking the bootloader?
My plan is simply to have root access to run setcpu on the stock FRF91 rom. As of now, I'm not interested in other ROMs (baby steps).
tommyinhi27 said:
Pros/Cons of rooting WITHOUT unlocking bootloader?
Since being interested in rooting my N1 I've been googling a lot but it's still somewhat confusing. One of the things that's making me hesitent is the idea of permanently (as of the date of this post) unlocking the phone and thus clearly/visibly voiding the warranty.
I've recently stumbled upon instructions for rooting without unlocking the bootloader? Am I correct in assuming this would make the phone appear (no unlock icon) to be unmodified? Also, does this mean one could fully reverse the rooting process and go back to fully stock google signed roms with OTA updates etc (essentially reverting it back as if it were never modified)?
It would seem this would be preferable to any method involving the unlocking of the bootloader. Are there any disadvantages of this? Any increased risks by NOT unlocking the bootloader? Is there a reason why most people have gone the rout of unlocking the bootloader?
My plan is simply to have root access to run setcpu on the stock FRF91 rom. As of now, I'm not interested in other ROMs (baby steps).
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Click to collapse
The N1 is made by HTC, generaly with htc devices, flashing a stock rom, will re-lock the bootloader, If you decide just to root, you will need a custom kernel before you can O/C All that unlocking the bootloader does is 2 things, It will security unlock the nand (on nand locked devices) allowing r/w access to read only partitions, and it allows you to issue fastboot commands to your device, the main reason alot of play owners went down the unlocking the bootloader path, is that atm it is the only way to flash custom roms other devices, have found sneaky ways to push a custom recovery without unlocking bootloaders, and thus do not need one to flash a custom rom
AndroHero said:
I know this doesnt pertain to the play per se, but maybe you should add that, with nand locked devices, an unlocked bootloader is required to acheive full root, just incase someone with another device googles this question and ends up here
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not too knowledgeable about the whole Nand thing, so I think you could give a much better explanation about it. I'll include it then
whoa whoa whoa!!!! i achieved root on 2.3.3 with no prob using superoneclick v2.3.3. it works beautifully!
Yes, but you're replying to a thread that's 8 months out of date too!
Sent from my R800x using XDA
Lol. I know, but I've been trolling the site, and I think it may need a bit of new info so someone doesn't follow the steps here now that a better method has been found.
Sent from my R800at using XDA
isavegas said:
Lol. I know, but I've been trolling the site, and I think it may need a bit of new info so someone doesn't follow the steps here now that a better method has been found.
Sent from my R800at using XDA
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Click to collapse
why not just stop bumping heavily old threads? then they can rest in piece
and nobody would care
the information thatit's outdated is alreada given in 1st post.
u also could ask a mod to close this as its outdated...
Hey, this thread may be outdated, but it's not my fault if someone necros old threads. Just let it die.
question
can i flash custom roms in a locked bootloader?
yes
big txmer said:
can i flash custom roms in a locked bootloader?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
only stock gb ones nothing else
Hi everyone. I am attempting to download the stock firmware for my Edge but can't find it. My phone has SM-G935A printed on the back. It is AT&T. The search feature on SAMMOBILE does not have that model. Is it ok to use a different firmware? It won't be AT&T anymore if I do, right?
The back of my phone gets really hot at times, especially right while booting. I wanted to try to root and put one of the custom ROMS on there but I am not doing anything till I find the correct Stock Firmware.
scm37390 said:
Hi everyone. I am attempting to download the stock firmware for my Edge but can't find it. My phone has SM-G935A printed on the back. It is AT&T. The search feature on SAMMOBILE does not have that model. Is it ok to use a different firmware? It won't be AT&T anymore if I do, right?
The back of my phone gets really hot at times, especially right while booting. I wanted to try to root and put one of the custom ROMS on there but I am not doing anything till I find the correct Stock Firmware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check out this forum, https://forum.xda-developers.com/att-s7-edge/how-to/updated-935u-935a-live-links-pi3-t3501686. I'm running my AT&T S7 Edge on this firmware, WWWWAAAAAAYYYYYY better than stock AT&T. It has NO AT&T bloatware and it has the Mobile Data On/Off toggle listed in the quick toggles bar. Before you flash this on your phone check what build you're on in the "about phone" in settings. Here is the link with the latest stock AT&T Firmware, https://forum.xda-developers.com/att-s7-edge/how-to/firmware-pi2-s7-edge-sm-g935a-10-03-16-t3477246. Download to your pc in case you want to flash back to stock. Don't root, not really stable if you do and you can't install any other firmware / ROM unless you flash 935U Firmware. You can brick your phone or even trip Knox counter and that will void your warranty if you needed to return to AT&T or Samsung.
ytaida said:
Check out this forum, https://forum.xda-developers.com/att-s7-edge/how-to/updated-935u-935a-live-links-pi3-t3501686. I'm running my AT&T S7 Edge on this firmware, WWWWAAAAAAYYYYYY better than stock AT&T. It has NO AT&T bloatware and it has the Mobile Data On/Off toggle listed in the quick toggles bar. Before you flash this on your phone check what build you're on in the "about phone" in settings. Here is the link with the latest stock AT&T Firmware, https://forum.xda-developers.com/att-s7-edge/how-to/firmware-pi2-s7-edge-sm-g935a-10-03-16-t3477246. Download to your pc in case you want to flash back to stock. Don't root, not really stable if you do and you can't install any other firmware / ROM unless you flash 935U Firmware. You can brick your phone or even trip Knox counter and that will void your warranty if you needed to return to AT&T or Samsung.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi and thanks. I don't care about warranty. I am thankful you explained that "ROOT" makes it unstable. How is it possible to flash custom ROMS without ROOT? Why is it so hard to find the dang firmware? I went back on that dang Sammobil to look for the stock firmware for a friends Verizon S7 Edge and I can't find THAT but NOW THE AT&T is there!!!!
It sounds to me like you are coming from an older phone that had an unlocked bootloader? Back in the day when flashing a new rom like paranoid or slimrom was the fun and cool way to differentiate your device from your friends. That was also a time when android was about as locked down as ios is now, and ios was still locking users into their own keyboard, and Samsung was scrapping with apple at every turn for the top seat in the mobile phone market. My how things have changed.
Android is much more open in some ways, there are far fewer things that most people need that require root access, and the device manufacturers have also begun locking down the devices much more. At least in the Samsung line, I don't know when the last US variant flagship bootloader was freely unlocked? The s3? I know I had a Verizon s6 that I could not even achieve root on following a certain point in the release cycle. Now we have all of these fun new terms like systemless root, magisk and engineering bootloader. It really comes down with what is your desired outcome from rooting. You can actually get a long way towards what you could do back then with a Samsung theme and the right apps.
I believe what ytaida is referring to is the ability to flash other s7 roms onto your phone. So while we may not be able to flash custom roms, anything with the correct bootloader can still be flashed. Typically with a phone that is only going to be in the same model, but Samsung kind of threw a curveball and created an incestual path for the s7. With their U firmware, (the 930U and 935U firmware shipped on the devices sold directly from Samsung as was mentioned above) you could flash an official version of that onto the tmobile, Verizon, att and a few other carriers hardware, and essentially change the model of the phone. From there changing it back was equally as easy, except changing it back could be changing a Verizon model into an att model. The radios were all the same. In this process a root exploit was achieved and some very smart (I am humbled by their knowledge and determination on these sites every day) folks started hacking together roms. So you will see some neat stuff done where you are never truly running as root, but there were modifications done as root somewhere along the line. Long story only mildly shorter. Be careful how far down the rabbithole you take this.
The next thing you know it could be 6am and you realize you've been downloading and archiving your own copies of stock Samsung firmware for the last 20 hours, for devices you don't even have lol..
Sure there are still custom roms out there, but as a US customer, if that is what you're looking for you are best off with a nexus device or One Plus.
scm37390 said:
Hi and thanks. I don't care about warranty. I am thankful you explained that "ROOT" makes it unstable. How is it possible to flash custom ROMS without ROOT? Why is it so hard to find the dang firmware? I went back on that dang Sammobil to look for the stock firmware for a friends Verizon S7 Edge and I can't find THAT but NOW THE AT&T is there!!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is not hard, just need to look in correct forum. BTW what firmware you want. You can find any firmware you want for both models. Just look harder.
On Edge of Galaxy
A few things:
1) There doesn't appear to be any physical difference between the 935A, 935T, and 935U. You can, as long as you mind the bootloader version, freely switch between the three versions. I'm not sure about the Verizon and Spring versions.
2) The 935A FW link is around here. I've used it, and it worked fine, but you will be on tap for a few OTA updates.
3) The 935T FW link is actually available in several places, but there is a direct link over in the T-Mobile S7E forum. I'm not really sure what it gets you that the 935U doesn't, though. It has less bloat than AT&T, about the same amount of branding, and AT&T still refuses to let you have access to the more advanced call features. It does appear to be a lot less laggy than the 935A, though - AT&T really screwed up the Nougat upgrade compared to everyone else. It will likely get updates faster as well, and T-mobile doesn't have provisioning checks for tethering.
4) The 935U FW link is also "stock" for this phone, and works much better in many respects (it's certainly faster and less laggy) The difference between the 935A/935T and 935U firmware is that the former two have all the software needed for AT&T/T-mobile specific features, like WiFi calling, VoLTE, Visual Voicemail, etc. The latter has none of those things, but it does give you back BT tethering, disables the checks for WiFi and USB tethering, along with a few other features that were disabled.
Thus, you need to decide what is more important. Carrier specific calling features or more tethering options and overall better performance and battery life.
Please check the ORIGINAL post date!!!
I got the help I needed MONTHS ago. For those of you actually attempting to help,
"THANKS".
NORBARB, as a "SENIOR MEMBER" I would have expected much more than that and again, please look at the date I posted that question. Of course the firmware has shown up now. I don't even own that phone anymore.
How do you determine bootloader version?
jshamlet said:
A few things:
1) There doesn't appear to be any physical difference between the 935A, 935T, and 935U. You can, as long as you mind the bootloader version, freely switch between the three versions. I'm not sure about the Verizon and Spring versions.
2) The 935A FW link is around here. I've used it, and it worked fine, but you will be on tap for a few OTA updates.
3) The 935T FW link is actually available in several places, but there is a direct link over in the T-Mobile S7E forum. I'm not really sure what it gets you that the 935U doesn't, though. It has less bloat than AT&T, about the same amount of branding, and AT&T still refuses to let you have access to the more advanced call features. It does appear to be a lot less laggy than the 935A, though - AT&T really screwed up the Nougat upgrade compared to everyone else. It will likely get updates faster as well, and T-mobile doesn't have provisioning checks for tethering.
4) The 935U FW link is also "stock" for this phone, and works much better in many respects (it's certainly faster and less laggy) The difference between the 935A/935T and 935U firmware is that the former two have all the software needed for AT&T/T-mobile specific features, like WiFi calling, VoLTE, Visual Voicemail, etc. The latter has none of those things, but it does give you back BT tethering, disables the checks for WiFi and USB tethering, along with a few other features that were disabled.
Thus, you need to decide what is more important. Carrier specific calling features or more tethering options and overall better performance and battery life.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm interested in switching my unlocked Tmobile G935T to ATT G935A to take advantage of Wi-fi Calling. I'm not sure how to make sure I select the AT&T firmware that has the same bootloader as mentioned above.
Is it even remotely possible to unlock the bootloader? I would love to install a custom recovery and a custom ROM.
Thanks.
Not possible currently, probably never will.
Until someone at Samsung decides to give the keys to the bootloader, it will remain locked.
(Pssst, hey Samsung Developer, there is a fame and fortune for your leak. :angel: )
I vouch 400$ for unlocked bootloader and emotion/lineage os
If S6 is anything to judge by, the chances for an unlocked bootloader are slim at best.
The only reason I would love an unlocked bootloader is to be able to root the stock OS and not have to use an engineering kernel. Otherwise, I tend to run rooted stock on my devices until they get too out of date.
Unfortunately, that means when this S7 Edge becomes obsolete, that will be the end of the line.
No one is even attempting it. With most phones now root / unlocked bootloader is a thing of the past. If you want those feature it'd be best to get a Pixel or a 1+. The rest of the phone will kill all of that in the next year.
The last good for rooting phone from Samsung was the Note 4 and even that was only the Tmobile variant. As Samsung and Android pay roll out internationally it will get killed off over seas too.
Unless a new crop of Android hackers pop-up to replace all the devs who used to roit/unlock the phones rooting and flashing is dying
ShrekOpher said:
No one is even attempting it. With most phones now root / unlocked bootloader is a thing of the past. If you want those feature it'd be best to get a Pixel or a 1+. The rest of the phone will kill all of that in the next year.
The last good for rooting phone from Samsung was the Note 4 and even that was only the Tmobile variant. As Samsung and Android pay roll out internationally it will get killed off over seas too.
Unless a new crop of Android hackers pop-up to replace all the devs who used to roit/unlock the phones rooting and flashing is dying
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure I would go that far. Sure, Samsung has locked their phones down like nuts, but there are still plenty of developments on other devices. The Sunshine team has managed to S-off every HTC flagship from the M8 on, along with a reasonably sold list of Moto devices. If you aren't on Verizon/AT&T you can skip the hack by going to HTCDev. Too bad HTC has gone absolutely bonkers on their own devices...
The LG V20 folks got "lucky" with Dirty Santa (though I wouldn't touch that mess with a 10 foot pole since your warranty is going to be void at the same time LG is getting sued over boot looping phones). Still, if you manage to get lucky, you can load custom ROMs on that device, and it's a true flagship.
Other devices seem to either have unlockable (through a web-site) bootloaders or have proven relatively easy to mod/root.
One day root may be a thing of the past unless you can find a dev phone, but I don't think we are quite there yet. That, and there will always likely be leaked dev kernels.
Few things:
-Is there any work still being done to get the bootloader unlocked? This dev thread no longer seems to be only devs, rather a bunch of "+1s", "thanks", and "tweet posts". All great posts, but not dev related.
- All devs on this thread are without a doubt better than I regarding android roms, unlocking, etc, but thought id throw a few ideas it here. (Im new to this type of dev). Maybe i can provide new hope? I just recently got the s7 and found out the hard way the current status woth no way to get custom roms. I know the chain of trust, verity, etc are a major buzzkill, but parts have all been hacked before so we can't Judy throw in the towel, can we?!
- http://newandroidbook.com this has a lot of good material, this guy is a genius, too bag he isn't working on this! (Download the book there & supplements).
Couple of actual ideas:
-He mentions in the book, with root you should be able to modify parts of partitions. Add long as you don't modify the entire partition it wont check for integrity on startup. Now that root exists, is Amy of this possible, to modify three partitions and unlock the bootloader?
- He also talks about how the chain of trust works using signed keys, and where to find these keys in the actual image file; since we know exactly where the keys are, and what's expected, can't we fake it with a custom image using a binary editor? He (in that link) also refers to his free tools to inspect, etc.
Remember when wet push via odin the phone isn't online so had no way to verify via internet if something is in fact legit. Hacks happen all the time with fake digital signatures and keys, certs, etc.
- In other words, now that root exists in the engineering kernel, Im thinking new doors have opened.
Thoughts? Hope?!
It's not happening.
diligent7771 said:
Few things:
-Is there any work still being done to get the bootloader unlocked? This dev thread no longer seems to be only devs, rather a bunch of "+1s", "thanks", and "tweet posts". All great posts, but not dev related.
- All devs on this thread are without a doubt better than I regarding android roms, unlocking, etc, but thought id throw a few ideas it here. (Im new to this type of dev). Maybe i can provide new hope? I just recently got the s7 and found out the hard way the current status woth no way to get custom roms. I know the chain of trust, verity, etc are a major buzzkill, but parts have all been hacked before so we can't Judy throw in the towel, can we?!
- http://newandroidbook.com this has a lot of good material, this guy is a genius, too bag he isn't working on this! (Download the book there & supplements).
Couple of actual ideas:
-He mentions in the book, with root you should be able to modify parts of partitions. Add long as you don't modify the entire partition it wont check for integrity on startup. Now that root exists, is Amy of this possible, to modify three partitions and unlock the bootloader?
- He also talks about how the chain of trust works using signed keys, and where to find these keys in the actual image file; since we know exactly where the keys are, and what's expected, can't we fake it with a custom image using a binary editor? He (in that link) also refers to his free tools to inspect, etc.
Remember when wet push via odin the phone isn't online so had no way to verify via internet if something is in fact legit. Hacks happen all the time with fake digital signatures and keys, certs, etc.
- In other words, now that root exists in the engineering kernel, Im thinking new doors have opened.
Thoughts? Hope?!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have to agree with Kcodya. With the S8 coming out very soon, I am sure the Devs are not really that concerned with the S7 and unlocking the bootloader. I have read a lot of posts about the very issue and anyone and everyone that has been working on this has dropped it or no longer working on it. Look at the S6. It is still without an unlocked bootloader.
I agree with you about the EngImg and I guess at the present time, that is about all we have to work with. I have settled with it and am happy at least to have root privileges.
But we can still hope...
If Samsung ever gets off their hindquarters and updates the unlocked version of the S7/S7 Edge to Nougat, rooted stock will probably be optimal anyway. I know this is XDA, and people love to mod with whole ROMs, but OEM ROMs have improved dramatically over the years. This isn't the era of requiring CM (or LineageOS now) just to have a functional device like it was during the Gingerbread era.
Unfortunately, Samsung isn't likely to ever sell developer friendly phones again, so if you are a developer or like beta testing ROMs, this isn't your device. There are too many options that are trivial to unlock and develop on for anyone to spend too much effort bucking Samsung on their lockdown strategy.
diligent7771 said:
Few things:
-Is there any work still being done to get the bootloader unlocked? This dev thread no longer seems to be only devs, rather a bunch of "+1s", "thanks", and "tweet posts". All great posts, but not dev related.
- All devs on this thread are without a doubt better than I regarding android roms, unlocking, etc, but thought id throw a few ideas it here. (Im new to this type of dev). Maybe i can provide new hope? I just recently got the s7 and found out the hard way the current status woth no way to get custom roms. I know the chain of trust, verity, etc are a major buzzkill, but parts have all been hacked before so we can't Judy throw in the towel, can we?!
- http://newandroidbook.com this has a lot of good material, this guy is a genius, too bag he isn't working on this! (Download the book there & supplements).
Couple of actual ideas:
-He mentions in the book, with root you should be able to modify parts of partitions. Add long as you don't modify the entire partition it wont check for integrity on startup. Now that root exists, is Amy of this possible, to modify three partitions and unlock the bootloader?
- He also talks about how the chain of trust works using signed keys, and where to find these keys in the actual image file; since we know exactly where the keys are, and what's expected, can't we fake it with a custom image using a binary editor? He (in that link) also refers to his free tools to inspect, etc.
Remember when wet push via odin the phone isn't online so had no way to verify via internet if something is in fact legit. Hacks happen all the time with fake digital signatures and keys, certs, etc.
- In other words, now that root exists in the engineering kernel, Im thinking new doors have opened.
Thoughts? Hope?!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
WTF? Did you literally copy and paste my post from another thread?! https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=71604183 lol I know your intentions are great, but you should probably indicate this is a quote from the original author (me), otherwise it appears you were the one that wrote this post. Carry on...
locked bootloader
jshamlet said:
The only reason I would love an unlocked bootloader is to be able to root the stock OS and not have to use an engineering kernel. Otherwise, I tend to run rooted stock on my devices until they get too out of date.
Unfortunately, that means when this S7 Edge becomes obsolete, that will be the end of the line.
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Hey man,i saw you online and i need help with something.
Is locked bootloader affects radio gsm,on unlocked phone by at&t if i upgraded fw and changed version of bootloader from v2 to v4?
Thank you in advance!
Man, this stinks
TomatoesOnBluRay said:
Is it even remotely possible to unlock the bootloader? I would love to install a custom recovery and a custom ROM.
Thanks.
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It's strange that this device never got a stable root. The type of root I was looking for 7 months ago is never going to exist. Development on the root of this phone was forgotten when the S8 came out. I wish I could say the opposite, but unfortunately we couldn't develop a proper root fast enough for the inevitable growth of interest in the newest device.
TomatoesOnBluRay said:
It's strange that this device never got a stable root. The type of root I was looking for 7 months ago is never going to exist. Development on the root of this phone was forgotten when the S8 came out. I wish I could say the opposite, but unfortunately we couldn't develop a proper root fast enough for the inevitable growth of interest in the newest device.
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Click to collapse
It's not just that, Samsung also offers some fairly nice bonuses for not rooting and root just isn't what it used to be. The days of "this phone is completely unusable without root to fix all the broken crap" are gone.
I found that simply switching to the unlocked firmware solved 90% of the things I wanted root for in the first place, and probably another 8% were solved by judicious use of ADB and NetGuard. What little was left just wasn't enticing enough to put up with the irritations and work-arounds required for the eng-boot root. I already run Nova launcher exclusively, but even at that, the stock launcher isn't total crap anymore. On the plus side, the eng-boot root doesn't trip Knox, so you can always go back if you want.
Yeah, it's going to suck when updates for the S7 stop due to age, and it would be nice if Samsung would offer a bootloader unlock when that happens, but I suspect it will live the rest of its life with nothing more than the engineering root method.
jshamlet said:
It's not just that, Samsung also offers some fairly nice bonuses for not rooting and root just isn't what it used to be. The days of "this phone is completely unusable without root to fix all the broken crap" are gone.
I found that simply switching to the unlocked firmware solved 90% of the things I wanted root for in the first place, and probably another 8% were solved by judicious use of ADB and NetGuard. What little was left just wasn't enticing enough to put up with the irritations and work-arounds required for the eng-boot root. I already run Nova launcher exclusively, but even at that, the stock launcher isn't total crap anymore. On the plus side, the eng-boot root doesn't trip Knox, so you can always go back if you want.
Yeah, it's going to suck when updates for the S7 stop due to age, and it would be nice if Samsung would offer a bootloader unlock when that happens, but I suspect it will live the rest of its life with nothing more than the engineering root method.
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I entirely agree with you. I haven't rooted my S7 since I tried the engineer boot, and it has been completely and totally usable. I also agree with you about installing the unlocked firmware as it removes most of the bloat that comes with the stock firmware. Root is nice, but not entirely necessary on this device.
TomatoesOnBluRay said:
I entirely agree with you. I haven't rooted my S7 since I tried the engineer boot, and it has been completely and totally usable. I also agree with you about installing the unlocked firmware as it removes most of the bloat that comes with the stock firmware. Root is nice, but not entirely necessary on this device.
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Click to collapse
So, where might one obtain an unlocked firmware for a G930A? I've searched high and low and have found several different f/w but they all seem to be for other versions of the G930, not the A. Tried to flash mine with one of those and got caught in an endless boot cycle, so had to go back to stock - still locked - and AT&T says the IMEI doesn't belong to them even though it plays their little tune and shows their logo and flashes their name on startup. Pretty useless to me without being able to unlock it. Thoughts or ideas?
Many thanks in advance.
Havdaddy said:
So, where might one obtain an unlocked firmware for a G930A? I've searched high and low and have found several different f/w but they all seem to be for other versions of the G930, not the A. Tried to flash mine with one of those and got caught in an endless boot cycle, so had to go back to stock - still locked - and AT&T says the IMEI doesn't belong to them even though it plays their little tune and shows their logo and flashes their name on startup. Pretty useless to me without being able to unlock it. Thoughts or ideas?
Many thanks in advance.
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All US/Snapdragon S7s and S7 Edges are hardware identical. You can run any of the 5 variants on them with zero issue (even going between V/S and A/T). This means you can run the unbranded/unlocked firmware on any US/Snapdragon based device as long as the model number matches.
Now, SIM locks are a separate issue. You still have to go to the carrier that locked it (or one of the paid services) to get the unlock code even if you are running the U firmware because the modem firmware is entirely separate.
Havdaddy said:
So, where might one obtain an unlocked firmware for a G930A? I've searched high and low and have found several different f/w but they all seem to be for other versions of the G930, not the A. Tried to flash mine with one of those and got caught in an endless boot cycle, so had to go back to stock - still locked - and AT&T says the IMEI doesn't belong to them even though it plays their little tune and shows their logo and flashes their name on startup. Pretty useless to me without being able to unlock it. Thoughts or ideas?
Many thanks in advance.
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Click to collapse
The firmware for all G930 and G935 variants are interchangeable. When I refer to the unlocked firmware, I'm referring to G930U and G935U. This version can be found on the AT&T Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge forums on this site. When you install the unlocked firmware, you are not unlocking the device, just the firmware associated with the unlocked version of the phone. This means less bloatware, faster speeds, and no AT&T boot logo. Sorry for the confusion my previous comment may have caused!
Greetings! I have just ordered my new OP5 and now I hat a Sony Z5. If you were Xperia users, you know that after unlock the bootloader, you lost permanently (or you did a backup before) a speial partition where Sony put very important data for the device (like the camera quality for example).
I know myself ad I have fear that if I unlock the bootloader I lose some imoprtant data or something so my question is: which consequences do you have if you unlock the OP5? Do you lose something important like in the Sony devices or not?
Thank you very much and sorry of there's a thread where you must post this questions :crying:
Unlocking the bootloader basically resets your phone and you lose data plus any apps you installed but you don't lose anything like what you are describing --you just need to set up your phone again. The biggest problem you would encounter is that Android Pay probably wouldn't work unless you flash a custom kernel. Default Android behavior is that if you unlock the bootloader you automatically can't pass Safety Net and I don't think OnePlus or any other phone maker that runs Android is officially allowed to change that behavior --which is why you need a custom kernel to still pass Safety Net.
Oh, and you have a screen at boot that pretty much states that the bootloader has been unlocked.
Not sure why we still have to deal with this as this has been masked on a few other model phones, like the Axon 7, and with all the dev's available for the one+ it's surprising this hasn't been sorted for us too...
So far after unlocking my bootloader and rooting with magisk, android pay is unavailable. I didn't use it much anyways as out here in rural country midwest (USA) it isn't very widespread. As far as warranty goes it is still in effect and 1+ also has a guide for restoring your phone to stock too. It's definitely a great phone for customizing and trying new things with. I didn't apply a new ROM though as most ROMs available at this time are still a work in progress and not what I deem entirely stable. I'm sure someone here will contradict me, but I'm doing fine with what I've got so far.
prozo said:
So far after unlocking my bootloader and rooting with magisk, android pay is unavailable. I didn't use it much anyways as out here in rural country midwest (USA) it isn't very widespread. As far as warranty goes it is still in effect and 1+ also has a guide for restoring your phone to stock too. It's definitely a great phone for customizing and trying new things with. I didn't apply a new ROM though as most ROMs available at this time are still a work in progress and not what I deem entirely stable. I'm sure someone here will contradict me, but I'm doing fine with what I've got so far.
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Works for me on stock 7.1.1....
Sent from my OnePlus5 using XDA Labs
Essentially, if you're happy with how your phone is working, there is no need to unlock the boot loader and root. There is no point to unlock the bootloader and then not root .
Unlocking the bootloader allows custom recoveries and roms/kernels to be installed onto the phone.
It also allows such things as substratum, xposed and magisk to be installed as these apps generally require root priveliges that aren't available with a locked bootloader and being unrooted.
Customisation can be easier, Bloat can be removed instead of just frozen and tweaks can be applied BUT there is a downside too as this has effectively breached Googles security and will break certain apps (mostly banking but there has been reports of streaming apps being affected too on other forums).
Luckily as you have the One+5 you can, if you wish, revert to stock and relock the bootloader thus reverting all changes, unlocking most other phones which will destroy any hope of getting warranty or a relocked bootloader.
Just be sure you HAVE got it back to stock 1st however as having anything different, (kernel,rom or recovery) may very well brick your device once you relock the bootloader.
prozo said:
So far after unlocking my bootloader and rooting with magisk, android pay is unavailable. I didn't use it much anyways as out here in rural country midwest (USA) it isn't very widespread. As far as warranty goes it is still in effect and 1+ also has a guide for restoring your phone to stock too. It's definitely a great phone for customizing and trying new things with. I didn't apply a new ROM though as most ROMs available at this time are still a work in progress and not what I deem entirely stable. I'm sure someone here will contradict me, but I'm doing fine with what I've got so far.
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You need to flash a custom kernel to pass safety net. It won't work with the stock kernel. Blu Spark seems to be the official unofficial kernel and you could easily flash that one and forget it as it is pretty fast and smooth as is. Boeffla kernel is built for stability and is rock solid but if you don't tweak the settings at all you might notice a slight drop in performance from stock. Either one will allow you to pass Safety Net and can improve the speed and performance of the phone over stock. Boeffla also includes a fix for the auto brightness making the phone too dim by allowing you to set a minimum screen brightness that it won't go below.
If I only root the device, will I be able to use Android Pay?
Struziu said:
If I only root the device, will I be able to use Android Pay?
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Click to collapse
You can't root without unlocking the bootloader
Hey,
I'm aware this is thread is pretty old, but I'm wondering how things are now? It's been quite some time since I've touched any bootloaders or custom roms and I'm interested in testing android 11 with my op5. What are the downsides with unlocking your bootloader and installing a custom rom?
Google pay not working?
Banking apps not working?
Netflix not working?
I tried searching this forum and googling around and I really could not find any answers. And none of the custom rom threads I checked mention safetynet.
I have yet to find a simple guide on "How to load a custom ROM on your AT&T S7 Edge"
I've traveled all over the interwebs, including this website and many others but have not found a simple guide for noobs. I read about CWM, TWRP, Odin, rooting, zip files, tar files, nandroid, backup ROM, root with app, root via computer, blah, blah, blah, blah....
All I know is that before I do anything I want to backup the stock ROM but before that I'm thrown all kinds of different tools and processes that one could use. For the noob it should be as simple as:
Step 1: backup your stock ROM and to do this download/install this tool then follow these instructions.
Step 2: root your S7 Edge and to do this download/install this tool then follow these instructions.
Step 3: find a custom ROM you want to install and to do this go here, here or here for you model and download it to your PC.
Step 4: flash your custom ROM and to do this down/install this tool and follow these instructions.
Maybe I haven't done a good job of searching so shame on me but I don't feel like given the effort I've expended thus far has yielded a straight and easy answer when it probably should be. I seem to run across a lot of promising reads/threads about this only to find that there seems to be so much more knowledge and experience with the SM-935F and not so much with the SM-935A variant. On top of it, it would seem that I'm told that rooting will or will not break Samsung Pay and other apps/features or that the flag will or will not permanently trip that shows the device has been modified. Very confusing.
When I'm presented with a tar/zip download I'm not sure to where I'm supposed to be downloading. To my PC then used Odin s/w on the PC to install via USB cable to the handset?
Can someone please point me to the simple guide to get this going...or am I gonna have to write it myself? TIA.
BTW, I should note that I'm coming from a S3 on Virgin Mobile to a S7 Edge SM-G935A to be used on Cricket Wireless (AT&T). Since I'll be on Cricket and not directly a AT&T customer per se I'd like to get rid of all the bloatware that AT&T was so kind to load up on the handset. Right now it has Nougat 7.0 installed: samsung/hero2qlteuc/hero2qlteatt:7.0/NRD90M/G935AUCU4BQA6
I am not sure if you have a US version the S7 (Qualcomm G935A) or the S7 non US version. But if you have the US version, we are out of luck. Our bootloader is completely locked and all those steps you pointed out are not available.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk
freeop said:
I am not sure if you have a US version the S7 (Qualcomm G935A) or the S7 non US version. But if you have the US version, we are out of luck. Our bootloader is completely locked and all those steps you pointed out are not available.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
So it seems that with all USA Qualcomm versions regardless of GSM carrier you have confirmed we pretty much cannot do much other than load some other versions of firmware such the U version ROM? From what I read HERE this is the Marshmallow 6.0 o/s. I currently have the stock Nougat 7.0 firmware from AT&T on my S7 Edge. Is there a debloated 7.0 version of the U ROM available?
UPDATE: Never mind...I came across THIS THREAD regarding an unbloated 7.0 U-version. I see you were active in that thread so now I need to read the entire thing before I have more questions and if so I'll ask them there. Thanks!
SyberTiger said:
So it seems that with all USA Qualcomm versions regardless of GSM carrier you have confirmed we pretty much cannot do much other than load some other versions of firmware such the U version ROM? From what I read HERE this is the Marshmallow 6.0 o/s. I currently have the stock Nougat 7.0 firmware from AT&T on my S7 Edge. Is there a debloated 7.0 version of the U ROM available?
UPDATE: Never mind...I came across THIS THREAD regarding an unbloated 7.0 U-version. I see you were active in that thread so now I need to read the entire thing before I have more questions and if so I'll ask them there. Thanks!
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Click to collapse
If you still want to root your phone, you can follow this link and will let you get rid of all the bloat and root your phone, install xposed and all the mods for xposed. I have used the ENG.IMG version of root for the G935A over 6 months ago and it works great, given the choices we have.
Here's the link: https://forum.xda-developers.com/tm...eres-how-rooted-nougat-s7-edge-g935t-t3567502
I know the thread is in the T-Mobile section but if you read the first line, it says it works for T-Mobile, ATT, Sprint, Verizon, etc. It is a very long thread but if you read mostly the later posts from @Craz Basics and you will be able to see that it works really nice.
Good luck
freeop said:
If you still want to root your phone, you can follow this link and will let you get rid of all the bloat and root your phone, install xposed and all the mods for xposed. I have used the ENG.IMG version of root for the G935A over 6 months ago and it works great, given the choices we have.
Here's the link: https://forum.xda-developers.com/tm...eres-how-rooted-nougat-s7-edge-g935t-t3567502
I know the thread is in the T-Mobile section but if you read the first line, it says it works for T-Mobile, ATT, Sprint, Verizon, etc. It is a very long thread but if you read mostly the later posts from @Craz Basics and you will be able to see that it works really nice.
Good luck
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Hey thanks....but I have another question now that I'm given choices.
Which ROM is better, the U 7.0 ROM or the T-Mobile ROM you just linked? And, why is it better than the other?
SyberTiger said:
Hey thanks....but I have another question now that I'm given choices.
Which ROM is better, the U 7.0 ROM or the T-Mobile ROM you just linked? And, why is it better than the other?
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Click to collapse
Ok the U 7.0 ROM is still un-rooted and bootloader locked. If you go that way, you get the U ROM with-out all the Bloat. But nothing more.
And the link is not really for the T-Mobile phone only. The ENG.IMG is for all makes of the Qualcomm chip. You install that and you are still with ATT. Still have all the things ATT provides like WiFi-Calling and other ATT things. And you can get rid of the Bloatware from the ATT ROM using different apps, like Titanium Backup. With the ENG.IMG you can root your phone and use all the apps that are available for Rooted Phones. One of the best is Titanium Backup. You can only use that one Rooted phones. If you have the U 7.0 ROM, you will have to use the same ENG.IMG to Root the U 7.0 ROM to get that OS rooted. And as I mentioned before you can use Xposed with the rooted phone.
If you are just looking to get rid of Bloatware on the ATT, there is an app for that also. Check out BK Disabler in the playstore. You can get rid of all the bloatware without rooting your phone.
Anyway, hope this make some kind of sense...
freeop said:
Ok the U 7.0 ROM is still un-rooted and bootloader locked. If you go that way, you get the U ROM with-out all the Bloat. But nothing more.
And the link is not really for the T-Mobile phone only. The ENG.IMG is for all makes of the Qualcomm chip. You install that and you are still with ATT. Still have all the things ATT provides like WiFi-Calling and other ATT things. And you can get rid of the Bloatware from the ATT ROM using different apps, like Titanium Backup. With the ENG.IMG you can root your phone and use all the apps that are available for Rooted Phones. One of the best is Titanium Backup. You can only use that one Rooted phones. If you have the U 7.0 ROM, you will have to use the same ENG.IMG to Root the U 7.0 ROM to get that OS rooted. And as I mentioned before you can use Xposed with the rooted phone.
If you are just looking to get rid of Bloatware on the ATT, there is an app for that also. Check out BK Disabler in the playstore. You can get rid of all the bloatware without rooting your phone.
Anyway, hope this make some kind of sense...
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Click to collapse
Thanks, appreciate it.
I'm really not planning on spending a lot of time making changes or tweaking the handset. I'm on Cricket Wireless therefore I don't see any value in the AT&T bloatware which is why I wanted it removed. My interest is primarily having the latest/greatest android version I can have without all the stuff junking it up. I'd like it to be as fast as is reasonably possibly but at the same time have reasonably good battery life. I'm coming from a Galaxy S3 on Virgin Mobile so the change to the S7E is a huge upgrade. I haven't figured out yet if there are any apps (that require rooting) that are so slick I can't live without them.
I installed the U 7.0 and as I recall I got about 5 or 6 OTA updates which in encouraging. I think the AT&T ROM never received any of the 3 or 4 most current security updates. Anyhow, U 7.0 is up and running with no AT&T bloatware.
SyberTiger said:
Thanks, appreciate it.
I'm really not planning on spending a lot of time making changes or tweaking the handset. I'm on Cricket Wireless therefore I don't see any value in the AT&T bloatware which is why I wanted it removed. My interest is primarily having the latest/greatest android version I can have without all the stuff junking it up. I'd like it to be as fast as is reasonably possibly but at the same time have reasonably good battery life. I'm coming from a Galaxy S3 on Virgin Mobile so the change to the S7E is a huge upgrade. I haven't figured out yet if there are any apps (that require rooting) that are so slick I can't live without them.
I installed the U 7.0 and as I recall I got about 5 or 6 OTA updates which in encouraging. I think the AT&T ROM never received any of the 3 or 4 most current security updates. Anyhow, U 7.0 is up and running with no AT&T bloatware.
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AT&T's software updater only works if you have an AT&T SIM card. This is why the first thing you should do if you buy an AT&T (or other carrier) device that you don't plan to use on that network is to convert it to the unlocked version. That, and AT&T (in particular) loads the crap out of their devices with bloatware to the point that switching to U feels like an early upgrade to the next generation device.
jshamlet said:
AT&T's software updater only works if you have an AT&T SIM card. This is why the first thing you should do if you buy an AT&T (or other carrier) device that you don't plan to use on that network is to convert it to the unlocked version. That, and AT&T (in particular) loads the crap out of their devices with bloatware to the point that switching to U feels like an early upgrade to the next generation device.
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Click to collapse
Yeah, I have a Cricket SIM which explains why this unlocked handset is stuck on 7.0 G935AUCU4BQA6 which is the February 1, 2017 update. Interestingly enough, the Network Signal Info app shows the SIM Operator as AT&T and Network Operator as Cricket/AT&T.
Going to the U got rid of all the bloatware and the handset immediately started receiving 5 or 6 OTA updates. I'll probably stick with the U version unless it becomes apparent there's a significantly better ROM available that increases performance, battery life or really adds some whizbangs that make the S7E experience a lot better.
forgive me for butting in -- I have a SM-G935A (stock) on Cricket as well.
Updates to the ROM and while keeping Samsung Pay are important to me.
In the past, I have d/led ATT updates and installed them using Odin, but that wipes my phone's apps/settings each time. Recently, I purchased an ATT sim & put the minimum $$$ on it with the intention of popping it in for OTA's. I've received BQK2, Nov 1 2017. It's a crappy work around, but the easiest I know of without having to rebuild my phone each Odin'ed update.
Would installing U or TMO firmware on the 935A remove the ability to use Samsung Pay? Would either of them be updated for frequently/easier than the 935A?
The U firmware supports Samsung pay and gets updates directly. The only downsides are no carrier features like wifi calling, etc., and if gets updates later than the carrier versions. I have run it on AT&T since I got the phone and it has worked fine.
jshamlet said:
The U firmware supports Samsung pay and gets updates directly. The only downsides are no carrier features like wifi calling, etc., and if gets updates later than the carrier versions. I have run it on AT&T since I got the phone and it has worked fine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, jshamlet.
This is my first phone I haven't rooted & I feel a bit powerless without Xposed and Titanium Backup. I find myself using Samsung Pay so often, that I don't want to lose it & was concerned that installing the U (or TMO) firmware on the ATT version would trip Knox, too.
William Thornton said:
forgive me for butting in -- I have a SM-G935A (stock) on Cricket as well.
Updates to the ROM and while keeping Samsung Pay are important to me.
In the past, I have d/led ATT updates and installed them using Odin, but that wipes my phone's apps/settings each time. Recently, I purchased an ATT sim & put the minimum $$$ on it with the intention of popping it in for OTA's. I've received BQK2, Nov 1 2017. It's a crappy work around, but the easiest I know of without having to rebuild my phone each Odin'ed update.
Would installing U or TMO firmware on the 935A remove the ability to use Samsung Pay? Would either of them be updated for frequently/easier than the 935A?
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Click to collapse
Hmm, doesn't Samsung Smart Switch back up everything?
SyberTiger said:
Hmm, doesn't Samsung Smart Switch back up everything?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've never gotten it working 100%.
William Thornton said:
I've never gotten it working 100%.
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Click to collapse
I'd be talking about the PC version not the phone-to-phone setup. Back up to PC then from PC to your phone. Worked great for me.
SyberTiger said:
Hmm, doesn't Samsung Smart Switch back up everything?
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Click to collapse
Um, no. No it doesn't. Helium (or if you are feeling oldster, ADB) does a vastly better job of backing up apps than Smart Switch. Smart Switch does a reasonably good job of putting your phone's settings back, but it doesn't appear to back up most app data.
I learned this the hard way.
---------- Post added at 01:51 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:47 AM ----------
William Thornton said:
Thanks, jshamlet.
This is my first phone I haven't rooted & I feel a bit powerless without Xposed and Titanium Backup. I find myself using Samsung Pay so often, that I don't want to lose it & was concerned that installing the U (or TMO) firmware on the ATT version would trip Knox, too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Samsung Pay, with the MST technology, is one of those weirdly underrated features that continually amaze people. It works nearly anywhere you can physically see the mag stripe reader, which instantly makes it vastly more useful than either Apple Pay or Android Pay. I have had more than a few people say "We don't take Apple Pay", and then drop their jaw when the transaction goes through.
The fact that Samsung doesn't make a bigger deal about it is strange, because it really is one of those technologies that sets them apart from the other two.