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[Q] Require Locked Bootloader To Be Listed In Specs

I wasn't sure to put this in the QA section or not, because the other variants of our phone don't have a locked bootloader. Which creates a lot of Verizon specific questions.
Anyways my question is this. I bought this phone fully expecting to be able to heavily modify it, put CM9/10 etc. I feel like I was lied to when I pre-purchased the phone and it comes with a locked boot loader. Toward anyone familiar with law, is there a way we could start a movement of some type that would force manufacturers/carriers to be required to list a locked boot loader in the specifications? Since it is telecommunications would it need to be FCC? Or would public pressure from dev's/users toward Google be enough that they may require unlocked boot loaders be specified by manufacturer's to be part of Google's early android source release? (I remember reading that Google may start allowing select manufacturers access to the next release during Google's own development phase.)
Somewhat related rant:
It really kills development for Android when they do this. Look at where the Verizon S3 is compared to the others. There is already JB released for the other S3 phones. If something isn't done about these locked down boot loaders I expect them to become common place soon enough. Which means I'll either be using only Nexus devices (which is a good idea anyways) or go over to an iPhone because at least I know what I'm getting into. Everyone is gambling away hundreds of dollars in the purchase alone, and thousands over the two year contract when they get an Android phone! The Verizon Galaxy S3 feels like my worst purchase to date. I am very close to switching back to my Galaxy Nexus and just selling the phone, and use the revenue to help purchase the next iPhone/Nexus phone to release. I don't want to return it because they now force you onto reduced/shared data plans and I am an early adopter that still has unlimited data.

What are pros and cons of flashing a stock Android on the S7?

so i haven't had a samsung phone since 2003 until the S7. the last few phones i had were running stock android, without all the crap and i loved it. now, i know that samsung ui brings with it some benefits. what would i lose (and gain) if i flashed a stock android rom on my S7? thanks

1) not sure there already is a stock rom for S7 ...
Pros:
+ Getting stock android
Cons:
- Loss of some/most/all "samsung" features (possibly also some fingerprint support and so ... )

im not sure if you know the home screen launcher (called samsung touchwiz) can be replaced with better ones like nova launcher and such... is that what you mean by Samsung UI?
changing roms actually change the functionality of the Android system wide functions/features, its different to the home screen UI.
the rom that came with your s7 is stock samsung you could say. Samsung made it, so everything, all the hardware works with the rom... some people want more software features or less features and so flash other roms, like vanilla stock roms or asop/cm roms, even though it may mean some software features wont work and even some hardware functions.
Every rom dev will tell you what's on offer and what the issues are.
the s7 is quite fast now, so you could just root the current rom (once root is available for your model) and remove/freeze apps known not to be required to clean the rom of Samsung junk. also install xposed to add new system wide changing features and such, but the more you mod the more risk of having issues.

"Stock" android is called AOSP okay? It's a little confusing when you say it like that.
Anyhoo, AOSP is faster than TW, and you will have constant update even when S7 is not supported by samsung anymore. However, Samsung made sure that TW is best compatible with their devices so you wouldn't notice any difference at all when it comes to speed. Also when flashing AOSP, you will lose almost all features TW has.

I wouldn't recommend flashing a stock android. Reasons:
1. you'll have to void your warranty and trip the Knox counter. This is a one way street, there is no known method to "untrip" this counter, so Knox will be disabled on your phone (even some samsung services like samsung pay MIGHT be disabled)
2. the s7 hase plenty of power and enough ram, so "having more free ram" or "faster app opening speeds" isn't hardly an argument nowadays anymore.
3. Bloatware removal? Well, at least my s7 (exynos version with dtm german telekom image) came surprisingly clean. Microsoft Office, the usual google apps and the usual samsung apps. No Bild.de, hrs hotels or such crap anymore. And you can disable the apps you don't want easily via the app manager or via another android app called psp (or similar, just search the s7 subforum a bit, you'll find it).
4. optimization: as the posters stated above: the s7 rom is designed for the s7, and just the s7. so all the hardware is probably supported the best under this rom. in the early days of android one just had to cope with the 2g/3g modem, acceleration/light sensor, wifi and perhaps gps. nowadays there is tons of stuff more: fingerprint, special bluetooth low energy functionality, special camera sdks (mostly not public), magnetometer, some people also believe there is a fm radio chip in the s7... and so on and so on... this is making things difficult to implement for the developers of rom bundles as cyanogenmod or aosp.
---> if your only concern is the newest android in case of security: the s7 has android 6.0.1 now, this version has a decent capability to get SECURITY updates from google directly. Meaning the most crucial android wide security loopholes will be fixed. no more "stagefreight will never be patched for my 2,5 year old phone" anymore.
---> if you always want the newest roms for the newest pure android features: I assure you, samsung is sometimes ahead of those. the 5.x rom I am currently using on my xperia mini pro is actually pretty similar in case of functionality/usability with the 4.x rom of my s5. many of the features I missed in the pure 4.x which samsung implemented are now standard in the 5.x "clean android".
I guess you should just lay low and wait for your guarantee to be over OR reconsider once a good rom is available which has features that you urgently want.
I'm also currently waiting for a rooting method which doesn't trip knox to appear so that I can root my s7 and start using it. It's just in the original packaging right now waiting...
-acid

AcidBurns said:
I wouldn't recommend flashing a stock android. Reasons:
1. you'll have to void your warranty and trip the Knox counter. This is a one way street, there is no known method to "untrip" this counter, so Knox will be disabled on your phone (even some samsung services like samsung pay MIGHT be disabled)
2. the s7 hase plenty of power and enough ram, so "having more free ram" or "faster app opening speeds" isn't hardly an argument nowadays anymore.
3. Bloatware removal? Well, at least my s7 (exynos version with dtm german telekom image) came surprisingly clean. Microsoft Office, the usual google apps and the usual samsung apps. No Bild.de, hrs hotels or such crap anymore. And you can disable the apps you don't want easily via the app manager or via another android app called psp (or similar, just search the s7 subforum a bit, you'll find it).
4. optimization: as the posters stated above: the s7 rom is designed for the s7, and just the s7. so all the hardware is probably supported the best under this rom. in the early days of android one just had to cope with the 2g/3g modem, acceleration/light sensor, wifi and perhaps gps. nowadays there is tons of stuff more: fingerprint, special bluetooth low energy functionality, special camera sdks (mostly not public), magnetometer, some people also believe there is a fm radio chip in the s7... and so on and so on... this is making things difficult to implement for the developers of rom bundles as cyanogenmod or aosp.
---> if your only concern is the newest android in case of security: the s7 has android 6.0.1 now, this version has a decent capability to get SECURITY updates from google directly. Meaning the most crucial android wide security loopholes will be fixed. no more "stagefreight will never be patched for my 2,5 year old phone" anymore.
---> if you always want the newest roms for the newest pure android features: I assure you, samsung is sometimes ahead of those. the 5.x rom I am currently using on my xperia mini pro is actually pretty similar in case of functionality/usability with the 4.x rom of my s5. many of the features I missed in the pure 4.x which samsung implemented are now standard in the 5.x "clean android".
I guess you should just lay low and wait for your guarantee to be over OR reconsider once a good rom is available which has features that you urgently want.
I'm also currently waiting for a rooting method which doesn't trip knox to appear so that I can root my s7 and start using it. It's just in the original packaging right now waiting...
-acid
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for the post. i'm not worried about the warranty. i've rooted the last 3 phones i had and never needed warranty claim. i just like running aosp as its very clean and when rooted gives me more customization options. i could care less about samsung pay or fingerprint scanner and such. so i'm ok with losing it. buying the s7 i was really looking for great hardware which it has and flashing aosp on it. the only reason i didn't go with nexus 6 is because there's no sd card.

You will not see any AOSP roms available for Exynos variants. Snapdragon variants have locked bootloader so unless Samsung unlock it (which I think may be a possibility) you will not see any roms for Snapdragon variants.
Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

If you want custom roms, the S7 isn't the phone for you.
Gesendet von meinem SM-G900F mit Tapatalk

Was never a fan of flashing aosp over touchwiz unless the S7 had a gpe counter part and a port was made or something. I hade the m8 on verizon but there was also a m8 gpe as well so that was a great experience because that was just ported over and all the features were still there the boomsound, HTC camera app ect. Usually you lose on a lot of factory features that were made for that phone and what I realized when flashing aosp Roms was the drastic downgrade in camera quality, that was during the s3 and note 3 for me.
I mean I'll definitely give a aosp rom a shot no doubt about that. if we even make it that far with the s7. We still need root and unlocked BL first to even be thinking about all that. Unless you got the exynos version.

One big thing for me usually is the camera...
Somehow the stock camera is always easiest, best, flexible and most comfortable. Never really found a camera which could replace it (either not all functionality available, or just not working as smooth). But yeah, it's not as if there is (or likely will be) an AOSP rom for the S7...

Doubts regarding this phone

Hello guys, recently I dropped my LG G2 and broke its screen, so I decided to buy a new phone. I've searched a lot in the internet and I think I'm going to buy a Galaxy S7, but before doing so, I would like to get these questions answered (I would really appreciate if you could answer these questions, it'd help me a lot):
1. Which version would you recommend me to buy, S7 or S7 Edge? Is it purely up to my taste or are there any key differences? When it comes to my taste, I prefer S7 because I don't like the curved edges.
2. Should I pick the Snapdragon version or Exynos version? I have the possibility to choose, which one is better?
3. I'm afraid of burn-ins that are very common on AMOLED screens, does this phone suffer from kind of problem?
4. Is it possible for me to root this phone and then unroot it without letting Samsung know it was previously rooted (I mean, still get warranty after unroot)?
5. What about custom ROMs? Are they easy to install on this phone? what about camera driver, is it released by Samsung or is it closed source? (I'm asking this because my current phone, LG G2, doesn't have its camera driver released by LG, that means, we use a generic camera driver on custom ROMs like LineageOS and thus reduces the camera quality a lot)
Thank you for your time

1. Personal choice, same specs, bigger battery/screen in Edge
2. Exynos (Snapdragon is bootloader locked)
3. Not been many complaints, only a handful
4. No, once you flash custom you permanently trip KNOX, no reset
5. Not as easy as older phones but still fairly easy, camera driver not open source afaik, needs a touchwiz ROM for full quality

Thank you for your answers.
About question 4, all I want to do by now is root and use this app:
http://www.androidpolice.com/2017/08/12/hands-battery-charge-limit-rooted-devices-exactly-expect/
Don't you think I can root and use this, then unroot and still get warranty? (I'm asking this because you said "flash custom", maybe you got me wrong)

I think, re: 4, and what Detection said is that you will trip the Knox, and then Samsung will know the phone has been OS tampered at it's root level. What will Samsung do then about your warranty, knowing you intentionally breached their OEM OS?

Root is custom, root trips knox

Help me pick a new phone, please!

I got the green light (from the wife) to order a new phone. A new phone from Verizon in the U.S. This will be my first time picking a phone depending if it can be rooted or not. Actually, if the Bootloader can be unlocked. I got lucky with my previous Samsung phones. The S8 got root but my Note 10 was able to have the Bootloader unlocked. I will not have a locked Bootloader if I have the option.
I was looking at the "Samsung S20 FE", "Pixel 6", or possibly the "Motorola Edge+". What do you guys think? Maybe something else? I will be making payments, so that limits my options.
Number 1 factor is Bootloader unlock, even if I need to pay to have it unlocked like I did with the Note 10.
Thanks Guys!

I go for either a Note 10+ or a N20Ultra, preferably running on Q. You can still find new ones, personally I went with another new N10+ Snapdragon running on Q, no plans to root it.
The new flagship phones aren't worth a rat's arse. Overpriced, no SD card slot, running on R and many have multiple issues.
Or simply wait. So far nothing good in the pipeline from Samsung. I'm not holding my either as I think it may be close to a year or longer until Samsung gets it together.
That I have 2 N10+'s is shows how much confidence I have in new Samsung's and Android OS's releases at this point. Zero. Expect more dropped balls from both.

Best Android phones 2023
The definitive guide to the best Android phones.
www.androidcentral.com

Global Rom or Global Version, What would you do?

I want a New phone and I would be using it in Canada. I have been looking mostly on Aliexpress
because I can save quite a bit of money. I am looking for a Motorola because suppose to be clean android and
little or no Bloatware at least the version from Canada. I know nothing about downloading Roms and don't know the meaning of what Rooting is
so I have to keep things simple. My dilemma is do I get a Global Version because I will get OTA updates with no hassle or a Chinese Version that the seller has flashed a Global Rom on? The Chinese with the global rom may or may not get OTA updates but is cheaper than a True Global Version from Aliexpress.
The seller says I can update the phone myself? I don't mind updating if the phone notifies me of an update and I just have to Tap to install
but I don't know if it is that easy? What should I do?
Also Motorola doesn't have any Global Version I can find like Xiaomi has but even they do not have all models in Global Versions.

I would never buy a phone off AliExpress because this seller is known to sell fake produccts.
Generally, AliExpress is a great place to source your merchandise only if you know how to find genuine products on the site.

redrooster62 said:
(...) I have been looking mostly on Aliexpress
because I can save quite a bit of money. (...)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
By looking for cheap buys and not knowing anything about the device, you really won't save anything.
In my opinion, it will be better for you if you buy on the local secondary market a phone from a year or two ago, which was categorized as mid-range on the day of its release.

Be careful with any to good to be offer's! Do your homework while shopping...

Yes I know about that. A genuine seller has the money back guarantee protection through aliexpress. The sub par ones do not. I bought a Redmi Note 8 Pro 3 years ago with no problems.

Done lots of homework. When I see a Samsung S22 for $200 I know it's a fake.
The sellers with the guarantee are what I look for.

So now we have got past about shopping on Aliexpress
Is anyone going to comment if the Chinese with a global rom be ok given my skill level or forget it and only buy a true "Global Version"?
My only problem about the CN/Global Rom is getting system and security updates.

Updates get rolled by OEM if they deem it necessary. Has nothing to do what ROM initially is flashed. Providing updates causes enormous costs, which OEMs naturally try to avoid because it reduces the profit margin.
Only with Google devices ( AOSP based ) you can be sure to always get latest updates.

So why then if you buy a Chinese phone flashed with a Global Rom the sellers says OTA updates not supported?

1. My understanding: Global ROM, as also Chinese ROM, is software, whereas Global Version is hardware. But I may err as always.
2. OTA stands for Over the Air ( FOTA – Firmware Over the Air ). It refers to the wireless delivery of new or updated software or firmware to devices such as smartphones and tablets.
The OTA process is self-explanatory in that it delivers updated software wirelessly or ‘over the air’. These updates are distributed over Wi-Fi or mobile broadband using a function built into the smartphone or tablet’s operating system or through a special OTA app that’s given root access. The update goes out to all the designated smartphones or tablets from one central control panel.

I am following you sort of. I know that updates are sent OTA.
What I need to know is how will I get these software and firmware update if the seller is saying "OTA updates" not supported after they install the Global Rom?
My experience so far with pervious cell phones is this process happens automatically with maybe the hardest thing to do is accept it by a Tap.
If this process is complicated because it is not supported I can't continue about thinking to buy as I am not a Tech Savvy cell phone guy.

the answer is very simple: you have to take care of possible updates yourself

No Problem but is it easy like a matter of Tap Yes to update or is like loading another updated Rom?

I don't know if you figured it out or not but in my opinion if you are saving a good amount go for Chinese version and you can simply flash a global one and root your device to get your device certified
Updates will not be the issue you can install the updates the only issue will be after every update you have to root your device again
As you said you don't know how to root. root is something you should have at least basic knowledge to do soo otherwise you may brick your device
So facts are Infront of you if you still think it's worth buying and you can manage the struggle