The Samsung Galaxy S24
HappyBallz's profile

Teacher

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1 Message

Thursday, May 2nd, 2013 10:20 PM

Locked bootloader on Galaxy S4...DO NOT BUY IT!

I been with ATT for over 10 years and every year I see more and more anticonsumer behavior from you... I was planning on purchasing new Galaxy S4 and now I come to find out that it and the other high-end phone, HTC One, both have locked bootloaders!

 

Why are you crippling devices ATT? This is a slap in the face to any loyal customer and high-tech driven people. These phones were meant to be used with maximum cusomization in mind, Sprint and T-Mobile both released theirs totally unmolested.

 

Why are you driving your customers away?

Mentor

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33 Messages

11 years ago

It's just one of those things, unfortunately. I agree that it's inconvenient, and would prefer bootloaders unlocked, but this is what you get for buying a subsidized phone through AT&T.

 

It would be nice if AT&T would allow us more customization in how we use our phones. Smiley Happy

Guru

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309 Messages

11 years ago

From what I understand, all US versions of the GS4 have locked bootloaders. This is becoming a trend and is yet another reason why my GS3 is the last carrier variant I ever buy.

Guru

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309 Messages

11 years ago

I stand corrected. Sprint's version ships with an unlocked boot loader. The bootloader on AT&T's version has already been hacked, so you can still load custom ROMs on it. However, AT&T's contempt for their customers is becoming very worrisome. While I may not necessarily leave AT&T at the end of my contract, I certainly won't be renewing it.

Mentor

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31 Messages

11 years ago

T-mobile and Sprint both offer S4s with unlocked bootloaders.  I agree that no one should purchase this phone from AT&T while they decide to keep the bootloader locked.  Even people that want to keep their phone stock should be greatly concerned by this because it signals AT&T's power-hungry control as well as their pure disreguard for consumers.

 

 

Mentor

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15 Messages

11 years ago

Yep. Locked boot loader = no sale.

Professor

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1.5K Messages

11 years ago


@HappyBallz wrote:

I been with ATT for over 10 years and every year I see more and more anticonsumer behavior from you... I was planning on purchasing new Galaxy S4 and now I come to find out that it and the other high-end phone, HTC One, both have locked bootloaders!

 

Why are you crippling devices ATT? This is a slap in the face to any loyal customer and high-tech driven people. These phones were meant to be used with maximum cusomization in mind, Sprint and T-Mobile both released theirs totally unmolested.

 

Why are you driving your customers away?


It has been unlocked now!

 

http://www.androidpolice.com/2013/05/01/dan-rosenberg-has-unlocked-att-galaxy-s4s-bootloader-but-we-wont-get-to-see-how-for-a-while-here-is-why/

Professor

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2.7K Messages

11 years ago


@PhoneWizard wrote:

It's just one of those things, unfortunately. I agree that it's inconvenient, and would prefer bootloaders unlocked, but this is what you get for buying a subsidized phone through AT&T.

 

It would be nice if AT&T would allow us more customization in how we use our phones. Smiley Happy


Wouldn't this affect everyone who bought the phone through AT&T, not just the subsidized purchasers? 

 

I'm thinking about what to do in this situation.  Return it and buy it outside of AT&T or just keep it.  I didn't plan to change the kernel on my Galaxy S4 anyway, but it's the principle of the matter that I oppose.

Mentor

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31 Messages

11 years ago

The unlock method will not be available until the end of the month and even then it can be "patched" by a firmware update from AT&T.  It is the fact that AT&T chose to openly do this that should worry all of AT&T's customers.  It is a clear signal that they think they should control what you do and when you do it even if you clearly own the device (fully paid for).

Mentor

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61 Messages

11 years ago

"It's what you get for buying a subsidized phone..." Absolutely not OK. We agree to contracts with AT&T, and Early Termination Fees to protect their subsidy in the phone. SIM locking and bootloader locking are just slaps in the face. I've paid my cellular bill on time since 1997, and they sell me a crippled device?

What would you say if the bank that loaned you money for your car told you you can't put on a roof rack, or tint the windows? What right does AT&T have to lock us out of our own phones? And it doesn't matter if a hack exists - the point is, we shouldn't need one.

Tutor

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10 Messages

11 years ago

Our 1st bootloader fix has already been killed by Sammy. I will only buy International phones unless this crap is stopped.

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