safe to buy a new s4? - Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4

Hey guys, I want to buy a Verizon s4 from Costco, do you guys think new phones come with the original/unlockable rom?
Out are they updated out of the box?

Most likely already updated , it says on the box what version it is , you can always ask them
Sent from my SCH-I545 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Damn, I've got a galaxy nexus, I love the unlocked bootloader and running cyanogen. I didnt want to leave vzw, but I really hate the bloat and locked down phones.
Are there any decent new phones on vzw that we can flash without much trouble?

Verizon S3, but since the most recent update to 4.3 I don't know anymore.

S3 is abit out dated, I have my daughter's s3 on CM...but it's definitely am option I suppose.
I was thinking about the Google s4 for vzw, I would go this route if Verizon would give me a discounted monthly bill since they aren't subsidizing the phone. I should just drop Verizon and move the family to Sprint or Tmo

Probably best this discussion goes to the sticky ...http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2406733

Related

[Q] verizon sim in att samsung note

Would there be any way you could use a verizon sim card in the samsung note?
verizon doesn't have sim cards ! So no
Gsm and cdma two different thingd
Sent from my SAMSUNG-GANSTA NOTE using XDA
zayydubb your not completely right, you are right when you say GSM and CDMA are two different things but you are wrong when you say verizon does not have sim cards because they do.
TRAZOR79 said:
zayydubb your not completely right, you are right when you say GSM and CDMA are two different things but you are wrong when you say verizon does not have sim cards because they do.
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I can get unlimited lte data with verizon right now. but want to use the note. my friend has the razr that has a sim card in it. just wondering if theres a way to get it to work so i can leave att. lol
I hear you and I am in the same boat as you. I want to use the galaxy note so bad I can taste it. I find myself searching google 3 times a day if not more looking for new information on a verizon branded galaxy note. It sucks that all the good phones go to gsm carriers first and the cdma carriers get left in the dust all the time. Hang in there a little bit longer because rumers are pointing to verizon release soon because at&t just slashed their prices on the note meaning the exclusivity agreement they have with Samsung may be coming to an end.
TRAZOR79 said:
I hear you and I am in the same boat as you. I want to use the galaxy note so bad I can taste it. I find myself searching google 3 times a day if not more looking for new information on a verizon branded galaxy note. It sucks that all the good phones go to gsm carriers first and the cdma carriers get left in the dust all the time. Hang in there a little bit longer because rumers are pointing to verizon release soon because at&t just slashed their prices on the note meaning the exclusivity agreement they have with Samsung may be coming to an end.
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I wish they would hurry or find away to flash this note to work with verizon. Verizon finally got lte here in ocala florida while att still has the FAKE 4g here and no plans of lte here. my friends phone is so fast now since lte is here and I just took over someones unlimited data plan with verizon so i just got lucky!! but dont like there phones. Thinking of selling my unlimited data with att if I can get this to work.
Verizon just had a new device benchmark show up so it is either the S3 or the Note.
CreekDirt said:
Verizon just had a new device benchmark show up so it is either the S3 or the Note.
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Click to collapse
I see that they are talking about it but it could be a year from now before they offer anything like the note
The exclusive deal with at&t is over and tmobile is getting ready to launch the note as for verizon and sprint they should also launch by mid summer if not then they might as well wait for the note2. I have no faith in verizon as they tend to put too much faith in motorola and lg here lately.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda premium

Unlocked vs. AT&T

With news that AT&T will be bringing the S3 to the states this month, it prompts this question.
I currently have an international i9100 and love it. If I were to get the S3 via AT&T (at the subsidized price) would I be able to root, flash, and do anything "good" with it? Or would I be an indentured servant to AT&T?
AT&T locked the bootloader of HTC One X so I'm not really sure if they'll let you use it freely.
But then people found a way to unlock the bootloader so I think even if AT&T locked it, people would find a way around it.
And you'd also get 4G LTE, 2GB RAM but a Snapdragon S4 processor.
The S4 seems promising but it's only dual core.
AT&T has yet to make it so you cant root a samsung device. The locked bootloader is common with HTC devices so I wouldnt go off of that but I have had the S1 the S2 and the Note and all has been unlocked with little to no issues.
I spoke with a customer care rep in the executive's office today and was told the bootloader is going to be locked.
mfratella said:
I spoke with a customer care rep in the executive's office today and was told the bootloader is going to be locked.
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Of course they will say that, whether or not it's true is another story, and like mentioned it won't really matter if it is or isn't
Thanks. Once I get it I'll be back in here to get some direction with it. I'm fine with dealing with the international unlocked versions, but never tried anything with a carrier branded device.
mfratella said:
I spoke with a customer care rep in the executive's office today and was told the bootloader is going to be locked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We will just have to wait and see... I don't believe much customer care says.. Hell
l the one i talked to didn't even know about the pre order starting yesterday.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
mfratella said:
With news that AT&T will be bringing the S3 to the states this month, it prompts this question.
I currently have an international i9100 and love it. If I were to get the S3 via AT&T (at the subsidized price) would I be able to root, flash, and do anything "good" with it? Or would I be an indentured servant to AT&T?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Never actually heard of any samsung phone from at&t shipped with locked bootloader. Mostly is HTC phones, and they are known to do that even on unsubsidized phone till a while ago after getting bash from the android community.
and imo, the only real advantage to get a branded phone is you get easy warranty. if you bricked your phone for good during a flash or there is some problem with display, you can just walk in and get a replacement in seconds. LTE or not, or the 2GB ram, I dont think it's going to matter that much in daily use unless u use ur phone as a hot spot or something.
As far as development goes... usually international version is always better, may not be so obvious back in the galaxy S days since most of the US variant are still using the same backbone with minor variation. But ever since the S2 that need snapdragon to support LTE.... development pace kinda forked from there.

Which VZW phone to upgrade to after my S4?

I apologize in advance if this thread is a duplicate. It's almost time to upgrade again and I want a phone with competitive hardware and performance specs (like S4) *BUT* I also want to be able to get root and custom kernels. Any recommendations?
Samsung Galaxy S4 "Fort Knox Edition"
sokrboot said:
I apologize in advance if this thread is a duplicate. It's almost time to upgrade again and I want a phone with competitive hardware and performance specs (like S4) *BUT* I also want to be able to get root and custom kernels. Any recommendations?
Samsung Galaxy S4 "Fort Knox Edition"
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Click to collapse
The M8 is probably the best hardware you can get at the moment that's on Verizon and has been "unlocked". Not too much of an upgrade though...
Oishikatta said:
The M8 is probably the best hardware you can get at the moment that's on Verizon and has been "unlocked". Not too much of an upgrade though...
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That was my take also.
If you have an S4 then the S5 and M8 are only incremental updates.
I've been trying hard to try to justify them.
I just can't at full retail (unlimited here).
So if you can get the M8 on subsidy it's cool. Otherwise I think I'll be waiting for the next year models the M9 and S6.
I had the chance to get the m8 but my wife wanted the s4 when we came over from t mobile. So glad I listened to her. Had no idea the bootloader was locked. Lol
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
please go here for this discussion http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2406733

[Q] Getting a different Galaxy S4

I currently have a VZW Galaxy S4 on 4.3 with a locked bootloader and I'm literally sick of not being able to flash anything without some stupid bootloader related error. I'm curious if it's worth looking for one with 4.1.2 whether it be T-Mobile or some carrier I've never heard of before and buying it and selling my current one so I can do what I want to with my phone.
Worth it or a waste of time/money?
S1L3nTShaDoWz said:
I currently have a VZW Galaxy S4 on 4.3 with a locked bootloader and I'm literally sick of not being able to flash anything without some stupid bootloader related error. I'm curious if it's worth looking for one with 4.1.2 whether it be T-Mobile or some carrier I've never heard of before and buying it and selling my current one so I can do what I want to with my phone.
Worth it or a waste of time/money?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The money part is up to you whether it's worth it or not. The only thing I can tell you is make sure the phone you're getting is not on new KitKat. I know someone that has a tmobile s4. Those can be rooted with recovery regardless of what Android version, however if its on KitKat and you try to flash anything it trips to Knox counter and voids warranty and there is no going back. It also prevents you from ever receiving OTA's again making resale value garbage. Consider another brand altogether. Look here: http://omegadroid.co/wanted-knox-void-warranty-0x1/
Sent from a Shaftamle Galaxy S4
"Thanks Button" is always appreciated!
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O.O
Shaftamle said:
The money part is up to you whether it's worth it or not. The only thing I can tell you is make sure the phone you're getting is not on new KitKat. I know someone that has a tmobile s4. Those can be rooted with recovery regardless of what Android version, however if its on KitKat and you try to flash anything it trips to Knox counter and voids warranty and there is no going back. It also prevents you from ever receiving OTA's again making resale value garbage. Consider another brand altogether.
Sent from a Shaftamle Galaxy S4
"Thanks Button" is always appreciated!
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Well I'm not really concerned about the Knox counter or OTA stuff as if i could use a custom recovery i could just flash the stuff without the need of waiting 3 more months for some crappy carrier to release it with their bloatware filled bulls***. & on other brand topic I would just buy a Nexus 5 if not for it's incompatibility with Verizon but thats really the only other phone I can think of that really intrigues me besides the S4.
S1L3nTShaDoWz said:
Well I'm not really concerned about the Knox counter or OTA stuff as if i could use a custom recovery i could just flash the stuff without the need of waiting 3 more months for some crappy carrier to release it with their bloatware filled bulls***. & on other brand topic I would just buy a Nexus 5 if not for it's incompatibility with Verizon but thats really the only other phone I can think of that really intrigues me besides the S4.
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There are many reports circulating that the Nexus 6 will be on Verizon. So try to hold out.
Sent from a Shaftamle Galaxy S4
"Thanks Button" is always appreciated!
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[Q] How Do You Carrier Unlock a Galaxy S4 on verizon?

I have a Galaxy S4 and am running on android 4.4 kitkat and have root access if that helps any. i have verizon and want to switch to a different carrier but dont want to buy a new phone. Is there a way to unlock it somehow using root access. i saw a method online where they used the dialer codes... but unfortunately verizon disabled dialer codes so i cant find my IMEI or whatever its called/... number to unlock it. anybody know how to do it.
I'm not sure which carrier you are considering but for att and tmobile you should just put in the sim card and i believe add the apn's (not 100% on that part) and it should work.
All Verizon phones, including the S4, are carrier unlocked. They have to be per the deal Verizon made with the FCC in their last spectrum purchase.
joshm.1219 said:
All Verizon phones, including the S4, are carrier unlocked. They have to be per the deal Verizon made with the FCC in their last spectrum purchase.
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We were talking about the G3 a while back and I ended up grabbing one... You should check it out man.. Unless your still rocking that One Max.
Sorry op I know I jacked your thread here my bad[emoji11]
- Sent From My G3
Mistertac said:
We were talking about the G3 a while back and I ended up grabbing one... You should check it out man.. Unless your still rocking that One Max.
Sorry op I know I jacked your thread here my bad[emoji11]
- Sent From My G3
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Click to collapse
The G3 is sick I wanna pick one up but my upgrade is in October and I know the note 4 will be coming out then. I might still go with the g3 though because it's looking like you'll have a custom recovery soon enough, which won't happen with the note.

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