Database Develop

Sad News Inside : Hint[KNOX]

Samsung Knox 2.0 brings two-factor authentication and better sandboxing
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You may have thought that you could get away from more Samsung news after the tsunami of Galaxy S5 coverage, but Samsung never strays too far from the headlines in the mobile world. During the S5 announcement, Samsung promised a new version of its Knox security would be unveiled, and now we know what to expect. Not surprisingly, Knox 2.0 leverages the Galaxy S5's new fingerprint scanner, and offers quite a bit more for the enterprise crowd.
The new version of Knox will offer a special treat for those who grab the new Galaxy S5 by allowing users to set up two-factor authentication on their devices. This would mean needing to both scan your fingerprint and enter your password to access your data. Samsung also has plenty of new features for those with older devices, and many focus on making management easier for both users and the IT department.
Users get better sandboxing, so you can set up separate containers for different jobs or multiple locations or even as a way to separate your work data from personal data. It has also been made easier to get the apps you want and need. Now, any apps that support Android's multi-user framework can be installed into a secure container.
On the enterprise management side, there is a new cloud-based console for IT admins to keep control of devices, user accounts, access, and apps. The system now supports iOS devices in addition to Android as well. Samsung has also set up a new Knox Marketplace, where businesses can discover and install Knox services.
Samsung has been pushing hard to gain more share of the enterprise market, but the numbers are difficult to parse. Samsung has said that it has sold 25 million devices with Knox since it first launched in , but there are only 1 million active users. It also reported 210,000 new activations each month. Knox 2.0 will be rolling out in Q2 of 2014 and will require Android 4.4.
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Any words???

NoteboyTech said:
Samsung Knox 2.0 brings two-factor authentication and better sandboxing
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Any words???
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Goodbye Knox 0x0 root for ever.\
Bye SAMMY

I read that article this morning. All it means is I'm done with Samsung until they revamp their Knox / warranty policy. When you spend hundreds of dollars on a phone, you should be able to customize the software without voiding your warranty. Samsung is garbage now.
When I buy a computer that is preloaded with Windows, then install Linux to dual boot, I don't void my warranty on it. Why should it be different with a phone?
Sent from my SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app

avatar_ro said:
Goodbye Knox 0x0 root for ever.\
Bye SAMMY
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bdithug said:
I read that article this morning. All it means is I'm done with Samsung until they revamp their Knox / warranty policy. When you spend hundreds of dollars on a phone, you should be able to customize the software without voiding your warranty. Samsung is garbage now.
When I buy a computer that is preloaded with Windows, then install Linux to dual boot, I don't void my warranty on it. Why should it be different with a phone?
Sent from my SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app
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Nobody ever said that you can't root or that you lose your warranty.

dandroid13 said:
Nobody ever said that you can't root or that you lose your warranty.
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Are you sure? I'm pretty sure if you trip your Knox counter, your warranty is void.
Sent from my SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app

bdithug said:
Are you sure? I'm pretty sure if you trip your Knox counter, your warranty is void.
Sent from my SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app
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http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=50219902&postcount=1983

dandroid13 said:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=50219902&postcount=1983
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That was in the EU though. Samsung Canada or North America might have different policy.
Sent from my SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app

I knew six months ago that any new Galaxy phone I upgrade to, will be a Google Play Edition only.
That or the Developer edition. Either should be easier to root/ROM.
AT&T and Verizon are for sure locked down. No AOSP ROM's at all.
Not sure about Sprint or T-Mobile?

Just went to best buy and spoke with a Samsung agent from their Samsung department. Rooting your phone does void your warranty here in Canada and most likely the US as well.
Screw samsung
Sent from my SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app

I ditched my s4 before the 4.2 update to avoid Knox. I am no fan of any device I can not root/recovery and then return it to factory state.
Loving life in nexus land.
Sent from my HammerHead

bdithug said:
Just went to best buy and spoke with a Samsung agent from their Samsung department. Rooting your phone does void your warranty here in Canada and most likely the US as well.
Screw samsung
Sent from my SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app
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It'll probably be the same for all except maybe Motorola and Sony dev editions.

bdithug said:
I read that article this morning. All it means is I'm done with Samsung until they revamp their Knox / warranty policy. When you spend hundreds of dollars on a phone, you should be able to customize the software without voiding your warranty. Samsung is garbage now.
When I buy a computer that is preloaded with Windows, then install Linux to dual boot, I don't void my warranty on it. Why should it be different with a phone?
Sent from my SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app
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Yeah, I said the same thing. I ended up leaving VZW for Tmo (the ETF payoff thingy) and their Note 3 has unlocked bootloader. Basically a developers edition.
---------- Post added at 07:32 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:29 PM ----------
CZ Eddie said:
I knew six months ago that any new Galaxy phone I upgrade to, will be a Google Play Edition only.
That or the Developer edition. Either should be easier to root/ROM.
AT&T and Verizon are for sure locked down. No AOSP ROM's at all.
Not sure about Sprint or T-Mobile?
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lol ill repeat myself... thats the same thing I said as well before switching to Tmo and getting their Note 3 which has unlocked bootloader. Basically a developers edition.

bdithug said:
I read that article this morning. All it means is I'm done with Samsung until they revamp their Knox / warranty policy. When you spend hundreds of dollars on a phone, you should be able to customize the software without voiding your warranty. Samsung is garbage now.
When I buy a computer that is preloaded with Windows, then install Linux to dual boot, I don't void my warranty on it. Why should it be different with a phone?
Sent from my SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app
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because you can't brick your computer unless you do stupid things with your motherboard bios or whatever.

bdithug said:
I read that article this morning. All it means is I'm done with Samsung until they revamp their Knox / warranty policy. When you spend hundreds of dollars on a phone, you should be able to customize the software without voiding your warranty. Samsung is garbage now.
When I buy a computer that is preloaded with Windows, then install Linux to dual boot, I don't void my warranty on it. Why should it be different with a phone?
Sent from my SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app
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+1.
What is a device that do not provide me the way I wanted it to. I truly believe the very popularity of the Samsung is not just for their heavy Touchwiz UI but it provides the customization to the user to use it as they wish.
I never will let Samsung decide how I have to use my phone and it is me who should think what I have to do with my phone.
All that I say is Samsung S5 is Sorry5, Goodbye5, Sucks5 and Knox -5

I don't see what the big deal about Knox is.?? I don't have it but if I did and I have to do a warranty exchange, I'll hard brick it by flashing a bad rom etc. They can't tell it's been flashed or rooted if it won't turn on right?
Sent from my SGH-M919 using JellyBombed Tapatalk 2

Josh McGrath said:
They can't tell it's been flashed or rooted if it won't turn on right?
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If they can boot it to download mode they can see the Knox flag so that won't work. And to anyone who said that Knox won't void your warranty in Europe etc.... Are you ready to take Samsung to court just to prove a point? They have voided warranties for custom stuff before and even though many countries have strong consumer laws, you would most likely have to sue Samsung. That would cost more time and money than most people have just to get a warranty repair/replacement.
Plus Samsung isn't the only manufacturer who's doing this. Sony has began locking their bootloaders and it's getting more and more difficult to unlock+root their phones without leaving traces. Same applies to HTC who have an "unlocked" flag for unlocked bootloaders. And LG is catching up etc.
Basically Samsung or not, the days of rooting + flashing without issues are gone. That's just how it is now.
If you want a phone to toy around, get a Nexus or be prepared to take responsibility of your device even if the fault isn't yours.

I never cared for warranty stuff,as far as I'm concerned, Knox can kiss my a$$.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

akselic said:
If they can boot it to download mode they can see the Knox flag so that won't work. And to anyone who said that Knox won't void your warranty in Europe etc.... Are you ready to take Samsung to court just to prove a point? They have voided warranties for custom stuff before and even though many countries have strong consumer laws, you would most likely have to sue Samsung. That would cost more time and money than most people have just to get a warranty repair/replacement.
Plus Samsung isn't the only manufacturer who's doing this. Sony has began locking their bootloaders and it's getting more and more difficult to unlock+root their phones without leaving traces. Same applies to HTC who have an "unlocked" flag for unlocked bootloaders. And LG is catching up etc.
Basically Samsung or not, the days of rooting + flashing without issues are gone. That's just how it is now.
If you want a phone to toy around, get a Nexus or be prepared to take responsibility of your device even if the fault isn't yours.
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True... but cut the wires off your USB charger so they're exposed. do the same on an old power cord, connect 'em and plug it in... oh, wear some rubber gloves while you do this "Hey man, the damned thing just COMBUSTED in my hand!"
(Actually, would be better with something like 24V... enough to fry the main board but not enough to generate TOO much outward hints)

Just a out of curiosity how many times you guys used your warranty for one of your phones? I have been owning phones since 2000, and I never used my warranty once..
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

skivnit said:
Just a out of curiosity how many times you guys used your warranty for one of your phones? I have been owning phones since 2000, and I never used my warranty once..
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
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I've never done so on the manufacturer's warranty, it's always been on the insurance my carrier offers, I've done that a couple of times. They don't (or at least, never have) cared about root or warranty flags or any of that.

[DISCUSSION] Are unexploitable bootloaders putting an end to US development?

I will not state the obvious with the exception of this: If you can not root a device much less install a custom recovery, development essentially means absolutely nothing to you.. In this case what is the new definition of open source? "Open source" made android what is today.
All opinions from different perpectives are welcome--but please mind your Ps and Qs.
Thanks....
EDIT: I firmly believe that xda members must be patient. However, there must also be a realistic reckoning. That is to say--hypothetically speaking--if it takes five years to create an exploit, for all practical purposes one could consider that bootloader impregnable considering the exponential pace of technological advancement. So, if one is measured in their assessment and comments, it is closer to the truth and a heck of a lot more useful to talk in terms of "X" device has a bootloader that can not be unlocked. If for example the S4 is "cracked" say--three years from now, will anyone care? Will development restart? Finally, like with any choice, it's up to the individual to decide what can be considered "hard locked." For me, I guessed that the S4 would be leaked an unlock after the S5 came to market. Obviously my reasoning was wrong. At any rate, my ship has sailed--I can be patient no more.
But remember here we are assuming for the sake of a discussion that these bootloaders will not be exploited and if that is the case will that spread to the point that US development dies on the vine.

I thought unlockable bootloaders WERE promoting US development. The T-Mobile S5 subforum is buzzing, and it's crickets around here. It's these locked bootloaders that cause some frustration.

LoSt180 said:
I thought unlockable bootloaders WERE promoting US development. The T-Mobile S5 subforum is buzzing, and it's crickets around here. It's these locked bootloaders that cause some frustration.
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I think your right about T mobile. But they come with bootloaders that allow rooting and Installation of a custom recovery (I.e. unlocked).. When I say unlockable I am refering to carriers like At&t and Verizon. Take a look at their forums--you can almost hear crickets! As they are "locking down" one might wonder if it will spread especially as a carrier attains its target market share through promotions and even merger.

numbR7 said:
I think your right about T mobile. But they come with bootloaders that allow rooting and Installation of a custom recovery (I.e. unlocked).. When I say unlockable I am refering to carriers like At&t and Verizon. Take a look at their forums--you can almost hear crickets! As they are "locking down" one might wonder if it will spread especially as a carrier attains its target market share through promotions and even merger.
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T-Mobile is unlockable the HTC One M8 is unlockable, AT&T and Verizon S5 variants are not unlockable - we can't unlock them.

Not being able to unlock the bootloader, I believe is going to end development, at least for AT&T and Verizon. If I had the cash, I probably would've went with the T-mobile version, but I'm not rich like that LOL

As it was said by a mod in another thread, giving hopes to users that the AT&T/Verizon's S5 will get root anytime soon is just unfair for the users. It will not happen. The AT&T Note 3 got root when in 4.3, but there is no root in the horizon for KitKat don't even think about an unlocked bootloader. The same happened to the S4 after it was updated the bootloader and root is now lost and that has been for many, many months and on a phone that it had a very large development. Developers are not even bothering on wasting their time on AT&T/Verizon because there is the TMO and International versions available.
So to answer the original question my answer would be Yes.

eortizr said:
As it was said by a mod in another thread, givit helpsng hopes to users that the AT&T/Verizon's S5 will get root anytime soon is just unfair for the users. It will not happen. The AT&T Note 3 got root when in 4.3, but there is no root in the horizon for KitKat don't even think about an unlocked bootloader. The same happened to the S4 after it was updated the bootloader and root is now lost and that has been for many, many months and on a phone that it had a very large development. Developers are not even bothering on wasting their time on AT&T/Verizon because there is the TMO and International versions available.
So to answer the original question my answer would be Yes.
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I couldn't agree more. I think it's good you emphasize the truth as I helps newer people understand.

eortizr said:
As it was said by a mod in another thread, giving hopes to users that the AT&T/Verizon's S5 will get root anytime soon is just unfair for the users. It will not happen. The AT&T Note 3 got root when in 4.3, but there is no root in the horizon for KitKat don't even think about an unlocked bootloader. The same happened to the S4 after it was updated the bootloader and root is now lost and that has been for many, many months and on a phone that it had a very large development. Developers are not even bothering on wasting their time on AT&T/Verizon because there is the TMO and International versions available.
So to answer the original question my answer would be Yes.
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There is a fine line between giving false hope and nurturing fears, saying "It will not happen" is not necesarily true, it may not happen, but then again remember some who waited for a year to get root or those with iphones who waited for a year to jailbreak.
just my opinion is all.

cstayton said:
There is a fine line between giving false hope and nurturing fears, saying "It will not happen" is not necesarily true, it may not happen, but then again remember some who waited for a year to get root or those with iphones who waited for a year to jailbreak.
just my opinion is all.
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Agreed, when I said 'it will not happen' i was referring to the 'anytime soon' statement.

I agree that saying "it's coming soon" is probably not the best phrase to use. However, to say it will never happen is just as bad. It simply did not and has not happened as fast as we want it to. There is always someone smarter when it comes to computers and software. I am sure the devs have a life outside of hacking a phone for us and everyone needs to be patient. Plus the fact with the Knox security, I am sure the devs want to find all possible work arounds. Just my opinion though...
Sent from my AT&T Samsung Galaxy S5.

What I've come to realize in my years of owning Android devices and reading these posts on xda is that virtually nothing is impossible. However, that is a double-edged sword meaning that the manufacturers have had to step up their collective games to make it even harder for exploits to be found. AT&T and Verizon are protecting themselves from the idiots who don't know what they're doing and brick their devices or get them infected with viruses. I can understand that to a point. However, I would gladly pay AT&T and even sign a waiver to let ME take the risk solely upon myself to do what I would like with MY phone. It's idiots that ruin it for the rest of us. Such as the world, I guess. Just my two cents.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using XDA Free mobile app

I love to use custom Roms etc.However when you buy a phone, buy it for what it is not for what you want it to be later on. The fact that there is no root is what keeps me using my GS4 more than this phone but the S5 is a solid Device, has great battery life (for me at least) and gets everything I need done. Its a matter of being patient especially for any who own the 4 and know how Samsung and ATT locked the previous iteration of this phone.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using XDA Premium HD app

baldwyn said:
What I've come to realize in my years of owning Android devices and reading these posts on xda is that virtually nothing is impossible. However, that is a double-edged sword meaning that the manufacturers have had to step up their collective games to make it even harder for exploits to be found. AT&T and Verizon are protecting themselves from the idiots who don't know what they're doing and brick their devices or get them infected with viruses. I can understand that to a point. However, I would gladly pay AT&T and even sign a waiver to let ME take the risk solely upon myself to do what I would like with MY phone. It's idiots that ruin it for the rest of us. Such as the world, I guess. Just my two cents.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using XDA Free mobile app
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Please explain how these so-called "idiots" are the reason AT&T and Verizon "had" to lock down the devices. I don't understand.

AT&T and Verizon are protecting themselves from the idiots who don't know what they're doing and brick their devices or get them infected with viruses.
I think I kinda explained it right there.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using XDA Free mobile app[/QUOTE]
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using XDA Free mobile app

baldwyn said:
AT&T and Verizon are protecting themselves from the idiots who don't know what they're doing and brick their devices or get them infected with viruses.
I think I kinda explained it right there.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using XDA Free mobile app
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Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using XDA Free mobile app[/QUOTE]
Yes - I get that statement. But, how are they protecting themselves. That is, how are they harmed by these "idiots?" Further, if one were to extrapolate users from population, roughly 96% of mobile phone users in the world don't seem to pose a significant problem to thier carriers as it is only the NA carriers that do this ("hard" lock the bootloader). Then, futher hone that to say maybe 1.5%, at the most, US users root their phones. Then narrow further by device. If these numbers are even close--how many of these "idiots" are there. You've been around long enough to know some of the so-called "idiots" were accomplished developers. I do not want to argue with you. I am genuinely intetested in why you see it this way.

rachelm920 said:
Not being able to unlock the bootloader, I believe is going to end development, at least for AT&T and Verizon. If I had the cash, I probably would've went with the T-mobile version, but I'm not rich like that LOL
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Have you checked into the buyout and trade in promotions T Mobile has? Maybe you can switch with little or no pain. Lol

numbR7 said:
Have you checked into the buyout and trade in promotions T Mobile has? Maybe you can switch with little or no pain. Lol
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I'm so god damn sick of this OTA sh... I was at work and it rebooted and started installing by itself. I tried to pop the battery but no matter what I do it continues the installation.
I'm moving to T-Mobile. Thanks ATT!

I'm sorry my off-the-cuff remark has gotten out of hand. The idiots to whom I am referring are the ones who brick their phones or get them infected by lack of knowledge and then try to blame the carrier instead of taking the responsibility themselves. As a precaution, I can see AT&T locking their devices down in an attempt to prevent that from happening. I understand it's a small number of people that cause this or are even affected by this, but by doing so, AT&T can better control their integrity. Same reason why a bag of peanuts sometimes says "Caution: Contains nuts." C.Y.A.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using XDA Free mobile app

baldwyn said:
I'm sorry my off-the-cuff remark has gotten out of hand. The idiots to who. I am referring are the ones who brick their phones or get thefected by lack of knowledge and then try to blame the carrier instead of taking the responsibility themselves. As a precaution, I can see AT&T locking their devices down in an attempt to prevent that from happening. I understand it's a small number of people that cause this or are even affected by this, but by doing so, AT&T can better control their integrity. Same reason why a bag of peanuts sometimes says "Caution: Contains nuts." C.Y.A.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using XDA Free mobile app
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It's cool. Posts are often taken wrong or worded differently than someone else is used to talking. I see your point. It makes sense. I may be a little too jaded (to put it nicely) to let them off the hook that easily though. Lol.

After my purchase of the new Samsung galaxy s5 on AT&T I will state that this will be my last carrier specific purchase,
My girlfriend has the HTC M8 (I had one also but hated the freaking pics from the camera).
This was another example of lesson learned, I will from now on purchase nexus devices or not locked to a carrier specific devices, or Google play edition devices from now on.
No more jumping the gun paying full retail to get phones on release day screw that. Lesson has been learned here for sure.
I am thinking on sending my Galaxy S5 into http://www.maxback.com and then purchasing a nexus 5, then later this year when the new nexus is available,I can pick one of them up.. But im kind of stuck as I love the camera on the s5.... this is what is holding me up...
Sure we and disable the bloatware on the Samsung and all that fun stuff, but there is a world of difference when all those items are gone
Thanks to the awesome developers here on XDA making some kickass roms for us.
I run the kingkat on my girlfriends HTC m8 from the HTC forums and it is so much faster with all of the bloatware and features she was never going to use gone.. that m8 is night and day in speed difference and usability..
Bottom line If we are here we have the mindset to tinker and to tinker on these devices WE need to stop buying locked down phones..

[Q] rooting without voiding warranty?

not sure if it's too early to ask this yet, but is there already a root method that doesn't trip knox or whatever thing that can void the warranty?

dn3g3l said:
not sure if it's too early to ask this yet, but is there already a root method that doesn't trip knox or whatever thing that can void the warranty?
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Short answer, no.

We all know t mobile don't check for root so why bother yourself with this
g3 soon to be NOTE 4

its all these IBone converts that are flocking to this phone..
They're so used to Apple telling them what they can and can not do, that they dont yet know how to handle the freedom of Android/T-Mobile..

i'm just going to assume you're directing that at someone else. i've been using using android for quite some time. there was no knox when i rooted my phone before.
i don't buy insurance from tmobile so they won't be the one that's handling my warranty issues if something happens.

Like the OP, I refuse to waste money on Carrier insurance, and my previous phones did not have Knox. So it remains an important issue if you are relying on Samsung warranty. It's clear that existing root will trip Knox. My question is - what is the chance that there will be a root that does not trip knox in the future. Is it worth waiting or is knox considered to be bulletproof?
Edit: and no, I never owned an iPhone, and all my Androids have been rooted so far.

From what I read nobody has been able to break the Knox that Samsung share this knowledge with Google.
If the phone died and no fault of your own, Samsung will not take it back even if Knox is tripped?

Im not expert but I think that Samsung has to have a way to remove " tripped Knox flag " or any phone with hardware failure and Knox flag tripped would have no resale value if, for example, usb port is replaced.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app

dn3g3l said:
not sure if it's too early to ask this yet, but is there already a root method that doesn't trip knox or whatever thing that can void the warranty?
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it IS too early to ask; the phone has been out for a few days, so if you're paranoid about rooting because of tripping Knox, you'll have to just wait around and see, or develop an exploit and share it with the rest of the folks who feel they need it..

I've given back a Note 2 and a Note 3, KNOX wasn't out for Note 2 but it was rooted. Note 3 had a counter of like 12, as stated above, T-Mobile doesn't check.

BACARDILIMON said:
We all know t mobile don't check for root so why bother yourself with this
g3 soon to be NOTE 4
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This couldn't be any more true. I've rooted every phone I've had with them that could be rooted and never once had them turn me down for an exchange or replacement unit. Hell I think I replaced my old one s maybe seven or eight times over the years I had it and I even stopped flashing it back to stock and just sent it back. Not like it's super hard for them to clean it all back up to stock.

I'm certain that when you return a phone to most vendors, they just throw it into the "defect" pile, and those phones either gets wiped and re-imaged, or they send them to some 3rd party who buys them cheap and does that on their own.
after spending many years as a director of sales for a consumer electronics company, I know how expensive it is to try and inspect/repair returns, so I cant imagine that Samsung/t mobile/att and who ever else even bothers to look at them.
If you think about the thousands of phones coming back as returns every day, handling them any more than absolutely necessary is a major losing proposition for these companies, and they only care about profit. When you return your rooted/knoxed/bricked phone, they NEVER repair it, you just get a new or rebuilt one sent out to you.
But hey, if you want to worry about tripping Knox or sending in a rooted phone, and that you will be in trouble/charged/punished for that, then you just go ahead and keep thinking that!:cyclops::cyclops:

By week 2 we should have about 8 of these threads. Should have at least 2 about triangle away and a few about screen saturated.
NOTE 4

BACARDILIMON said:
By week 2 we should have about 8 of these threads. Should have at least 2 about triangle away and a few about screen saturated.
NOTE 4
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@BACARDILIMON it wont even take that long!

[Q] What am I getting myself into... Input requested.

I've been out of the Android game for a while now, my last device was a 1st gen Motorola Droid, Android 1.6. I'm coming back because I like the granular access the environment provides and I want the ability to tighten controls on my privacy, including UFED/XRY protection, and future IMSI detection/protection. Android just feels more relevant now than it did a few years back.
The iPhone spoiled me in terms of build quality and finish; I like metal, I like glass and I dislike plastic immensely... That said, the only two phones that look at all interesting are the M9 and the S6 Edge... I've preordered a Gold S6 Edge that will ship in a few weeks time. Between the two, in my eyes, there's really no comparison... I like how uncluttered touchwiz looks; I dislike Sense very much. The S6 screen blows the M9 out of the water, basically I'm just very enamored with the phone, the M9 almost completely bores me... I don't care about boom sound. At all.
I should mention I've been on Verizon for about a decade.
That said. I've been reading about older models (S4, S5, Note) trying to get a handle on the development situation and it doesn't look promising. I'm confident the S6 will be rooted, I know not everyone is, but I'm concerned that Samsung's bootloader and Exynos architecture are going to complicate the hell out of modding this phone.
I don't NEED custom ROM's (though I would love CM12) but I do need root. Running xposed/xprivacy, AFWall+ and other such apps demand it. So what's the general opinion? I don't have a feel for the community or the history anymore and that's why I'm asking... Are these concerns warranted or does probability say we'll move past them and the S6 will be a fine choice... Input welcomed.

I wouldn't buy it expecting root any time soon (maybe not at all?).
I'll give the same advice I always give to someone that says they 'need root'...
Never buy a phone until AFTER root had been discovered/released. Period.
Phones are getting harder and harder to root, especially on devices with locked boot loaders.

I would agree with the previous poster...if root is a must I would tread with caution. The Samsung Note 4 has about $40,000 in combined bounties available for root & for not tripping KNOX, neither has been achieved yet......see thread linked below.....
http://forum.xda-developers.com/note-4-verizon/general/bounty-verizon-note-4-root-whos-t2916685

I thought they already achieved root in the Samsung S6 edge forum. Not Verizon, but the general s6 edge forum
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=3056631
Sent from my SM-G925V using Xparent Red Tapatalk 2

V-Ty said:
I thought they already achieved root in the Samsung S6 edge forum. Not Verizon, but the general s6 edge forum
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=3056631
Sent from my SM-G925V using Xparent Red Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thats because the international variant does not have a locked bootloader.
Sent from my SM-G925V using XDA Free mobile app

Right! I know our bootloader will never be unlocked but I think we will achieve root sooner then later. Obviously this is all guessing on my behalf but I think this phone is a popular phone and if some of the big developers buy this phone it will have a good chance of root. I know the story of the note 4 cause I just gave it to my wife and checked daily thinking it might be the day of root. But I don't think any of the top developers had a note 4. This is again not a statement of facts, just my guessing. Hopefully I'm right!
Sent from my SM-G925V using Xparent Red Tapatalk 2

Honestly that was my hope as well. I figured that since the Note was more of a niche device than the S6 will be, combined with the Chainfire deal already out, that we might have something here... It sucks, I don't hop devices often, so I put a lot of effort researching them and what I might be left with is beautiful but root SOL or good to go but boring One M9.

All I'm saying is that you don't buy a phone for what it MIGHT do in the future.
If you NEED root, you buy a phone that already has it. Period.

My understanding is that as of this past February ALL cell phones must be SIM/bootloader unlocked according to the law.
http://www.androidpolice.com/2015/0...u-sim-unlock-your-phone-heres-the-fine-print/

jaseman said:
My understanding is that as of this past February ALL cell phones must be SIM/bootloader unlocked according to the law.
http://www.androidpolice.com/2015/0...u-sim-unlock-your-phone-heres-the-fine-print/
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Click to collapse
That's only talking about SIM unlocked devices.

jaseman said:
My understanding is that as of this past February ALL cell phones must be SIM/bootloader unlocked according to the law.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From what I understand, all cellphones must have the ability to unlock the SIM (NOT the bootloader) after you have paid for the phone. Some carriers will unlock them sooner or don't lock them at all.
But the main point is, the law (according to my knowledge) does not mention "bootloader" at all.

SIM unlocking is what they seem to be talking about.

I think 40,000 got all the big devs to try the Note 4 bro, I've come to the conclusion ROOT IS DEAD. DAMN THE MAN

Boot loader unlock bounty

I would pledge $20 towards a BL unlock or an exploit like on the MDK S4 for the AT&T s6 and s6 edge.
Anyone know of an existing bounty?
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justda said:
I would pledge $20 towards a BL unlock or an exploit like on the MDK S4 for the AT&T s6 and s6 edge.
Anyone know of an existing bounty?
Sent from my SM-G925A using XDA Premium HD app
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Click to collapse
My guess since no one has unlocked the bootloaders since the S3 updates, then S4, S5, Note 4....many with bounties there, that it is pointless to make another. I believe the assumption is the bootloader lock is similar for them all.

Even if you put $20 million on it, there is no hope.
来自我的 SAMSUNG-SM-G890A 上的 Tapatalk

ericzhf said:
Even if you put $20 million on it, there is no hope.
来自我的 SAMSUNG-SM-G890A 上的 Tapatalk
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If you put 20 million in it the carrier may view that as a solid business case to release it themselves.

Without doomcalling...but it feels like XDA is going the way of the dinosaur with respect to carrier phones. With improved general experience, and a tightly locked bootloader, what's there left to do?
I felt so much more into my htc ThunderBolt...we even got important upgrades, like ice cream sandwich, before the masses at Verizon. I wish we could have those days again, but with a more powerful device. I'm still using my S4, which I rooted, then had to unroot due to a faulty charging port warranty claim. I never bothered to re-root...
As a long time PC gamer, it's disheartening to see our devices going this way. The smartphone is essentially the successor to the PC in a lot of ways for many people. And we accept things so hideously controlled...it's like buying a PC with tons of unremovable spyware baked in.
I'd love to see this bootloader cracked. But it's right up there on the list next to restoring our privacy and freedoms...

Dannar said:
Without doomcalling...but it feels like XDA is going the way of the dinosaur with respect to carrier phones. With improved general experience, and a tightly locked bootloader, what's there left to do?
I felt so much more into my htc ThunderBolt...we even got important upgrades, like ice cream sandwich, before the masses at Verizon. I wish we could have those days again, but with a more powerful device. I'm still using my S4, which I rooted, then had to unroot due to a faulty charging port warranty claim. I never bothered to re-root...
As a long time PC gamer, it's disheartening to see our devices going this way. The smartphone is essentially the successor to the PC in a lot of ways for many people. And we accept things so hideously controlled...it's like buying a PC with tons of unremovable spyware baked in.
I'd love to see this bootloader cracked. But it's right up there on the list next to restoring our privacy and freedoms...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I feel the same way. Back in the days of the HTC Aria And SGS2 it was quite a different experience. Even the LG Optimus G had some cool stuff going on with it being almost an N4 clone, even though it had a relatively small dev community.

Dannar said:
Without doomcalling...but it feels like XDA is going the way of the dinosaur with respect to carrier phones. With improved general experience, and a tightly locked bootloader, what's there left to do?
I felt so much more into my htc ThunderBolt...we even got important upgrades, like ice cream sandwich, before the masses at Verizon. I wish we could have those days again, but with a more powerful device. I'm still using my S4, which I rooted, then had to unroot due to a faulty charging port warranty claim. I never bothered to re-root...
As a long time PC gamer, it's disheartening to see our devices going this way. The smartphone is essentially the successor to the PC in a lot of ways for many people. And we accept things so hideously controlled...it's like buying a PC with tons of unremovable spyware baked in.
I'd love to see this bootloader cracked. But it's right up there on the list next to restoring our privacy and freedoms...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I doubt XDA will become a pool of oil beneath the Earth :silly: but there are major differences between now and "back then." Back then there were lots of leaks and bits of info that got you tars before they were released. Back then XDA had maybe 1 million members, now closing towards 7 million. XDA became popular, carriers started sending in spies as well as manufacturers, plus breakthroughs and leaks here are plastered on front pages of other phone sites. The carriers have tightened security on their leaks. Samsung, Google, etc have hired those known to crack bootloaders and root to prevent anyone else from being able to do it. "We" at XDA are becoming more diverse with more and more premium smart phones being released quarterly. Back then every carrier didn't have a version of the same phone...it trickled with the Note and S2, but blew up to all carriers with the S3 and Note 2. Now with Xposed and root you can do a lot of the things yourself you wanted in custom ROMs..so the developers took another hit on being able to bring things to you that no one else can.
Sorry if I seem like I am rambling on...too much coffee already
Hopefully the next generation of Chainfire, Jcase, Beaups, Geohot....shows up soon with things that can bring back strong development.