For laughs I sent Samsung customer support a request about unlocking the S4 like the htcdev.com site. This was their I think canned response. Looks like they recommend the Verizon dev edition.
"After reviewing your email, we understand that you would like to know the information on unlocking the boot loader of your Samsung Galaxy S5 phone.
We understand your requirement.
We would like to inform you that Samsung manufactures the devices according to carrier requirements/specifications and the devices will be locked to particular carrier network. As of now the option to unlock the bootloader on Samsung devices is unavailable. Unlocking the bootloader might damage the functionality of the phone. Moreover, it voids the warranty(one year from the date of purchase) of the phone.
However, Developer edition phones are available from Samsung wherein you can modify/develop any applications and the bootloader will be unlocked. As of now Samsung Galaxy S5 developer edition model(Verizon) is yet to release. Access the web-link below wherein you can view the specifications of the phone.
Link: http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/cell-phones/ET-G900VMKAVZW-specs
Please feel free to write back to us if you have any queries. We will be glad to assist you.
If you are looking for more details on the functionality of a product or would like to find answers to some of the questions, visit us http://originus.samsung.com/us/smartphone-simulators-and-tutorials/# for an interactive review of some of our Samsung products.
Link: http://originus.samsung.com/us/smartphone-simulators-and-tutorials/#
If you have more questions regarding your Samsung Mobile Phone, you can also reach out to our chat support team by accessing the following link. Live Chat is available 24 hours a day. 7 days a week.
Link: http://www.samsung.com/us/support/contact
Thank you for your continued interest in Samsung products. "
Interesting, thanks for sharing
Sent from my GT-I9505 converted SGH-i337 w/XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Honestly then they really should let us at leat have the option of unlocking boot loader a year after ownership. But still, their reasoning still leaves the debate open to, it's our device, we should have the choice to take the risk. Oh well at that point they'll just push the issue back onto AT&T.
Wonder why they didn't say anything about the T-Mobile one. That bootloader is unlocked.
That is basically being covered by carrier requirements. That AT&T requested it to be locked. The assumption being that T-Mobile didn't require it to be.
Sent from my SGH-T869 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
TheArtiszan said:
That is basically being covered by carrier requirements. That AT&T requested it to be locked. The assumption being that T-Mobile didn't require it to be.
Sent from my SGH-T869 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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Yeah I would buy that if HTC didn't have HTCdev.com. There is no way Samsung ended up with a more restrictive contract than HTC.
I was bored so I decided to bug the Samsung tech support folks. Transcript follows
info: Please wait for a Samsung Agent to respond.
info: You are now chatting with '****'. There will be a brief survey at the end of our chat to share feedback on my performance today.
info: Your Issue ID for this chat is ******
Alice: Hi, thank you for contacting Samsung Technical Support. How may I help you today?
Chad: I'm looking for a way to get a signing key for my S4 (SM-G900A). Like HTC provides at htcdev.com.
Chad: sorry its a S5
Alice: I understand that you want to have signing key for S5. Am I correct?
Chad: Yeah basically I want to unlock the bootloader.
Alice: Thank you for information.
Chad: Or I'd be willing to return this S5 and buy direct from Samsung but i couldn't find one on the website with the same US ATT bands just the verizon ones.
Alice: I would like to inform you that there is no such option in S5 device which you are using.
Chad: Samsung must have the key for my S/n
Chad: it was burned in when they manufactured the handset
Alice: You need to buy Developer Edition model to unlock the bootloader.
Chad: i would like to do that but i dont see an att developer model
Chad: and last i checked the verizon one wasn't orderable
Chad: I'm a long time Samsung customer I must have at least 12 samsung devices in my household.
Chad: This lack of help is going to drive me to HTC for mobile.
Alice: I do understand your situation.
Alice: I apologize for the inconvenience caused.
Chad: and I may have to look at other TV electronics manufacturers
Chad: Samsung does have the key and are refusing to provide it?
Chad: Its win/win for you. You get out of warranty obligations.
Alice: I would have surely helped you if there is an option. Please understand that Samsung manufactures the devices based on the carrier specifications.
Chad: I understand that but you have the key. HTC does the same thing and they provide the key at htcdev.com
Alice: The warranty will be voided if you try to unlock the bootloader.
Chad: I understand that and I'm ok with it. Samsung wins no warranty obligations.
Alice: I do understand your concern. I am sorry to say that there is no option to unlock the bootloader .
Chad: You mean samsung won't give me the info i need.
Chad: OK I will return the phone. I have huge amount of Samsung gear in my house. It will no longer be my default manufacturer for electronics. I have been a customer for over a decade.
Chad: I'd like a corporate contact to send a letter or email to as well please.
Alice: I apologize for the inconvenience caused.
Chad: I'd also recommend you put a warning sticker on the boxes with phones with the locked bootldr. Its kind of sleazy to not warn people about that.
Alice: I would have surely helped you if there is any option for me to help you. Samsung will not recommend to unlock the bootaloader.
Chad: I understand that and I would buy it was a contract restriction with ATT if HTC didn't provide exactly what I'm asking for with the M8.
Alice: I apologize for the inconvenience caused.
Chad: Not your fault I know you don't set the policy. Do you have someone in public relations or somthing like that I could send an email to?
Chad: I just want to vent my frustration to a VP level person. I've been buying a lot of Samsung product for years.
Alice: I will provide you a link where you can send an Email to Samsung.
Chad: thank you
Alice: http://www.samsung.com/us/support/email/product/SGH-I317TSAATT
Alice: You're welcome. Is there anything else I can assist you with?
Chad: No that was it I'm happy with all of my other Samsung products at this point.
Chad: thank you
Alice: I really appreciate your time and patience.
Alice: We thank you for your inquiry today and hope your experience with Samsung tech support has been a pleasant one. In an effort to continuously improve our service, we request you to take a minute and complete a quick survey.Please click blue 'X' button on the upper right corner and you will be provided with the survey to complete.
info: Chat session has been terminated by the Samsung Agent.
That's most likely incorrect, doesn't make sense that AT&T would allow the One M8 to be unlocked and provide source code for the kernel, while Samsung is locked down completely.
Response from Samsung
I send an query to 'Voice of Customer' and got below response. Looks little positive!!! I am planning to send a follow up.
Dear xxxx,
Thank you for contacting Samsung Telecommunications America.
After reviewing your e-mail, we understand that you want us to release a tool to unlock a bootloader.
Firstly, we thank you for showing continuous interest towards Samsung products.
Moving forward with your concern, we really thank you for sharing your ideas with Samsung. Samsung keeps developing products using the currently available technologies in the market and will be releasing them on a timely basis. Hopefully you might be getting all the features that you are expecting in the devices which will be released in the future. Please keep checking the Samsung website to get information about the products releasing from Samsung.
If you are looking for more details on the functionality of a product or would like to find answers to some of the questions, visit us http://originus.samsung.com/us/smartphone-simulators-and-tutorials/# for an interactive review of some of our Samsung products.
Link : http://originus.samsung.com/us/smartphone-simulators-and-tutorials/#
Please feel free to get back to us if you have any further concerns. We would be glad to assist you.
yoonus said:
I send an query to 'Voice of Customer' and got below response. Looks little positive!!! I am planning to send a follow up.
Dear xxxx,
Thank you for contacting Samsung Telecommunications America.
After reviewing your e-mail, we understand that you want us to release a tool to unlock a bootloader.
Firstly, we thank you for showing continuous interest towards Samsung products.
Moving forward with your concern, we really thank you for sharing your ideas with Samsung. Samsung keeps developing products using the currently available technologies in the market and will be releasing them on a timely basis. Hopefully you might be getting all the features that you are expecting in the devices which will be released in the future. Please keep checking the Samsung website to get information about the products releasing from Samsung.
.
If you are looking for more details on the functionality of a product or would like to find answers to some of the questions, visit us http://originus.samsung.com/us/smartphone-simulators-and-tutorials/# for an interactive review of some of our Samsung products.
Link : http://originus.samsung.com/us/smartphone-simulators-and-tutorials/#
Please feel free to get back to us if you have any further concerns. We would be glad to assist you.
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Click to collapse
This is crazy that we cant do what we want with what we own. I would have bought the m8 but no removable battery and not waterproof. That was huge for me. This bootloader situation is terrible
The S3 and S4 originally came with locked bootloaders. Somebody will figure it out The S4 bypass was developed a month after it was released last year.
n2nin said:
The S3 and S4 originally came with locked bootloaders. Somebody will figure it out The S4 bypass was developed a month after it was released last year.
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The note 3 never had an exploit for the bootloader. No safestrap doesn't count.
n2nin said:
The S3 and S4 originally came with locked bootloaders. Somebody will figure it out The S4 bypass was developed a month after it was released last year.
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Click to collapse
The bypass you're thinking of is Loki, and that exploit was patched and closed a long time ago by Samsung. The Note 3 as said does not have a true bootloader unlock or bypass, it does have root but that was gained by modifying system, which also has since been closed on Kit Kat....sorry to say its going to take some time, for ATT/VZW to get any dev of any sort if any at all, a new exploit is needed. If you really wanted needed dev for the phone and wanted a S5, buying the Tmo version outright would have been the best alternative.
n2nin said:
The S3 and S4 originally came with locked bootloaders. Somebody will figure it out The S4 bypass was developed a month after it was released last year.
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Click to collapse
Just fyi The S3 did not come with a locked bootloader. I still have an S3 and never had to Loki it or anything. Normal plain root then recovery. Anything and everything can still be flashed (Roms/KERNELS/modems/themes.
The S4 came with locked bootloader but a bypass (Loki) was found soon after release for MDB and MDL firmwares. This allowed for flashing ANYTHING like AOKP/CM/Touchwiz based rom/KERNELS/ Modems.
After that the S4 was stuck locked up hard until safestrap worked.With Safestrap you can ONLY flash Touchwiz based Roms/Modems/and possibly themes/ but NO KERNELS OR AOKP/CM/GPE Based Roms. With each revision they locked it down further. The newest firmware is not really able to use safestrap without a workaround of flashing an older firmware without the bootloader, then safestrap it, then go back to the newest firmware. Safestrap is NOT near as versatile at flashing things as the Loki bypass as it was the ONLY real exploit found to bypass the bootloader. So in reality the "LOCKED" bootloader has NOT been able to be cracked yet.
All of this we all knew would make the ATT S5 bootloader locked down even harder and a exploit will probably never be found to completely change the locked bootloader and flash Roms/kernels/modems easily. IF a safestrap version or something similar does happen then only Touchwiz based Roms and modems (possibly themes) can be flashed. But NO AOKP/CM/GPE based Roms.
T-Mobile S5 will be able to do ALL NAD ANY flashing as normal since its bootloaders are NOT locked.
Sent From My Spiderman,Ironman,Red,Dark Blue,Green, GreyedOut BadAss Themed I337
RockRatt said:
Just fyi The S3 did not come with a locked bootloader. I still have an S3 and never had to Loki it or anything. Normal plain root then recovery. Anything and everything can still be flashed (Roms/KERNELS/modems/themes.
The S4 came with locked bootloader but a bypass (Loki) was found soon after release for MDB and MDL firmwares. This allowed for flashing ANYTHING like AOKP/CM/Touchwiz based rom/KERNELS/ Modems.
After that the S4 was stuck locked up hard until safestrap worked.With Safestrap you can ONLY flash Touchwiz based Roms/Modems/and possibly themes/ but NO KERNELS OR AOKP/CM/GPE Based Roms. With each revision they locked it down further. The newest firmware is not really able to use safestrap without a workaround of flashing an older firmware without the bootloader, then safestrap it, then go back to the newest firmware. Safestrap is NOT near as versatile at flashing things as the Loki bypass as it was the ONLY real exploit found to bypass the bootloader. So in reality the "LOCKED" bootloader has NOT been able to be cracked yet.
All of this we all knew would make the ATT S5 bootloader locked down even harder and a exploit will probably never be found to completely change the locked bootloader and flash Roms/kernels/modems easily. IF a safestrap version or something similar does happen then only Touchwiz based Roms and modems (possibly themes) can be flashed. But NO AOKP/CM/GPE based Roms.
T-Mobile S5 will be able to do ALL NAD ANY flashing as normal since its bootloaders are NOT locked.
Sent From My Spiderman,Ironman,Red,Dark Blue,Green, GreyedOut BadAss Themed I337
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Hence the reason I bought a TMO outright and unlocked it for ATT, I dont think most users grasp how locked down the device on ATT and & VZW really are.
djkinetic said:
Hence the reason I bought a TMO outright and unlocked it for ATT, I dont think most users grasp how locked down the device on ATT and & VZW really are.
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Click to collapse
If they don't grasp it now, they never will. This thing is locked down as tight as a drum. Much like you, I agree it's going to be a while, if ever.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk
I would pay monies to the person who finds the exploit to root. I don't think we will get root without tripping Knox
i dont so much care about knox i just want root we can worry about untripping it later
djkinetic said:
Hence the reason I bought a TMO outright and unlocked it for ATT, I dont think most users grasp how locked down the device on ATT and & VZW really are.
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Could you please let us know how's your SM-G900T performs on ATT networks? It picks up all LTE/3G bands properly to compare with original G900A? How's reception? I'm thinking about doing same thing that you did since TMO's one could be easily rooted...
stask1 said:
Could you please let us know how's your SM-G900T performs on ATT networks? It picks up all LTE/3G bands properly to compare with original G900A? How's reception? I'm thinking about doing same thing that you did since TMO's one could be easily rooted...
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same Reception as my ATT HTC One M8, i check reception via DB in status menu as signal bars are inaccurate many times...At my house I average about 105 DB on LTE with my M8, on the TMO S5 with ATT sim average 105 as well. So far I've picked up all LTE and HSPA+ bands on ATT properly just make sure your sim is activated on an ATT LTE device first and that you have the proper APN set.
Coming from away and moving here not that long ago I have always had international model phones so never spent any time on the LTE/varint side of XDA until now. I never had an LTE variant so didnt realize how locked down they were. I still have my S3 and Note2 international unlocked phones that work here without 4g and thats fine for me really but went for the att S5 since it was cheap. To be quite honest now understanding how things work with variants Im gutted. It will be the first and last variant I buy and Im going back to international models again. They come factory unlocked and bootloader unlocked and also dont have features taken out of them. Its a shame really. I find it pretty nasty that the carriers here have such an unfair gripe over the user and theres nothing that can be done about it.
I'm new so I can't post links but the first one is on a website called Android geeks and I found it after searching att s6 edge root. The other one is on a website called tech chomps. Hopefully they can be found...
Found some website claiming to have hacked kernels capable of root in my annual scouring of the web praying that I can regain control of my phone...should I have hope in this?
Just thought id share my finding here, for anyone passing by please exercise caution when browsing these sites, I know nothing about them and just found them. I am hoping someone on here can drop in about the legitimacy of these sites before I test them.
I haven't heard of those but am doubtful there is root unless it's for devices that are on old software. I just got an s6 edge thats on 6.0.1, no root.
If you want root, don't buy ATT devices. Most T-Mobile devices work on ATT network (with LTE and all), and have unlocked bootloaders allowing root. That is my understanding at least and my experience with the Note 4.
ThePublisher said:
I haven't heard of those but am doubtful there is root unless it's for devices that are on old software. I just got an s6 edge thats on 6.0.1, no root.
If you want root, don't buy ATT devices. Most T-Mobile devices work on ATT network (with LTE and all), and have unlocked bootloaders allowing root. That is my understanding at least and my experience with the Note 4.
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Will a root ever be possible? I'm new to this and is there no chance that I will be able to root my 6.0.1 att s6 edge?
brushpicks said:
Will a root ever be possible? I'm new to this and is there no chance that I will be able to root my 6.0.1 att s6 edge?
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Click to collapse
To be honest, I don't know, but I would say odds are better that you wont get root than that you will.
I currently have S7 and have been running the eng kernel for a while. There is a guy at work who is about to trade in his S5 for a new and improved model. I told him I would buy it. He's had the phone a couple of years and we both are on AT&T network.
My quesiton is....Since AT&T has Samsung locking down the bootloaders now on the new and improved models,surely they don't lock the ones that are unlocked with some sort of update, do they? If anyone has any advice or anything on what I might need to look out for on the S5, I sure would appreciate anything anybody could give me. I really appreciate all the hard work that was put into the eng kernel and root.bat stuff, but I don't want another phone that is locked down. Thanks......
Hi all,
I recently bought a used S5 (after trying a Z2 and LG G3) and was looking forward to hitting it up with some custom ROM goodness. Unfortunately it turned out to be an AT&T branded phkne which I soon discovered was a pain in the ass to do anything with...
So I was wondering what the chances are of there ever being a Marshmallow custom rom for this model? I can deal with having to stick with the same version of android as stock, but I can't deal with going back a version just to have a custom rom!
Unfortunately, stock marshmallow is soooo laggy and crap, I don't think I can deal with it long term. It feels slower than my previous budget phone from the same period!
I know that there is only root available on LP, but does that prevent you making a MM custom rom? Surely you only need a custom recovery to be able to do this?
Thanks.
So I guess there is no developers left who care about this model...?
The model is AT&T's fraud, so of course not. Courses have been changed in court (and trade-in) before though, and in sideloading in 2015 when GeoHot's TowelRoot was adequate to go sporting with the secure boot bits and unlock the bootloader to set up alternative ROMs. AT&T (alone) claims to have 3500 security peeps on (which I guess you can test if you have a business contract or work for AT&T just to get half-timely patches.) Judging from the recent conference reports there is plenty of fooling the bootloader around to do; but it's harder to do if it's your daily driver, isn't it? Get your (TT/Helium?) backup regime set and try Woot.com for an HTC One M9 ($137ish?) until the ol' Snapdragon 801 / Knox 2.3 TZ get p0wned...publicly.
Betting that the Samsung Ethereum mining cluster made out of old S5s was not done without ROMming a few.
Lugralunoogos said:
The model is AT&T's fraud, so of course not. Courses have been changed in court (and trade-in) before though, and in sideloading in 2015 when GeoHot's TowelRoot was adequate to go sporting with the secure boot bits and unlock the bootloader to set up alternative ROMs. AT&T (alone) claims to have 3500 security peeps on (which I guess you can test if you have a business contract or work for AT&T just to get half-timely patches.) Judging from the recent conference reports there is plenty of fooling the bootloader around to do; but it's harder to do if it's your daily driver, isn't it? Get your (TT/Helium?) backup regime set and try Woot.com for an HTC One M9 ($137ish?) until the ol' Snapdragon 801 / Knox 2.3 TZ get p0wned...publicly.
Betting that the Samsung Ethereum mining cluster made out of old S5s was not done without ROMming a few.
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Click to collapse
Thanks for your reply, though to be honest I don't really understand much of it beyond AT&T are gits.
What exactly makes an AT&T S5 different to any other version? Is it just some code in the bootloader?
tooplanx said:
Thanks for your reply, though to be honest I don't really understand much of it beyond AT&T are gits.
What exactly makes an AT&T S5 different to any other version? Is it just some code in the bootloader?
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Click to collapse
Not exactly, but close. If the phone detects an operating system other than official software (or close-to-official) then the phone simply locks up and refuses to boot. It tells you to take the phone to an ATT store, but you really don't have to, you just have to flash official software back via ODIN.
As the title says, I'm in the market for a new phone, and after years of using my HTC 10, it's starting to get old and decrepit. I loved how easy HTC made it easy to unlock the bootloader, and I see some of the newer flagship phones, especially w/my carrier(I'm on Sprint) make it tough to do so. I loved having a rooted phone and I'm seeing that the Note8 (US Version) can be rooted, but I'm assuming there's prerequisites that used phones might/might not have to do so. So I'm just wondering if there's any questions I should ask the sellers of a Note8 on Swappa or eBay to make sure that root is possible when I decide to buy one. I don't wanna wind up w/a LS997 situation, where I got the phone but it was too upgraded that the methods to root were patched up. Thanks for any help.
Note 8 US version is pretty much limited to Nougat and early Oreo builds, and i may be wrong about the latter. Only Boot loader v1 an v2 were able to get root, and v3 up to a point. Current bootloader version is v5 with Pie. Chances are you'll get a phone with v3 and up.
If you want a root friendly ecosystem, get the International variant.
PlutoDelic said:
Note 8 US version is pretty much limited to Nougat and early Oreo builds, and i may be wrong about the latter. Only Boot loader v1 an v2 were able to get root, and v3 up to a point. Current bootloader version is v5 with Pie. Chances are you'll get a phone with v3 and up.
If you want a root friendly ecosystem, get the International variant.
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Click to collapse
Gotcha. So I should ask a seller if the phone has a v1-3 Bootloader? That shouldn't be too hard an ask, so thanks for the assist there. Also, will International variants work w/Sprint, b/c that's the network I'm on? And are they also restricted to same v1-3 Bootloader environment to root?
Brian23MAC said:
Gotcha. So I should ask a seller if the phone has a v1-3 Bootloader? That shouldn't be too hard an ask, so thanks for the assist there. Also, will International variants work w/Sprint, b/c that's the network I'm on? And are they also restricted to same v1-3 Bootloader environment to root?
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International variant will have 4G support on Sprint, but 2G/3G wont work due to network differences (Sprint uses CDMA). It'll work with AT&T and TMo however. But somebody from the states should be able to answer this one in detail, i only know that Spint/Verizon phones dont work where i am, which is pretty much the same issue, but reversed.
Brian23MAC said:
Gotcha. So I should ask a seller if the phone has a v1-3 Bootloader? That shouldn't be too hard an ask, so thanks for the assist there. Also, will International variants work w/Sprint, b/c that's the network I'm on? And are they also restricted to same v1-3 Bootloader environment to root?
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Finding a <v3 bootloader will be hard, and asking sellers about it will leave them puzzled. If you're going to root, as everyone says, get the Exynos version. As said by others, you're only limited to early Oreo and Nougat builds. Not worth it for such a good phone, honestly. But hey, don't let me stop you ^^