Why do the US models take so long to release? - G3 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Anyone know why these phones take forever to release in the US? How do the OEMs and carriers not plan for the antennas/radios? Or how much is the time it takes to develop the bloatware? I want to get the first 2K screen on a smartphone like I got the Atrix, the first dual core. We've seen this with the Galaxy phones, yet Apple doesn't do this as much. And thats their only good point (I hate Apple otherwise) but still.

Verizon has to put logos on theirs. ATT likes to make people wait. Sprint is trying to raise money to get phones from LG. T-Mobile is waiting for enough supply from LG.
?

carriers take their sweet time in modifying the stock firmware in a way that all the users will hate(adding bloat/dumb sponsor apps/making phone laggy/adding their carrier logos on phone,lockscreen,statusbar/and most important in the time it takes them to do these if a root method appears or a method to unlock bootloader appears they have time to patch it)

Related

Please read. Please bug HTC about unlock.

I am posting this in a few threads, sorry if anyone is pissed at it. Please everyone follow this link http://www.htcdev.com/contact and ask HTC to stop blocking our MID. Tell them their CEO literally said HTC will no longer be locking bootloaders according to their facebook. If enough people do it we may actually get a real response.
123421342 said:
I am posting this in a few threads, sorry if anyone is pissed at it. Please everyone follow this link http://www.htcdev.com/contact and ask HTC to stop blocking our MID. Tell them their CEO literally said HTC will no longer be locking bootloaders according to their facebook. If enough people do it we may actually get a real response.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HTC is just doing what VZW is making them do. They don't have any choice if they want VZW to order their phones.
If you are angry, go after VZW, if they will even listen.
Sent from my 4G LTE HTC One
123421342 said:
I am posting this in a few threads, sorry if anyone is pissed at it. Please everyone follow this link http://www.htcdev.com/contact and ask HTC to stop blocking our MID. Tell them their CEO literally said HTC will no longer be locking bootloaders according to their facebook. If enough people do it we may actually get a real response.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dude.... You think that's all it is? I tried, I know Vicious tried and tweeted about it. It's not HTC at all... Like in fact it has nothing to do with HTC period... HTC allows for unlock on the HTC One on all variants but "ours". You see where I'm going with this? The "MID not allowed" is Verizon saying F you to it's customers. I called HTC and Verizon, and Verizon told me to call HTC and see if they will directly hook me up with an Unlock_code.bin for me and when I did call them they dug real deep for me over the phone and actually contacted HTCDev which technically is completely separate from the HTC that we know and love. HTCDev got with me over the phone and basically told even though Vzw tech support told me to call them that it's not them and that someone in Verizons corporate office made the call to have HTCDev blocked for the Verizon variant completely.
Verizon is no longer supporting bootloader unlocks for any device. Not just HTC but all Android devices that can be obtained through Verizon will have a locked bootloader and if there is any site available through the manufacturer that supports the development community Verizon will not support work with or have anything to do with it. Kind of the same way that Motorola has there site where you can unlock devices it will not work either....
I think it's complete crap I really do. It's not fair that we dump so much money in to these companies to be able to have what we want and enjoy our toys the way we want and Verizon shuts us down and locks us out... They may as well just partner up with Apple and drop all Android devices and stick to iPhones because they are just as bad (nazis) as Apple is with there OS and iDevices.........
I hate Verizon now and for the rest of my life!
./end rant
Even so, we should be able to unlock it. I don't care who is at fault. HTC should be fighting for it.
HTC won't fight for it. Verizon has millions of customers, of those, very few actually care about an unlocked bootloader. It's the rest of the people you need to sway in order to start any kind of productive movement.
I learned long ago to say the hell with Verizon and their locked down phones. Every time a new device it's Verizon and it's locked up, people are still shocked.
Sent from my at&t gsm unlocked, s-off'd, super-cid'd, gpe converted HTC one
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4
Political persuasions aside, this is something to be encouraged by. Hopefully it's passed and this crap comes to an end.
http://mobile.theverge.com/2013/9/1...-calls-on-fcc-to-enforce-free-phone-unlocking
Sent from my HTC6500LVW using Tapatalk 4
jaydubbs said:
Political persuasions aside, this is something to be encouraged by. Hopefully it's passed and this crap comes to an end.
http://mobile.theverge.com/2013/9/1...-calls-on-fcc-to-enforce-free-phone-unlocking
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That doesn't have anything to do with bootloaders does it? That's unlocking. Being able to use a phone on any carrier. Verizon could "unlock" our phones but we'd still be screwed since they are the only ones using their particular type of network, right? It's not like GSM phones where you could potentially use the same phone on multiple networks, right?
I'm not trying to be argumentative.. and I may have that network thing all wrong.. but I don't take any hope from that article at all, unless the point is just "Obama is interested in what mobile companies are doing to their customers" in that case, I could see where you might find some hope.
As for the "HTC should fight for this." .. Have you seen HTC's bottom line? They are in the crapper fighting to stay alive. I think the ONE is a fantastic effort to stay relevant. It's a beautiful, powerful device. Homerun, in my opinion. But Verizon is also the largest wireless company in the country. HTC needs Verizon way more than Verizon needs HTC.. and that means HTC has essentially zero leverage.
one4thewings said:
That doesn't have anything to do with bootloaders does it? That's unlocking. Being able to use a phone on any carrier. Verizon could "unlock" our phones but we'd still be screwed since they are the only ones using their particular type of network, right? It's not like GSM phones where you could potentially use the same phone on multiple networks, right?
I'm not trying to be argumentative.. and I may have that network thing all wrong.. but I don't take any hope from that article at all, unless the point is just "Obama is interested in what mobile companies are doing to their customers" in that case, I could see where you might find some hope.
As for the "HTC should fight for this." .. Have you seen HTC's bottom line? They are in the crapper fighting to stay alive. I think the ONE is a fantastic effort to stay relevant. It's a beautiful, powerful device. Homerun, in my opinion. But Verizon is also the largest wireless company in the country. HTC needs Verizon way more than Verizon needs HTC.. and that means HTC has essentially zero leverage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't really see anywhere in any of the articles that I've read that say yea or nay to what "unlock" really means here, so I don't know. It's a step in the right direction either way, I guess.
As for HTC fighting to keep their devices unlocked on Verizon? What phone manufacturer has told Verizon to suck it and walked away with their phones? None. Verizon makes the rules and manufacturers gladly abide by them because they're the biggest fish in the pond. Period. It's all about the numbers.
Sent from my HTC6500LVW using Tapatalk 4
jaydubbs said:
As for HTC fighting to keep their devices unlocked on Verizon? What phone manufacturer has told Verizon to suck it and walked away with their phones? None. Verizon makes the rules and manufacturers gladly abide by them because they're the biggest fish in the pond. Period. It's all about the numbers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the only people who've been able to play hardball with Verizon is Apple. In essence they walked away from Verizon when Verizon refused to let them have full control of their device. Updates. Everything. Apple went to AT&T, grew that company larger than it deserved almost solely with the iPhone, and then Verizon had to give in.
No Android manufacturer will ever be able to do that due to the nature of Android. Samsung says they'll walk, Verizon shrugs and talks turkey with HTC and Motorola to increase sales. Samsung is likely the only Android manufacturer that would have any real clout.
In short, I think we'll be playing this game with Verizon for a good long time. Or until another mobile provider can produce a network with a comparable, competitive option. I mean let's face it. I doubt any one of us is very happy with Verizon, especially us modders here at XDA. But yet here we are.
Verizon is the only provider that can give me not only 4g where I live, but a full 5 bars of it. Every other carrier has their version of 3g in sporadic splotches on their maps for where I am. Plus my wife gets a 22% discount from her job so that makes them a good deal more tolerable.
Apple is as big as Verizon so they can do that, but like you said, no Android manufacturer has the power or clout to do what Apple did. At the end of the day, Verizon's corporate accounts are just too lucrative to pass up over something that matters to such a small minority (us). In the big scheme of things, we're just ants biting on a robots toe.
Sent from my HTC6500LVW using Tapatalk 4
At the end of the day I look up at Verizon; glare, tell them I hate them and then hold out my fistful of money for them to take. I am without option too.
Verizon is only protecting its network by locking bootloaders. Could you imagine how many people call cause of a bricked device. They got tired of spending money on fixing idiots who don't know what they are doing. We have to suffer. Verizon is smart financial wise but then why choose a network or a phone that has a locked bootloader .
Sent from my HTC One VZW using Tapatalk 4
jaydubbs said:
Political persuasions aside, this is something to be encouraged by. Hopefully it's passed and this crap comes to an end.
http://mobile.theverge.com/2013/9/1...-calls-on-fcc-to-enforce-free-phone-unlocking
Sent from my HTC6500LVW using Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am 99% certain that has to do with carrier unlock, not bootloader unlock.
I hope it's bootloader, but hope doesn't equal reality.
Sent from my HTC One.
This is not HTC's fault. HTC supports unlocked bootloaders.
Go bug Verizon and please stop posting this.
which carriers are better about unlocking?
one4thewings said:
That doesn't have anything to do with bootloaders does it? That's unlocking. Being able to use a phone on any carrier. Verizon could "unlock" our phones but we'd still be screwed since they are the only ones using their particular type of network, right? It's not like GSM phones where you could potentially use the same phone on multiple networks, right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was about to buy an HTC One from Verizon tomorrow and then I (thankfully!) saw this thread. I realize this forum is VZW, but can anyone spell out the unlock policies of the other major US carriers? (Or point me to a place where that's discussed already - because of the way XDA is laid out I couldn't find a place where people are comparing carriers, but that might just be my ineptitude)
thanks from a soon-to-be-ex-iPhone/AT&T-user...
lhuge said:
I was about to buy an HTC One from Verizon tomorrow and then I (thankfully!) saw this thread. I realize this forum is VZW, but can anyone spell out the unlock policies of the other major US carriers? (Or point me to a place where that's discussed already - because of the way XDA is laid out I couldn't find a place where people are comparing carriers, but that might just be my ineptitude)
thanks from a soon-to-be-ex-iPhone/AT&T-user...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've heard T-Mo is great for unlockable boot loaders, but their coverage is lacking compared to VZW
Sent from my HTC One.
josh995 said:
I am 99% certain that has to do with carrier unlock, not bootloader unlock.
I hope it's bootloader, but hope doesn't equal reality.
Sent from my HTC One.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are 2 parts
"Open applications: Consumers should be able to download and utilize any software applications, content, or services they desire;
Open devices: Consumers should be able to utilize a handheld communications device with whatever wireless network they prefer;"
the first, (Open applications) is what is being violated by VZW I'd imagine bootloader unlocking falls under "applications, content, or services they desire"
Really what it comes down to is if VZW is saying that an we can't use an unlocked bootloader because it may harm the network, than they shouldn't allow the developer edition device (Moto X) or the new google tablet on the network either.
sabindaman said:
There are 2 parts
"Open applications: Consumers should be able to download and utilize any software applications, content, or services they desire;
Open devices: Consumers should be able to utilize a handheld communications device with whatever wireless network they prefer;"
the first, (Open applications) is what is being violated by VZW I'd imagine bootloader unlocking falls under "applications, content, or services they desire"
Really what it comes down to is if VZW is saying that an we can't use an unlocked bootloader because it may harm the network, than they shouldn't allow the developer edition device (Moto X) or the new google tablet on the network either.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't mean to be rude, but you imaging doesn't make it so.
Open applications, services, and content refers to apps in the play store. Verizon is not doing anything wrong by locking our bootloaders. People have already written to the FCC on the issue and the response has been on Verizon's side.
The boot loader being locked is completely legal as of right now and unless a large majority of their customer base demands unlocked boot loaders, we will be dealing with them indefinitely.
If Verizon were, in fact, illegally locking boot loaders, the FCC would have intervened by now.
Sent from my HTC One.
Vzw just knows that the modders are less than one percent of their customers so they don't care what we think.
Sent from my 4G LTE HTC One
If we can't go to HTC about this issue (I do think they are partially to blame), and we know doesn't give a sh*t about it's customers, so we can't go to them. Who can we bring this issue to and possibly make some headway? I mean if we blow someones inbox up enough, or tweet, or whatever method, we are going to be heard. Chances are it wont get us anywhere, but I think we should try. I wish I knew who to take this to. If we find the correct company/person I think we should have a standard message we can just cut and paste into an email, tweet, etc.
If nothing else, we are sharing our headache with someone else. I really wish we could intimidate Verizon as I see that being the one thing that would get us anywhere.
Someone posted something about Verizon losing money through bricked phones because of unlock or s-off. That is a bull**** excuse. They could track unlocks if they wanted to and then just tell the ass who bricked his phone that he is SOL because he unlocked.
Data is the only thing keeping me with Verizon. I am going to start using wifi as much as possible (where it is convenient) and see how low I can get my average data. Before I got my One I went into ATT and said "here is the deal I have now with Verizon, throw together a comparable plan to convince me, so I can convince my wife it is worth switching to you guys." He looked at my plan and said ATT couldn't come close to offering a better deal based on my data usage. Chucked up the deuces and walked out.

At&t? Stay or go.

I know this may be an open ended question but as on now which carrier provides tho best opportunity when it comes to rooting and rom development. I've been rooting and flashing roms for years with other android phones but only on At&t. With the current state of updates from At&t as well and not being able to flash on at&t i'm possibly going to drop att after contract runs out. Current cell is N910A and I miss flashing new roms to try. I seen a vid of a guy flashing Dr. Keatons rom to his Note 4 N910 g/h i think and it looked awesome. Thanks guys
frankly its best to buy an unlocked phone. if you need a carrier branded phone then try t-mobile
Carriers' advantage is with the phone subsidy..
And though the Note series is probably the best coming from Samsung (probably the best Android, too), it is quite expensive to be honest..
boofman said:
Carriers' advantage is with the phone subsidy..
And though the Note series is probably the best coming from Samsung (probably the best Android, too), it is quite expensive to be honest..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The AT&T NEXT plan you are paying for your phone in increments. The old way was to give you $X amount of subsidy and have you pay a discounted price for the phone itself. Then they locked you into a contract where you were basically repaying that subsidy.
Basically you always paid for your phone, so I think that carriers' advantage only applies if you can't afford to purchase the handset outright.
Stay with ATT and buy an international phone that will work on it (ATT may or may not throttle your data speeds though. Not sure)
Or leave ATT and go with T-mobile and get a rootable phone. Or go with Verizon and MAYBE get LUCKY and get a rootable phone.
Those are really the two options if you want a rootable phone. You can keep ATT and still be able to use a rootable phone. Just don't expect root on an ATT phone.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

Question about development for the Pixel

So I've been with Verizon forever so I'm familiar with locked down phones. I've had the Droid X, GS3, GS4, and the GS5. All of the devices had a huge development community. The S5 especially always had plenty of ROMs even before the bootloader was unlocked.
I'm curious what people think will come of Pixel development? I know the phone is somewhat new and there is issues with TWRP because of the partitions but I just figured there would be more happening with this phone already. Don't get me wrong I appreciate everything devs do and I know they often do it all for free I'm just debating if its worth keeping this phone or not. I've only activated it a few times and used it around my house but I am very disappointed with the battery level.
Also with the new update dePixel8 has been patched so that means there are very few people with Verizon pixels who have unlocked bootloaders. Guessing this is also going to have a huge impact on the dev community for this phone. Seeing as how expensive the phone is outright from Google (With the best buy deal I basically got the Pixel for $140. $240 total but I also got a $100 best buy gift card). I'm still on Verizon's unlimited plan but it's so tempting to go to another carrier for the simple fact that I can most likey easily unlock bootloaders and root my phones.
It takes time for Devs to get their Phones to start to develop Custom ROMs.
It will pick up soon I'm sure.
Patience is a virtue ?. (I know I want to get me some DU on here asap!)
aholeinthewor1d said:
So I've been with Verizon forever so I'm familiar with locked down phones. I've had the Droid X, GS3, GS4, and the GS5. All of the devices had a huge development community. The S5 especially always had plenty of ROMs even before the bootloader was unlocked.
I'm curious what people think will come of Pixel development? I know the phone is somewhat new and there is issues with TWRP because of the partitions but I just figured there would be more happening with this phone already. Don't get me wrong I appreciate everything devs do and I know they often do it all for free I'm just debating if its worth keeping this phone or not. I've only activated it a few times and used it around my house but I am very disappointed with the battery level.
Also with the new update dePixel8 has been patched so that means there are very few people with Verizon pixels who have unlocked bootloaders. Guessing this is also going to have a huge impact on the dev community for this phone. Seeing as how expensive the phone is outright from Google (With the best buy deal I basically got the Pixel for $140. $240 total but I also got a $100 best buy gift card). I'm still on Verizon's unlimited plan but it's so tempting to go to another carrier for the simple fact that I can most likey easily unlock bootloaders and root my phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We're basically waiting on twrp to be stable. Once that occurs I bet you'll see more roms.

Generallly Speaking: Is generic unlocked phone easier to root than carrier's phone?

I have a 3 yr old Galaxy S5 I'm about to retire. It was acquired from AT&T. This model has been notoriously difficult to root.
With whatever I get I don't want to be as stuck in no-root hell as I have been with this S5. (The phone itself has been great, I have just wanted to get in and mess with it.)
Generally speaking, if I buy an unlocked phone off of Amazon, for example, are these easier to root than versions that come from the carriers? In my periodic research on rooting the S5, for example, I've found that versions from other carriers are rootable but AT&T's has not been. So that's leading me to believe that the carrier's software is either 1/ more secure or 2/ more vulnerable, depending on the degree to which the carrier invests in making it bullet proof.
I've been so happy with the Samsung, buying an S8 seems quite logical. But like I said, I don't want to be stuck in no-root hell for the forseeable future.
Thanks.
Jim
Essential phone..... cheaper...... mod heaven

POLL: Which first, LG release North America G7 bootloader unlock code or Pie update?

Not sure which I prefer first anymore but anyone care to guess which will happen first?
mr3p said:
Not sure which I prefer first anymore but anyone care to guess which will happen first?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its LG something will happen only if they decide it
mr3p said:
Not sure which I prefer first anymore but anyone care to guess which will happen first?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They will never release bootloader unlock code for any US carrier based model.. You can bet on that.
doubledragon5 said:
They will never release bootloader unlock code for any US carrier based model.. You can bet on that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm no fan of LG and I can appreciate your dissatisfaction based on your experiences trying to unlock your G7 (Sprint) however LG released bootloader unlock codes for the G6 USA carrier free model somewhere around this time last year. It's anyone's guess what they will do going forward.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/lg-g6/how-to/official-lg-g6-bootloader-unlock-t3614719
Currently supported devices which can be unlocked:
https://developer.lge.com/resource/mobile/RetrieveBootloader.dev
mr3p said:
I'm no fan of LG and I can appreciate your dissatisfaction based on your experiences trying to unlock your G7 (Sprint) however LG released bootloader unlock codes for the G6 USA carrier free model somewhere around this time last year. It's anyone's guess what they will do going forward.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/lg-g6/how-to/official-lg-g6-bootloader-unlock-t3614719
Currently supported devices which can be unlocked:
https://developer.lge.com/resource/mobile/RetrieveBootloader.dev
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's great for those who have it.. But I still believe for any phone, Samsung, LG, Google, if it is for a carrier then bootloader unlock his highly doubtful. I wish they never bowed to the carriers in the first place.. They should have said NO period.. But it is what it is...
doubledragon5 said:
That's great for those who have it.. But I still believe for any phone, Samsung, LG, Google, if it is for a carrier then bootloader unlock his highly doubtful. I wish they never bowed to the carriers in the first place.. They should have said NO period.. But it is what it is...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agree totally.
Even though I use Mint Mobile (US-based prepaid plan that uses the T-Mobile network), I picked up a 2nd-hand G710ULM (vs G710TM) in hopes that LG would offer an unlocked bootloader code at some point (I like to use my phones for 4+ years and after ~2 all phones seem to get sluggish given dev targets if you stay on stock).
That being said I hope and am betting on Pie getting pushed out first (hopefully before Q official release) because I think it'd benefit the most amount of users (Pie really does have some unique and useful features, even though I've seen others say that they are purely gimmicks).
I went from flip-phone, to HTC Incredible (great phone with a great hacking community), to hand-me-down Samsung G3 (same, although Knox sux), and finally a 2nd-hand LG G7 (unaware of LG's history and actually believing their "Quick Update Program" or whatever they called it). Just because I'm able, doesn't mean I'm willing to pay ~$1,000 USD just to buy an unlocked Pixel device. Maybe some more feature-rich Android One entries will join the bunch. I can see how/why people get into the Apple ecosystem x.x
DeeBG said:
Even though I use Mint Mobile (US-based prepaid plan that uses the T-Mobile network), I picked up a 2nd-hand G710ULM (vs G710TM) in hopes that LG would offer an unlocked bootloader code at some point (I like to use my phones for 4+ years and after ~2 all phones seem to get sluggish given dev targets if you stay on stock).
That being said I hope and am betting on Pie getting pushed out first (hopefully before Q official release) because I think it'd benefit the most amount of users (Pie really does have some unique and useful features, even though I've seen others say that they are purely gimmicks).
I went from flip-phone, to HTC Incredible (great phone with a great hacking community), to hand-me-down Samsung G3 (same, although Knox sux), and finally a 2nd-hand LG G7 (unaware of LG's history and actually believing their "Quick Update Program" or whatever they called it). Just because I'm able, doesn't mean I'm willing to pay ~$1,000 USD just to buy an unlocked Pixel device. Maybe some more feature-rich Android One entries will join the bunch. I can see how/why people get into the Apple ecosystem x.x
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a pixel 3a XL now, which is on Sprint.. I do not care about the unlock status of this phone.. Reason. It has every thing I want, a good camera, and absolutely no bloat of any kind...
doubledragon5 said:
I have a pixel 3a XL now, which is on Sprint.. I do not care about the unlock status of this phone.. Reason. It has every thing I want, a good camera, and absolutely no bloat of any kind...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, the reviews make it look like my ideal phone; I hope Google keeps making a midtier phone like the 3a as they release new lines. 3a/3a XL even reintroduced a standard headphone jack

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