Samsung will not tell us why /when the will update the SM-G930U

[davebwi]

Anyone with a Samsung Model # SM-G930U or the Samsung SM-G935U. Please chime IN!
I wanted to bring further notice to all of us who purchased these unlocked phone and Samsung has literately updated every other model with Nougut. I am an IT guy and bought this phone so that I would have updates early, to answer question from employees about configuring their Phones... Everyone with Carrier model phones has Nougut. Samsung wil not answer ANY questions about this phone. Short of a class action Lawsuit, does anyone else have any contacts that might be able to find ANYTHING out?

Thanks, Dave with my Unsupported Model SM-G930U

 

[Golfdriver97]

I've been seeing this with other owners of the Unlocked version. The updates are slower in rolling out, for whatever reason. Not sure where to go for answers for your question.

What carrier do you have?

 

[Enverdaz]

Thing that gets me is that AC is endorsing the S8(+) U.. And, knowing that Samsung is really dragging their feet with timely updates both security and OS for the US Unlocked editions of the S7's, they again today reposted an article adding the S8U's to their recommended Unlocked devices..
I have not posted to it, again, since it is also 10 months old (iirc).
AC really needs to inform folks that yes without a doubt, the US Unlocked S7's out preform the Carrier hacked editions and have been shown to have better battery life, as they should. However when it comes to providing sound and informed customer service and support for the Unlocked editions, Samsung is so tight lipped that many of the service personnel don't even know that Samsung released an Unlocked edition(s) in the US. They are instructed to pass you to your Carrier for support. Guess what your Carrier tells you, yep, "we don't have any way to offer you support for a device without our logo and you didn't buy from (carrier name here) so we are not responsible for any questions or concerns you may have, Call Samsung....)
Samsung needs not only to be more transparent about their support plan for the US Unlocked editions, they need to educate their own staff how to properly provide support to it's customers.
I have a sm-g930u. It's on Marshmallow 6.0.1 March 1st Security Patch Level. All Carrier supported devices have received Nougat.
Samsung says "soon" as their "official" word on Nougat. Soon? If my boss asked me when I would have my task done, and I replied "soon"; my boss asks for clarification and I stick with "soon"; he angrily requests a more specific time frame and still I reply " soon"; I suspect his final reply would be "great news. hey, tell ya what take the rest of the day off and if we need you to come back in tomorrow, someone will be in touch with you... Soon!" And I will tell you, they have been getting beaten for an answer.
It's really mind boggling that the Carriers are able to to not only push the hacked and mutilated code faster than the company who has the unmarred and clean code, which by the way was ready to go and sent to the Carriers for their corruption, yet Samsung is just sitting on it.
Ok, it may have some bugs. That's why there is a BETA Program! But, for reasons that developers and power-users alike are completely baffled, Samsung excluded an UNLOCKED Edition (meaning they have sole control over the 'official' Firmware) from such testing! Now, I'm not the most Linux / Ubuntu educated guy out there, but just generally speaking, the whole reason for buying into the Unlocked market is to get Updates and Upgrades faster and directly from the manufacturer! So, ummm WTF?
The crowd that would be interested in an Unlocked device is the same crowd that everyone goes to for suggestions and advice on their next new Smartphone. Let's face it, there's no moral way to suggest a device that will likely be treated as if it doesn't exist. I just can't do it. It really is a shame, because, DAMN if this edition hasn't out performed several of my friends who have Carrier Branded editions. That is until they got Nougat, and I'm looking at MAYBE seeing the update sometime mid May.
It has been because of a dedicated community of Unlocked S7 owners blasting away through Samsung's 'official?' forum ( https://us.community.samsung.com/t5/Galaxy-S-Phones/bd-p/GalaxyS ) and constant calls to their help line ( 1-800-726-7864 ) demanding an explanation why the US Unlocked editions were Not receiving the PROMISED Monthly Security Updates but had for no explained reason had been placed on the Quarterly Update Schedule that their Mid-Tier devices were on, yet internationally, the Unlocked editions were receiving them on time, monthly. Now Samsung "CLAIMS" to have moved them to a monthly schedule. Yet we are ⅔ of the way through April and yet to see this month's, relatively small, update yet, let alone Nougat.
Would I recommend this (SM-G930U) to anyone looking for an Unlocked device? At this moment, NO! I would recommend the Pixel (XL).
IF Samsung takes the US Unlocked Market seriously, and makes good on the claim for Monthly Security Updates, and it starts to take advantage of the serious type of crowd, that has been patiently waiting, and brings BETA type updates for the improvements Google has pushed out to Nougat in 7.1.x and really steps up their Unlocked game, I would be more than happy to not only recommend the S7U's and S8U's to friends, family and anyone who asks, I would actively participate in the various forums and promote the devices. I would love to have that option. But, with the current state of Samsung Customer Service and Support, I will not.
I will be using this barely supported device running on antiquated Firmware for the next few years due to my personal upgrade schedule, but it remains to be seen if my next Flagship Level smartphone will be a Samsung, but it will be Unlocked. Pixel 3 or 4 if Samsung doesn't get it together quick!

 

[davebwi]

Thanks for adding your Info to this thread... hopefully more will to keep it alive!

Dave

 

[No_support_from_Samsung]

Thanks for adding your Info to this thread... hopefully more will to keep it alive!

Dave

I too paid top dollar for an unlocked S7 Edge. I got so frustrated with the complete lack of respect and communication on this matter that I pulled my SIM and SD cards and switched to my old phone. At least other brands let customers know when to expect updates on their unlocked phones. I really can't recommend getting an unlocked Samsung until they have a proven track record of timely updates that match or exceed the carrier versions. I was stuck on the December 2016 security update for months.

On my "other brand" of unlocked Android phone the updates were pushed right to the phone. According to the support staff on the Samsung forum, unlocked S7 users will need to install Samsung Smart Switch on a PC and update the phone to N through the software. Another negative. If other brands can push OS updates right to an unlocked phone why can't Samsung?

 

[SteelCityPgh]

@Golfdriver97

"What carrier do you have?"

That's the thing. It doesn't matter what carrier any of us have with our 930U/935U. Our updates come directly from Samsung without ANY carrier involvement whatsoever.

As @Enverdaz later explained, it makes no sense that Samsung releases the unmolested Security Patches and Android updates to the carriers but can't release those same updates directly to us?!?

And then to have Andrew Martonik post in March severely criticizing Samsung for this issue, but yet he turns around two days ago and includes the unlocked S7 series in his "Best Unlocked Phone" update. I don't get it. If he is seriously recommending a SUPPOSED FLAGSHIP phone that has at times been 4 months behind on Security Patches and is now severely behind on Nougat, he's lost all credibility. And it doesn't look good for Android Central.

There's reason to be skeptical of Samsung's new 'commitment' to monthly security updates | Android Central

Best Unlocked Phone | Android Central

And for anyone who is unsure of how bad the problem has become, just head over to Samsung's own US Support forum and you'll see the THOUSANDS of posts under numerous threads regarding the issue.

 

[Ry]

Anyone with a Samsung Model # SM-G930U or the Samsung SM-G935U. Please chime IN!
I wanted to bring further notice to all of us who purchased these unlocked phone and Samsung has literately updated every other model with Nougut. I am an IT guy and bought this phone so that I would have updates early, to answer question from employees about configuring their Phones... Everyone with Carrier model phones has Nougut. Samsung wil not answer ANY questions about this phone. Short of a class action Lawsuit, does anyone else have any contacts that might be able to find ANYTHING out?

Thanks, Dave with my Unsupported Model SM-G930U

I don't think Samsung said that the unlocked S7s would get updates faster.

 

[SteelCityPgh]

I don't think Samsung said that the unlocked S7s would get updates faster.

Actually, many of us were told by Samsung Support prior to purchase that we would be among the first to receive the update!

But also, neither did they say we wouldn't be getting it at all. At this point that's what it looks like. After being promised that we would have it sometime in early February and being that it is now Mid April and it is still nowhere in sight, are you seriously going to start making excuses for this?!?

 

[Ry]

Actually, many of us were told by Samsung Support prior to purchase that we would be among the first to receive the update!

But also, neither did they say we wouldn't be getting it at all. At this point that's what it looks like. After being promised that we would have it sometime in early February and being that it is now Mid April and it is still nowhere in sight, are you seriously going to start making excuses for this?!?

Could you link me to this February promise?

 

[SteelCityPgh]

Could you link me to this February promise?

Just call Samsung US Support or ask any of us who have done so numerous times! Do you want my call logs or Samsung Support ticket numbers?

When first calling US Support, they said it would be released to us in early February. Now, when you call they most often say that the unlocked US versions don't even exist. When you point them to their own website and show them where it's sold, they'll put you on hold. After a while, they'll come back on and tell you to call your carrier for the update. When you explain that the carrier has no involvement, they'll put you on hold again. Then they'll tell you to go to the Samsung Experience at Best Buy to have the update flashed. When you tell them that the Samsung Experience doesn't have a clue what Support is talking about, they'll put you on hold again. Then they come back on and tell you to use Smart Switch because the update is available there. When you tell them that Smart Switch has nothing available, they put you on hold again. Then they tell you to send in your phone for "repair" and that it will be flashed for you. When you ask for the baseband or kernel number that they're going to flash, you will then get put on hold again for a looooong time. Then they come back with usually a Verizon or At&t baseband. When you explain to them that that is not the correct software version, you get placed on another looooooong hold.

See the pattern here? After finally being sent to 2nd tier support and going through ALL of the same routine again with another representative and finally convincing them that the update ISN'T in fact yet available, you will be told that the update will be released in a week or so. I've even been told the same information by Samsung ECS, which is their Executive Customer Support team.

If you do make the above phone call, you will have wasted approximately 2 hours of you life with the same answer that we have been getting since February!!!!

I can guarantee you EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US has gone through the EXACT SAME routine for MONTHS! Some even since December prior to me.

 

[keyslapper]

I don't have the February promise link, and I don't recall an ironclad promised date. I do recall Samsung stating the G930U and 935U phones would be getting Nougat back in November, and I remember seeing reports (in November) that it was rolling out to carrier phones.

If you visit this site: Galaxy S7 Nougat update: Build G930FUBU1BQC2 seeding as April security patch – The Android Soul you'll see that the unlocked international phone, as well as carrier phones for Sprint, T-Mobile, US Cellular, and Canadian, did in fact begin rollout in November. Verizon and AT&T began rollout in December.

Owners of this unlocked phone got a Dec. 1 update (security update, no OS changes) some time just before Christmas, and we were stuck with that one for just over 3 months while the above mentioned carrier devices were getting monthly updates. Our March 1 update was actually dropped on March 27 - nearly 4 weeks later.

In the meantime, we get word in late March (3/21) that there's been a major breakthrough in projection of the Nougat release:

"Samsung takes security and privacy issues very seriously. Securing your device and maintaining the trust you place in us is a top priority.
Software updates for all of our mobile devices, including unlocked models, undergo testing processes to help ensure software stability, network feature compatibility, and performance. Samsung is working with its partners to make a security update available, and the Nougat Software update available in the coming weeks to unlocked Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge devices."​

Copied from: https://us.community.samsung.com/t5/forums/v3_1/forumtopicpage/board-id/ProductUpdates/thread-id/597/page/1

If you read through the nearly 400 posts on that thread, you'll see constant promises that the update will come "in the coming weeks" or "soon" or that someone was told "wait 2 weeks" or even told to go to the Samsung Experience booth at Best Buy for the update, only to hear from the Samsung guy: "What update?"

The major problem I have with all this is that Samsung is not communicating with customers on this issue. They make some announcement that sounds at first impression like real progress, but turns out to be no information at all. Just generalizations and promises to get the update out "soon" or "in the coming weeks". Just to be clear, these are NOT dates - to my knowledge, Samsung has NEVER given an actual date for a single update to this phone. They have promised nothing but that they will release Nougat for these phones. When? "Soon".

As I've stated on the thread linked above, the only thing "soon" really means is "not right now".

A great many people on that thread have sworn off Samsung products over this. Not just phones, either. I'm sorry to say I am one of them, because the hardware itself appears to be pretty solid - it's just the complete lack of support I can't tolerate. The sad thing is, if they had just fessed up and given a date or explained the issues behind the delays, many, if not all of those people would have given Samsung a pass on this issue.

Browse the Samsung community forums for S7 threads. You'll see quite a few people that are very much less than impressed with Samsung.

 

[Ry]

I can guarantee you EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US has gone through the EXACT SAME routine for MONTHS! Some even since December prior to me.

Browse the Samsung community forums for S7 threads. You'll see quite a few people that are very much less than impressed with Samsung.

Yeah - Been through this in other threads.

Here's what I know.

I can't find any approved marketing material that says the unlocked Galaxy S7s were going to receive updates fast and/or before carrier models.

I can't find any Samsung approved material that points to an actual update schedule, besides one-off customer service mentions.

I feel like the root cause of this is the assumption that unlocked models should be updated before carrier models. Unless the OEM says that, it's just an assumption. The OEM can update in whatever order they want.

 

[keyslapper]

I feel like the root cause of this is the assumption that unlocked models should be updated before carrier models. Unless the OEM says that, it's just an assumption. The OEM can update in whatever order they want.

That's entirely true. If that was all there is to it, then I'm sure most people wouldn't have been so upset. But when G930U / G935U owners started asking about this back in January, we were told "Soon" and "in the coming weeks". By this time, Samsung had already started rolling out the updates for every single carrier version out there. When no January security update came, we were told "Soon" for awhile, then we were told our phones were on a quarterly update schedule, so we'd have to wait until March. Turned out to be late March, and by then our security update was already almost 4 weeks old. Sure, they gotta test it, but come on, 4 weeks for a security fix they already released to every other build? It's not like it's an OS upgrade - because it isn't.
Now it's getting on to late April, and there are rumors of an April security update, but all the numbers suggest it's for other phones, not the G930U / G935U. Other rumors say the April security update will have Nougat, but nobody believes that one.
An update from a Samsung forum moderator (see the community thread linked in my last post) on 4/13 says we'll be getting the Nougat update "in 4 to 6 weeks". This suggests to me they never even started on it until things got hot enough that all the trade rags were mentioning the crap service. Either way, that puts us at May 11 to May 25.
No, they did not give us a concrete date. They gave us an estimate. There is no guarantee we'll get Nougat before 5/25, because Samsung has very little incentive to make it happen. In fact, I'd wager they forgot about this phone altogether until at least late February.

 

[davebwi]

here is my last email response from Samsung:
Sent: Sunday, March 12, 2017 8:30 PM

Dear David,

We would like to thank you for using Samsung Mobile device and we sincerely apologize for your inconvenience.
Due to various circumstances, we have been releasing security updates for unlocked (open) Galaxy devices in the U.S. on a quarterly basis. However, we have now resolved the challenges; and we are committed to releasing security updates for those devices on a monthly basis.
We plan to release this month's security update soon and you can be rest assured that it will include all security patches to date.
And in case of N OS upgrade for unlocked Galaxy S7 in the US, we expect your device to start receiving the upgrade starting in early April.
Thank you very much for your patience.

Very Respectfully,
Samsung Mobile Security Technologies

 

[Kahligula1]

I don't think Samsung said that the unlocked S7s would get updates faster.

Would you expect unlocked phones, not requiring carrier testing of bloatware to release updates more slowly than carrier phones? Do you know any other unlocked variants from any other manufacturer that release updates more quickly through carriers than directly to their higher price unlocked models? I am so frustrated by the fact I bought an unlocked model to avoid bloatware and rollout delays only to be blocked from Beta testing and still not having Nougat. My friend with the international unlocked variant of the edge has had it for weeks. I would flash to that but then lose Samsung Pay. IF Samsung would communicate the facts rather than delay and misdirection, I'd live with it because I would have made the choice based on information. This approach just leaves us feeling disregarded when (as others have stated) we are typically the brand ambassadors and those able to resolve lost of the issues ourselves. Instead we get conflicting information, people from Samsung that can't even get accurate information for us, and most importantly delays to security releases while hearing how much Samsung values our security. Frustrated g935u owner!

 

[Ry]

Would you expect unlocked phones, not requiring carrier testing of bloatware to release updates more slowly than carrier phones? Do you know any other unlocked variants from any other manufacturer that release updates more quickly through carriers than directly to their higher price unlocked models? I am so frustrated by the fact I bought an unlocked model to avoid bloatware and rollout delays only to be blocked from Beta testing and still not having Nougat. My friend with the international unlocked variant of the edge has had it for weeks. I would flash to that but then lose Samsung Pay. IF Samsung would communicate the facts rather than delay and misdirection, I'd live with it because I would have made the choice based on information. This approach just leaves us feeling disregarded when (as others have stated) we are typically the brand ambassadors and those able to resolve lost of the issues ourselves. Instead we get conflicting information, people from Samsung that can't even get accurate information for us, and most importantly delays to security releases while hearing how much Samsung values our security. Frustrated g935u owner!

Who says that they don't go through carrier testing?

I know for a fact that Motorola has sent updates for the Moto X Pure Edition to carrier labs for at least AT&T and Verizon even though the Moto X Pure Edition is an unlocked, non-carrier phone. (Reported by the Social Media contacts back when they were posting on Google+)

I think user/install base also plays a part in how they prioritize their work. For the US market, it wouldn't surprise me if you compare each carrier model to the unlocked model, the carrier model outsold the unlocked model.

Unless the OEM said that their unlocked version would get updates faster than carrier models, I wouldn't assume.

 

[Kahligula1]

Who says that they don't go through carrier testing?

I know for a fact that Motorola has sent updates for the Moto X Pure Edition to carrier labs for at least AT&T and Verizon even though the Moto X Pure Edition is an unlocked, non-carrier phone. (Reported by the Social Media contacts back when they were posting on Google+)

I think user/install base also plays a part in how they prioritize their work. For the US market, it wouldn't surprise me if you compare each carrier model to the unlocked model, the carrier model outsold the unlocked model.

Unless the OEM said that their unlocked version would get updates faster than carrier models, I wouldn't assume.

Fair enough point and maybe an incorrect assumption. What I did NOT assume (nor should anyone) is we'd be left waiting months for security updates nor to NOT receive Nougat yet evethough prior model years are receiving it (S6, s6+, Note 5). in addition, I like so many other have been told "soon" for months and recently told 4-6 more weeks. no communication, no commitment to these unlocked variants. I also assumed it was due to user bsse numbers, but that is also an assumption.... can you show me the facts behind that statement as well? or are you assuming too?

 

[Ry]

Fair enough point and maybe an incorrect assumption. What I did NOT assume (nor should anyone) is we'd be left waiting months for security updates nor to NOT receive Nougat yet evethough prior model years are receiving it (S6, s6+, Note 5). in addition, I like so many other have been told "soon" for months and recently told 4-6 more weeks. no communication, no commitment to these unlocked variants. I also assumed it was due to user bsse numbers, but that is also an assumption.... can you show me the facts behind that statement as well? or are you assuming too?

..which is why I prefaced my user/install base statement with "I think". Yes, I'm assuming.

Also - did Samsung commit to doing the security updates monthly?

 

[SteelCityPgh]

Also - did Samsung commit to doing the security updates monthly?

They absolutely did since day one and even proudly say so on the Samsung mobile Security Blog....

Samsung Mobile Security Blog

 

[Kahligula1]

We can go back and forth all day if you keep asking for official statements. The fact is I'm trying to help others avoid making the same mistake I am now suffering from. Was it my fault for assuming, obviously. Have others made the same mistake, yes. Should this just continue without helping others make more educated decisions, I personally don't think so which is why I want to get word out to not buy unlocked if you have any of the same expectations I have had. You coming back asking each time if Samsung promised anything to me isn't really helpful. If they communicated anything officially, that would be helpful. It's just a message that when this site recommends the unlocked phones, people should be aware of the downside particularly when it's a Samsung US unlocked model