Last Update, Unlocked - 3/18?

[usmcsilver]

Curious here...

I'm on Verizon with an unlocked phone I got from Samsung.

Has anyone else gotten any updates since March?

Attached is a pic of my current version.

 

[bhatech]

Unfortunately in case of Samsung and LG, if you want updates you are better off with carrier version than US unlocked version. Samsung generally doesn't update their US unlocked models often, any sort of updates only come after all the US carriers have certified it. Yeah that's right even though it's unlocked, they want it certified from all the carriers which generally delays the updates and defeats the whole purpose of non carrier unlocked version in the US.

There are lots of threads about this in various forums for Samsung US unlocked phones .. here is one for the US unlocked Note 8.

https://forums.androidcentral.com/s...ote-8-if-you-care-quick-security-updates.html


PS: before anyone says my country unlocked model gets regular updates. Yes that's fine unfortunately in the US, carriers have Samsung and LG on a tight leash even for non carrier models.

 

[dpham00]

Verizon version is also on arbg. Feb security patch.

 

[bluegreen1965]

Curious here...

I'm on Verizon with an unlocked phone I got from Samsung.

Has anyone else gotten any updates since March?

Attached is a pic of my current version. //uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180511/8e47fb1ddda5a91c5468b63fa5a349ad.jpg

I haven't had one since the Feb patch. VZ locked S9+. Really irritating.

 

[bluegreen1965]

Verizon version is also on arbg. Feb security patch.

What is "arbg?" Thanks.

 

[Almeuit]

I hope this is in place for the next batch of phones .

https://9to5google.com/2018/05/11/google-android-security-patch-requirement/

 

[dpham00]

What is "arbg?" Thanks.

Last 4 of the software version. Take a look at the picture in the op

 

[uvarules]

No updates, locked or unlocked since the original activation in March that had the ARBG 286mb download. There's an OTA thread in this S9 forum here you can subcribe to and get reasonably current info on any updates when they occur....

 

[L_Wolf_78]

Here in Canada my Galaxy A5 got a minor security patch late March almost into May. It was unlocked from the carrier I was under contract with & yet every month if I don't see something by mid month, I start looking on Samsung sites & then other places to see if anything was due out.
Not sure it is because of it being unlocked from the original SELLER in my case. Reason I say that is as I go to several sites JUST TO BE SURE all accurate & trusted info was gained, am starting to see more & more how from those of us who are a customer to the Tech Advisors' stating that depending on who your carrier & where you are, there is just no even field of information being supplied.

 

[torbach1]

T-Mobile version is on a later build ARC6, but still only the March security update. Not surprising at all, but still very disappointing. Samsung could and should do better than that. But this story has been the same or worse for years. I tried a Pixel XL 2 because of this. Half the updates caused me major issues. So I'm back to my preferred phone, the Samsung, and living with the sparsity of security updates.

 

[CollinFX45]

Unfortunately in case of Samsung and LG, if you want updates you are better off with carrier version than US unlocked version. Samsung generally doesn't update their US unlocked models often, any sort of updates only come after all the US carriers have certified it. Yeah that's right even though it's unlocked, they want it certified from all the carriers which generally delays the updates and defeats the whole purpose of non carrier unlocked version in the US.

I think you are absolutely correct, and I can't believe I never thought about this. The US unlocked one has to work on all four carriers (which was always a selling point for me), but it hadn't even crossed my mind that all four carriers would have to "certify" the updates. No wonder these phones don't get updates.

This is not my first unlocked phone from Samsung, but it will 100% be my last. Then again, I don't have any complaints about the phone and the updates really just irk me that they're not there. Couldn't even tell you what I'm missing in the security patches that I never had, but it still upsets me. I expect more from a $900 phone I paid full price for specifically to avoid the carrier wrath/death grip on updates.

-Collin-

 

[Eggmundo]

Pix. El.

 

[dpham00]

I think you are absolutely correct, and I can't believe I never thought about this. The US unlocked one has to work on all four carriers (which was always a selling point for me), but it hadn't even crossed my mind that all four carriers would have to "certify" the updates. No wonder these phones don't get updates.

This is not my first unlocked phone from Samsung, but it will 100% be my last. Then again, I don't have any complaints about the phone and the updates really just irk me that they're not there. Couldn't even tell you what I'm missing in the security patches that I never had, but it still upsets me. I expect more from a $900 phone I paid full price for specifically to avoid the carrier wrath/death grip on updates.

-Collin-

It has to be made to work for more than four carriers since Samsung makes more than four carrier specific s9/s9+ for the usa.

 

[bhatech]

It has to be made to work for more than four carriers since Samsung makes more than four carrier specific s9/s9+ for the usa.

Such a hard problem, no other OEM has known to bypass carrier and push updates directly without waiting for carriers /s

The goal of non carrier unlocked phone is to not wait for the carriers. If someone cares about that they are going to or should buy the carrier models. Also, it's not like the non carrier US model has all the carrier features on certain carriers like AT&T etc. Highly incompetent from Samsung/LG to not push updates directly and waiting for useless carriers to certify on unlocked non carrier models.

May be they should do the same in Europe, wait for all European carriers to certify before pushing updates

 

[dpham00]

Such a hard problem, no other OEM has known to bypass carrier and push updates directly without waiting for carriers /s

The goal of non carrier unlocked phone is to not wait for the carriers. If someone cares about that they are going to or should buy the carrier models. Also, it's not like the non carrier US model has all the carrier features on certain carriers like AT&T etc. Highly incompetent from Samsung/LG to not push updates directly and waiting for useless carriers to certify on unlocked non carrier models.

May be they should do the same in Europe, wait for all European carriers to certify before pushing updates

First, I was correcting Colin who mentioned 4 carriers. Major carriers sure. But Samsung makes more than 4 carrier versions.

Also, It is just the way Samsung operates in the usa. Not that it should be, obviously it should not. But that's neither here nor there. If you want a Samsung unlocked phone, then you will have to deal with it. Otherwise, get a phone from a manufacturer that bypasses carriers.

Likewise, those that feel that Samsung /LG (or whatever manufacturer) is incompetent, then don't buy from them. There are other options out there.

 

[uvarules]

First, I was correcting Colin who mentioned 4 carriers. Major carriers sure. But Samsung makes more than 4 carrier versions.

Also, It is just the way Samsung operates in the usa. Not that it should be, obviously it should not. But that's neither here nor there. If you want a Samsung unlocked phone, then you will have to deal with it. Otherwise, get a phone from a manufacturer that bypasses carriers.

Likewise, those that feel that Samsung /LG (or whatever manufacturer) is incompetent, then don't buy from them. There are other options out there.

Very well said. I buy Samsung because its been rock solid for me and I felt the same about Moto several years ago until I felt they weren't. The unlocked S9 has been a very nice upgrade from my S7E and I just don't live or die on the timing of updates. They come when they come and too many factors that influence timing for me to fret about it....

 

[Joe Merchak]

Unfortunately in case of Samsung and LG, if you want updates you are better off with carrier version than US unlocked version. Samsung generally doesn't update their US unlocked models often, any sort of updates only come after all the US carriers have certified it. Yeah that's right even though it's unlocked, they want it certified from all the carriers which generally delays the updates and defeats the whole purpose of non carrier unlocked version in the US.

There are lots of threads about this in various forums for Samsung US unlocked phones .. here is one for the US unlocked Note 8.

https://forums.androidcentral.com/s...ote-8-if-you-care-quick-security-updates.html


PS: before anyone says my country unlocked model gets regular updates. Yes that's fine unfortunately in the US, carriers have Samsung and LG on a tight leash even for non carrier models.

If that was true, then unlocked iphones would be delayed the same way and they are not. Apple forces them to get it certified by a set date, Samsung and LG could do the same but they dont. The carriers put up a fight and Samsung and LG just back down because unlocked phone are such a small subset vers the phones on carriers. Carriers dont want unlocked phones, they lose money in the ad revenues so they make it very difficult. Apple is smart, if you want their phone you play by their rules. Samsung and LG should do the same. Maybe then we can break this carrier strangle hold we have in the US.