SamsungMobile.co.uk statement on unauthorised firmware updates

[Povester]

SamsungMobile.co.uk have placed a message on their Galaxy page regarding the use of unauthorised firmwares. They also state that they are working on a fix (But fail to offer any timescale)

We are aware that there is unauthorised Samsung Galaxy software currently available on the internet. This software has been produced by certain third parties to enable customers to change factory settings on the handsets. We have been made aware of instances where this software has been downloaded and has instead resulted in permanent damage to handsets. Downloading unauthorised software may also result in invalidation of your warranty.

At the moment there is no "official home update solution" available for the Samsung Galaxy handset. However we are currently working towards a solution which will be made available on this site. Neither ourselves, nor the operators can be held responsible if you choose to download unauthorised software from a third party. This software may also not be virus free. We therefore ask you to exercise appropriate caution.
If you have any further queries on this issue please contact us here
Thank you

 

[pegasus21]

LOL as long as users cannot get the updates and the updates provides a better experience... we will not listen to them. They should just put the updates online and easily downloadable.

 

[Povester]

Very true. Although, there are many people that still use the firmware that shipped with O2-UK phones that want to update through the official channels so at least Samsung have confirmed they are working on a solution (Although thats no excuse for the fact that New PC Studio should have worked with the Galaxy on its release).

 

[Rastaman-FB]

Very true. Although, there are many people that still use the firmware that shipped with O2-UK phones that want to update through the official channels so at least Samsung have confirmed they are working on a solution (Although thats no excuse for the fact that New PC Studio should have worked with the Galaxy on its release).

this is true, majority of people on o2 uk that have bought this phone have probably not even heard of odin of thought of updating the software, just got frustrated with the phone and dealt with the pain.

maybe they should work along side the maker of odin and come up with a good solution then make their software versions publicly downloadable rather than this stupid encryption they have done.

they can offer their own software then offer the csc accredited versions for people who want the operator settings but no they have to be awkward.

people who brick their phones with odin are people who have not been carefull and followed the steps correctly or have a phone that is already flaky.

 

[Cougar]

Dear Samsung,

It's very simple, you have two options.

1) fix your software, which was broken out of the box

or

2) shut the feck up whilst we muddle through working around your incompetence.

Love and kisses,

Cougar.

 

[qwerty100]

At least samsung now publicly admit there is a problem. Which is marginally better than ignoring it completely. Guess this is simply because of the pain they are feeling in their call centers and returns dept.

Possibly pressure from O2 UK, however that are also suspiciously quiet...?

 

[Rastaman-FB]

At least samsung now publicly admit there is a problem. Which is marginally better than ignoring it completely. Guess this is simply because of the pain they are feeling in their call centers and returns dept.

Possibly pressure from O2 UK, however that are also suspiciously quiet...?

o2 are not suspiciously quiet, they just concentrate or other things like iphone more as its a bigger revenue stream, flagship
only reason they got galaxy is cos they needed a decent android phone on portfolio, same with why they are getting palm pre.
these phones are iphone threats so if they bring them on side then its not killing their revinue

 

[Cougar]

They can admit what they like, I'd have more sympathy if they got their finger out and fixed it. How hard can it be to add a couple of signatures to PC Studio? I'm not a beta tester, I've paid 500 quid for a device which doesn't work.

My previous phone was a HTC TyTN II (O2 Stellar). It was broken out of the box, ran slower than a slow thing, crashed constantly, and needed a firmware update to turn it into something useable. After the update, it was a different phone. I still talk to people now who complain that their T2 is "slow and crashes a lot".

Before that I had the HTC Wizard (O2 Mini-S). It was broken out of the box, ran slow, crashed all over the place, needed rebooting daily, finally fixed with a firmware update.

I now have the i7500. Can anyone see a pattern here?

It's just not good enough. And comments like the one above don't help, they make me want to dig out my best pair of kicking boots and buy a plane ticket.

 

[KlaymenDK]

@Povester: Please link to the page you quote from; I can't find it. Also, the contact link is mangled and does not work.

I would very much like to see evidence and proof that firmware can and has caused hardware to fail.

My phone had sensor problems since the very start of my ownership, and am still(!) in the process of getting my vendor to accept the device for repair/replacement.

It seems to me that Samsung is selling a faulty and unsupported device. I installed newer firmware because what I had didn't work. If this causes my warranty to go poof, I will be out

 

[Povester]

KlaymenDK, See the following link:

Support - Software & Manuals - Software - Samsung Mobile

 

[Rastaman-FB]

They can admit what they like, I'd have more sympathy if they got their finger out and fixed it. How hard can it be to add a couple of signatures to PC Studio? I'm not a beta tester, I've paid 500 quid for a device which doesn't work.

My previous phone was a HTC TyTN II (O2 Stellar). It was broken out of the box, ran slower than a slow thing, crashed constantly, and needed a firmware update to turn it into something useable. After the update, it was a different phone. I still talk to people now who complain that their T2 is "slow and crashes a lot".

Before that I had the HTC Wizard (O2 Mini-S). It was broken out of the box, ran slow, crashed all over the place, needed rebooting daily, finally fixed with a firmware update.

I now have the i7500. Can anyone see a pattern here?

It's just not good enough. And comments like the one above don't help, they make me want to dig out my best pair of kicking boots and buy a plane ticket.

you can rage all you want mate, every phone provider is the same.
i dont klnow one manufacturer that doesnt launch crap firmware.
SE, Nokia, HTC, Moto, LG, Samsung. everyphone ive had at launch has been bad not just ones from o2
problem is that the amount of people beta testing these devices are a handfull, when you put it into real world situations and real world figures its a different story altogether

its the nature of the phone industry mate

 

[Bomberman]

Gawd, why am I still planning on ordering this phone on Thursday instead of the Hero? I must be mad

 

[Ferox]

Can someone confirm wether the recent I5 update originated from Samsung and is just not on official release? I didn't think it was created by 'third parties'!

 

[Andronix]

i'll second that

Dear Samsung,

It's very simple, you have two options.

1) fix your software, which was broken out of the box

or

2) shut the feck up whilst we muddle through working around your incompetence.

Love and kisses,

Cougar.

 

[Rastaman-FB]

Can someone confirm wether the recent I5 update originated from Samsung and is just not on official release? I didn't think it was created by 'third parties'!

its official for o2 de customers (VIA)
it comes via NPS

 

[spottyelephant]

I just banged out a 2min mail and sent it to them via that link posted above:


Hi,

I had seen that firmware version i5 is out and was going to download it until i found you're page saying that the official version is being worked on, so i've decided to wait for the moment.

However there are a number of issues with the current firmware which i would just like to mention, in case they were unknown issues to you:

1. The Dialpad doesn't work during a call. I found a temporary fix by doing a "force stop" on the dialer storage in "manage applications", but the dialer is one of the core features of a phone!

2. The compass is off by approx 90 degrees, always. This severly affects apps which use it.

3. Different firmware versions seem to have problems with 3d games. Armadillo roll and speedforge 3d in particular.

4. PC Studio doesn't work at all with the phone! Just says "please inset disk into disk g:\", or something along those lines.

4. The lock button is killing me, please implement a way to disable it and just use the default android pattern unlock!


I look forward to all the various tweaks and improvements that you will no doubt be implementing, but those are some very basic operational problems that i would really like seen fixed.

Thanks,
Richy
(f/w version h8)


Fingers crossed they actually read it!

 

[bitxboi]

I just banged out a 2min mail and sent it to them via that link posted above:

4. PC Studio doesn't work at all with the phone! Just says "please inset disk into disk g:\", or something along those lines.

4. The lock button is killing me, please implement a way to disable it and just use the default android pattern unlock!

hmmmmm..."please insert disk into disk g:\", sounds like you don't mount the USB device, but still you're right when you say NPS doesn't work with almost every combination of CSC/firmware version, showing a message within these lines "unsupported device".

Of course you can use the default android pattern unlock, you just have to activate it on: Settings -> Security and Locate -> Unlock Pattern (follow the "wizard") and activate the pattern use.

 

[spottyelephant]

hmmmmm..."please insert disk into disk g:\", sounds like you don't mount the USB device, but still you're right when you say NPS doesn't work with almost every combination of CSC/firmware version, showing a message within these lines "unsupported device".

Of course you can use the default android pattern unlock, you just have to activate it on: Settings -> Security and Locate -> Unlock Pattern (follow the "wizard") and activate the pattern use.

Ye i activated it before, but then it was like breaking into a building between the hardware button AND the pattern.

I just hate the hardware button SOO much!:

1. If you hold it down to unlock, but pre-emptively release before it is actually unlocked, then you have to click once to activate screen, click again to de-activate, and then long hold it again.
2. If someone across the room picks up my phone to call/text someone, invariably i have to walk over and unlock it for them, at which point i'll normally just do the texting/calling myself.
3. It makes my car cradle useless - cant operate the phone as the side-clamp arms are covering the lock button, and if i dont put it in gently enough, it keeps the button squeezed and draining battery.
4. If your hands are full, its impossible to unlock as it requires gripping from both sides...

I could go on!

 

[hippy]

Samsung.. what Cougar said..

1) fix your software, which was broken out of the box
or
2) shut the feck up whilst we muddle through working around your incompetence.

+ if you've got the time to write stupid press releases you have the time to respond to my issues.

 

[msiviter]

I agree with Cougar.

HTC phones kick arse but they are made infinately better by xda-developers. All phones have their faults Samsung need to fix these or they will drive us all underground. Can some clever blokes please start work at Samsung or start a website called samsung-developers.com and get cooking those roms!

Big up to the rom-cookers, we all need you because of the ineptitude of the manufacturers.

 

[Cougar]

After the responses here, I should possibly clarify,

I'm not singling out one provider or manufacturer here. I've stuck with O2 since the early Jurassic for good reasons. My point is simply that, across the board, it's just not good enough. <FX: British indignation and thumping of fist on table>

I'm well aware that it's "the state of the phone industry", that's kind of my point. You wouldn't get any other market sector putting up with it. You don't buy a new car and then find that it won't run on Esso fuel, or that the key doesn't work and you have to climb in through the sodding boot, and then have Ford sending out press releases telling you not to.

It's not like I've bought a Tesco Value phone for a tenner either. My last three phones cost fifteen hundred quid between them. I don't think it's entirely unreasonable of me not to expect to have to be rewriting device drivers in order to fix problems which shouldn't have been there in the first place. And Samsung's response of going 'naughty naughty' just brings on the red mist and the voices.

 

[KlaymenDK]

Cougar,
have you noticed how, in the olden days, shops were clearly divided into two areas by a huge counter, and the shopkeepers were service-minded with their patrons? And, how there are no longer any counters, nor patrons, only consumers who are given free reign to roam the entire store? And, how these consumers are given the opportunity to even conduct their own business, checkout and payment without bothering a member of staff?

Why, then, is it such a stretch to ask consumers to partake in the next step prior, the manufacturing itself? Cougar, what is wrong with you? Do you not want to be a prosumer? Do you want to be reported to Miniluv?

It's not just the mobile market either, it's everything that has even the slightest dependency on electronics and/or software. At least. Notice how all product reviews start out, "after overcoming the initial bit of tricky fiddling..."?

BTW, I like your avatar.

 

[Cougar]

You make an interesting point. After all, I suppose if Ticketb@stard can charge me three quid delivery charge for the privilige of me collecting my own concert tickets, it's not a great leap to expect gadget manufacturers to expect me to pay to beta-test their products.

Thanks re: the avatar. (-: It started out life here: WeeWorld - WeeMee | Avatar | Games | Virtual World | Social Network | Forumshttp://www.weeworld.com/