US variants of Galaxy S4 ship with locked bootloaders

30 April, 2013
All models sold through carriers in the US will include a locked bootloader on the Galaxy S4.

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  • N
  • Not Locked
  • frH
  • 08 May 2013

The International S4 I9500 does not have a locked bootloader. Just bought one now and tested it and it is not locked.

    • ?
    • Anonymous
    • IaH
    • 02 May 2013

    another reason I am not buying S4

      • D
      • AnonD-141571
      • I4e
      • 02 May 2013

      This article is wrong. Sprint's Galaxy S4 variant ships with an unlocked bootloader.

        • D
        • AnonD-141365
        • nxe
        • 01 May 2013

        AnonD-26572, 30 Apr 2013Thereby invalidating your hardware warranty. That is the re... morebecause flashing your own kernals/roms which are incorrect or faulty can input incorrect voltages into the chipsets hence damaging the hardware ,lot of bricked devices is due to the touch or radio controllers being fried due to incorrect drivers

          • D
          • AnonD-141365
          • nxe
          • 01 May 2013

          bestman, 30 Apr 2013Simple.........buy the internation version of the s4 (i9500... morejust to remind " buy the internation version of the s4 (i9500) "
          international can be s600 or exynos variants ,still 70% of s4s are the s600 version regardless being out of USA or international

            • E
            • Epstein
            • Pxc
            • 01 May 2013

            customers will insist on purchasing from providers even if they knew that because it is cheaper. They never thought that a portion of the monthly bill is actually for the cost of the phone.

              • c
              • cahg
              • 0YR
              • 30 Apr 2013

              Dad, 30 Apr 2013it's not sasmung who locks bootloaders but the American car... moreYou are a 100% correct

                • b
                • bestman
                • LKm
                • 30 Apr 2013

                Simple.........buy the internation version of the s4 (i9500). No need to show bias towards the htc one for having a version that comes with the boot loader unlocked because it's up for the consumer to do their research........ i.e. INTERNATIONAL MODELS ARE FAR BETTER.

                  • D
                  • AnonD-17831
                  • mvx
                  • 30 Apr 2013

                  Users have options , simply dont buy it and they will reconsider. Or if you really want it buy from someone who dont lock it.

                    • D
                    • AnonD-132821
                    • FED
                    • 30 Apr 2013

                    What..............

                      • D
                      • AnonD-134497
                      • bJ9
                      • 30 Apr 2013

                      AnonD-58527, 30 Apr 2013Samsung pays me more for telling people that WPs have no ga... morelol man! I have no idea if that post was made for defining some sarcasm but I am a die hard WP fan...

                        • D
                        • Dad
                        • nrG
                        • 30 Apr 2013

                        nroets, 30 Apr 2013That is a bad, bad move Samsung. Will stick to my S3 ... So... moreit's not sasmung who locks bootloaders but the American carriers who request it.
                        The international version has an unlocked bootloader and USA =/= world.

                          • g
                          • gmt325gh
                          • IAH
                          • 30 Apr 2013

                          what's the point of having an android phone if i can't modify it ?!!!
                          if i didn't mind having no control of my device i would have bought an iphone or a lumia !!!
                          this is just stupid ..... :(

                            • D
                            • AnonD-26572
                            • p%n
                            • 30 Apr 2013

                            AnonD-4697, 30 Apr 2013You are plain wrong, here at AT&T denied 47 clients by ... moreI would agree but for one thing. Apple who lock their phoned to the hilt get just as many problems. They have even been known to actually send out updates themsleves that cause major problems causing phones to need to be swapped out. So it is OK for vendors to screw up our phones but we must not customise them how we wish because we are all stupid. If the vendor can prove you did sommething stupid and damaged your phone as a result, then I am all for them charging you for the repair of it. After all when it gets to the factory that is what they do anyway.

                              • D
                              • AnonD-4697
                              • Pr@
                              • 30 Apr 2013

                              AnonD-26572, 30 Apr 2013Only 1 to 2% of users are even supposed to want this, so if... moreYou are plain wrong, here at AT&T denied 47 clients by that matter in just 1 week because of brick, and this was only in this place, they have number very different from people believe.

                              It will be interest indeed know the plain numbers in just USA, I can't imagine that at global levels of people that like brick their phones and want full warranty by that...just lurk around ebay and see how many bricked phones are in sale.

                              for my personal experience 5 friends of mine brick their phones and tried to make valid they warranties because they just mess their phones...just do the math.

                                • D
                                • AnonD-26572
                                • p%n
                                • 30 Apr 2013

                                AnonD-4697, 30 Apr 2013Main reason here is beacuse warraty abuse. Most people b... moreOnly 1 to 2% of users are even supposed to want this, so if even 10% of them try warranty abuse, it is a tiny %. So because 0.1% or users may abuse their warranty no one can have a free choice. So at the ballot box because 0.1% of voters may absue their ballot papers we will dispense with freedom of choice?

                                Incidentally, when the EMC bug was identified for certain Samsung phones, that could actually write them off totally from a Stock ROM doing perfectly legitimate actions, Samsung seemed in no great hurry to fix it. The custom ROM's that had a fix for it were well ahead of Samsung themselves.

                                  • D
                                  • AnonD-4697
                                  • Pr@
                                  • 30 Apr 2013

                                  Main reason here is beacuse warraty abuse.

                                  Most people brick their phones and ask for an warranty since they argue the phone cames with software problems and Samsung among many others waste time and money honoring those users.

                                  And believe me there are MANY of them...many users bricking phones just for the pleasure of doing things that they don't understand.

                                    • U
                                    • Ubuntu Takeover
                                    • RbX
                                    • 30 Apr 2013

                                    Oooh I'm sooo glad I waited Lolololol

                                      • D
                                      • AnonD-26572
                                      • p%n
                                      • 30 Apr 2013

                                      AnonD-79632, 30 Apr 201310 % of people know what bootloader is lol. It doesnt matterSo because the vast majority of users cannot or do not want to do things the manufacturers can stipulate what they like? I don't disagree that for most this is a moot point but it is our right to choose. By penalising us for excercising a choice they are effectively removing it. I'm afraid I do not find that funny in the slightest.

                                        • D
                                        • AnonD-79632
                                        • jn@
                                        • 30 Apr 2013

                                        10 % of people know what bootloader is lol. It doesnt matter