Samsung Galaxy S7 keeps region lock, but that shouldn't concern you
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- staff
- mvI
- 26 Apr 2016
My problem is that samsung doesnt provide the 2 simcard version of the s7 in europe.
its possible to import from dubai or asia bt apparantly they will be locked if i want to use my european sim card then.
i read somewhere that the dual simcard versions doesnt have the region lock bt i doubt it. Can anyone verify this please.
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- AnonD-525644
- 3@A
- 13 Apr 2016
Is there a way to check on the phone and see if the region lock has been removed after the 5 minutes of usage?
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- AnonD-524845
- 6uG
- 11 Apr 2016
What happen if you are FACTORY RESET the phone after you spoke those 5min? You need to speak them again? what if I will be in another region when I have done the factory reset?
Now my S7 has a CALL BARRING protection to outgoing calls locked with a pin which I never set... (i try already 0000 1111 1234-not working) Someone knows if this CALL BARRING appeared because this regional lock protection? NOTE: I spoke 11min with the regional sim card before FACTORY RESET. Regional sim, local sim is working but international (roaming) with another sim (not regional) is not working, the outgoing calls are CALL BARRING ON.
- T
- Tefra
- mEA
- 01 Apr 2016
If i buy an s7 edge from verizon is there any chance to use it in romania ?
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- AnonD-515347
- uYS
- 16 Mar 2016
I bought this phone at same day before going to Asia and now I have very expensive useless brick. Disappointed. This phone is 10% more expensive than in the US or Asia. I do not see the point in this protection.
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- AnonD-514051
- 3pV
- 16 Mar 2016
Anonymous, 13 Mar 2016i do believe the reasoning behind that is exactly for grey ... moreAll OEMs go through these problems. Solution? CERTAINLY NOT 10+ VARIATIONS.
Apple for example released four iPhone 6 versions, for different regions and carriers. It's way easier to handle the support for 4 phones compared to 10+. Given all the hassle that an Android OEM has to go through when updating the software on their devices.
In addition, all iPhones are exactly the same devices only with different antenna settings (and probably some sensors but no big deal), while Samsung devices can come with huge differences. Yet again I will draw your attention to the N910H and N910C, SAME hardware, SAME price tag, One came with 4G and one came without it.
Also, Apple updates all the phones at the same time while -once again- N910H got the Lollipop update almost two months after the N910C even tho they had the exact same hardware.
Probably because the citizens of the third world countries are too stupid to need support... ?!?!?!!
I'm not defending iPhones, they have their own problems, but Apple is handling this whole thing in a much better way than Samsung is.
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- AnonD-514051
- 3pV
- 16 Mar 2016
Anonymous, 15 Mar 2016no. you're completely wrong. Exynos version is extremely lo... moreI'm not sure if GSMArena allows us to post links in the comments but you might wanna go check the XDA posts about the troubles that Snapdragon S7s are causing.
Altho Qualcomm releases all the required codes for the development, yet still the American S7s are locked in every possible way. Exynos on the other hand is not locked, the problem with Exynos is that Samsung is not a big code releaser. Snapdragon S7s come with qualcomm secure boot, secure download and the bootloader is also locked. Odin can't even flash the same ROM if it's repacked.
This used to be the case with Verizon and AT&T snapdragon handsets but now all Snapdragon phones are locked.
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- Anonymous
- GKI
- 15 Mar 2016
Actually he was right, the SD version is locked down and people are already returning the phones. The Exnyos version is actually seeing some kinda of development.
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- Anonymous
- vfj
- 15 Mar 2016
AnonD-514051, 15 Mar 2016Snapdragon version is extremely locked in every possible wa... moreno. you're completely wrong. Exynos version is extremely locked in every possible way and gets very little (if any) developmet. So android enthusiasts would rather have the snapdragon one.
exynos is a nightmare for developers.
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- AnonD-514800
- 0Ur
- 15 Mar 2016
Again came off to reveal the measures being taken by samsung sucked. No resale of phones in Europe in another part of the world ... Design of his mistake.
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- AnonD-514051
- a3e
- 15 Mar 2016
AnonD-352484, 14 Mar 2016wasn't the SD variant better in every single benchmark exce... moreSnapdragon version is extremely locked in every possible way and therefore is not rootable and gets very little (if any) developmet while the exynos one is not locked. So android enthusiasts would rather have the open one.
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- AnonD-514051
- a3e
- 15 Mar 2016
AnonD-126854, 14 Mar 2016What needs 'serious criticism'?
The phone is unlocked at t... moreWell first of all I didn't say a sensor or cpu is a problem. 2 versions are ok, camera sensor is not even a problem, but more than 10 versions of the same thing is not ok.
Also the problem is, the US versions with sd are seriously locked up in every way so they will get no development nor any root, and if you are into messing with your Android then you get no fun. Obviously an android phone is not restricted to phone calls, texting and taking selfies (we already have iPhones for that)
In addition, 10+ variations means 10+ different (yet ironically same) devices to update, and we all know how European devices are the first to get the updates.
So a normal user doesn't care but a power user or an android enthusiast does care and it is an irresponsible decision from Samsung to solve a not even that serious problem.
iPhones on the other hand are all the same. There's us versions and then there's international versions. Not extremely regional versions.
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- Anonymous
- 4{s
- 14 Mar 2016
The 920F had no such restrictions. I'm in the US and had no problems using the 920F. I use AT&T and will not buy their phones because they lock the bootloader. So I can't buy an S7 now?
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- G5 user
- 9LA
- 14 Mar 2016
most of u lack of knowledge .. problems is not having the sim problems is that the phone msut conenct..must be able to call so means that your phone need to eb reached by a tower for the europena carrier plus the account must be activated the sim guys with a eropean number and purchase a plan activations are not free .... so if u are in america or any other place not europe ..how in the world u could make the 5 minutes call ... insted id like to get G5 top of the line with out stupid restrictions.
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- Anonymous
- 0Tu
- 14 Mar 2016
Joe Doc, 12 Mar 2016More reasons to stay with sonySony crushes you if you unlock the bootloader. It permanently disables half their stuff and kills your warranty. Sony is terrible to users
Samsung has knox too, but if you trip knox most resellers don't care and let you use your warranty. Moral of the story: Samsung is bad, but Sony is worse. Stay away from Sony!!
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- AnonD-352484
- 7Ex
- 14 Mar 2016
AnonD-126854, 13 Mar 2016Actually, they are trying to force users from US where they... morewasn't the SD variant better in every single benchmark except the multicore geekbench? Why would I want to have the inferior Exynos version...
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- Anonymous
- FMY
- 14 Mar 2016
AnonD-126854, 13 Mar 2016Actually, they are trying to force users from US where they... moreiphone , the very deffinition of capitalizing on ignorance. bad example
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- Gio
- UD{
- 14 Mar 2016
The reason why there is Region Lock is because of the different price bracket of differnet regions. There is no way samsung or any other carrier can globalize a price for a particular phone model. Why? Because different region have different tax rates. A particular phone model may be cheaper on one particular Region than the other.
To make it clear, you can still use the phone with any sim card to anywhere you go as long as you already have activated the phone on that Region where it was offered.
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- AnonD-126854
- TXn
- 14 Mar 2016
AnonD-514051, 13 Mar 2016Well I did read the S7 review and it seemed alright, altho ... moreWhat needs 'serious criticism'?
The phone is unlocked at the moment you put the SIM inside. It force the illegal resellers to open the box , which makes them not to sell them as new devices.
Or 'need serious criticism' that Samsung have not enough yield of their own Exinos and camera sensor yet??? Which OEM doesn't use different components in same model? Apple? LOL
BTW SDragon now(with help of Samsung) is almost as good as Exinos. And the US users must be glad to support US company. Sony sensor is not much worst that Samsung sensor too. So what is yor problem?
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- AnonD-514051
- r@s
- 13 Mar 2016
Anonymous, 13 Mar 2016you must be blind or you have not read the s7 half empty a... moreWell I did read the S7 review and it seemed alright, altho it is true that apple products always get publicized as better devices than what they really are in most reviews, including the ones found on this website. But still this "locked yet unlocked" compromise and 18 different models of same device are indeed terrible decisions that need serious criticism. They could simply use different CSCs (as they used to do) instead of various hardware and modems and stuff like that (That take much longer time and harder work to update and are sometimes better or worse than each other.)