According to tipster Ice Universe, Samsung has disabled Odin, a proprietary firmware flashing tool typically used to install stock firmware, install custom ROMs, and restore devices. It also appears that Samsung has removed “Download Mode,” which acts as a gateway for Odin. This change appears to have been made in the latest One UI 8.5 firmware and currently affects the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and recently launched Galaxy S26 series.
Sigh. I haven’t actually run a non-standard firmware for a while now, but I’m finding the mindset of a lot of these big companies exhausting, the relentless push for them to control every aspect of everything. Particularly when they’re charging huge amounts for the device and to my mind at least can’t claim they’ve somehow subsidised the hardware.
I dont run custom ROMs anymore either but I have needed Odin a few times over the last few years to flash different OEM firmware to devices. Examples are a couple of work phones the company let me keep after upgrading which had Sprint firmware. I was able to flash Tmobile firmware to them while simultaneously removing all the locked-down work stuff that was preventing me from doing anything with the devices like activating developer mode.
As far as my personal device, an S21 Ultra, I’ll probably need to upgrade it in the next couple of years and I think its finally time to ditch Samsung. I had similar feelings before getting the S21 but compromised since the market was shit for higher-end devices (I typically get a higher end device and then keep it for years and years) and i have no interest in Apple. It sucks because the market is still weak as hell in the US. Every device I’ve come across that looks decent is a EU device that doesn’t support all of Tmobile’s bands.
I can recommend the Fairphone for those who appreciate actually owning the device they paid for
How is the fairphone doing these days? I was scared off by the battery life last time i checked it out
Wel that is subjective, but I’m happy with my FP6. ymmv
I had a Samsung TV over 10 years ago. One of the early “smart” ones. It got quite a few updates where a happy little text box told “your samsung smart tv got even better” or some shit like that. Even if they actively removed features and or apps got unsupportet. You know after like 2 years or so.
Like fuck it. It still works as regular ass TV till this date. But the whole software and update experience was so shit that i never bought a samsung device ever again. Wait, thats a lie. I bought two of those 25 buck dumbphones from them. They were pretty good for what they were, ngl. But apart from that Samsung is a big no-no for me and i get proven right year after year.
God their TVs have become so terrible over the last decade. Not only the firmware but the quality of them. I got one to use as an office monitor and it randomly glitches out showing static on the screen until you unplug it. My BIL also buys Samsung TVs and has seemingly gone through half a dozen of them in the last few years because they keep breaking. Same with all the Samsung appliances that he buys too.
For my last TV, I got an LG C3 OLED from Costco and the picture is incredible along with the price and we haven’t had any software issues or annoyances with it either. I have blocked the LG domains on my router though so that it won’t nag me about updating the firmware.
I wish you could just buy a fucking tv. I don’t want your shitty-ass proprietary version of YouTube or Netflix. I don’t even want WiFi or an Ethernet port. I’ll buy a fucking Roku or Apple TV or whatever. Or just watch Blu-rays.
I tried blocking so off those ports from one of my Samsungs. Eventually YouTube couldn’t work. You’d have to jump through massive hoops including unblocking their servers and hard power cycle — I can’t even remember. I thought they legit bricked it because I didn’t want any updates or spying or ads forced on me.
TVs are just awful. Monitors are way better, but I have yet to find 85" monitors.
I have two functioning 50 inch Scepter TVs reality will pry from my cold dead hands because they are the last dumb TV. I’d like an 80 inch but am not interested in any smart bs, wish I could store 10 different Scepters for future use.
Yeah, they have been on my shit list for a good while. The only thing I’d still buy from them would be memory, either ram or flash, but now the AI induced prices have put even those purchases on hold.
Samsung is a no-go again anyway, as they have decided to go back to their shitty Exynos CPUs for the S26. The CPU itself is fine, but their modems are awful.
Going from my Exynos S22 to a Snapdragon S25 was night and day mobile reception wise.
My s24 ultra is still almost perfect except for the inexplicably mediocre cameras.
if you’re paying more than what most people make a month for a fuckin phone, then you should be able to do what the fuck ever you damn well fuckin please with the phone.
No I dont own these afflicted phones, I’m not that rich, I’m just talking on principle
Does that mean heimdall is out too?
Oh well…Another reason not to bother with them.
The more alternative companies/organizations/groups that do not do these garbage practices the better. Private non-stock unionized companies. Best if open-source hardware but that part would have to be community done
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Kimchi =/= shit
