Sooo... Samsung just dropped a universal Galaxy S7

[Raduque]

http://www.androidcentral.com/galaxy-s7-unlocked

The unlocked Galaxy S7 costs $669. The unlocked Galaxy S7 edge runs $769.
...
These U.S.-specific unlocked phones will work on AT&T, Verizon, Sprint or T-Mobile — and generally speaking any of the smaller operators.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/samsung...ack-onyx/5286503.p?id=bb5286503&skuId=5286503

Thank you Samsung!

 

[tsupersonic]

Saw this morning, and a nice move from Sammy. It'd be nice if they did this for future phones (cough Note 6/7)

 

[Artdeco]

Saw this morning, and a nice move from Sammy. It'd be nice if they did this for future phones (cough Note 6/7)

I'd hazard a guess they will, but only after the carriers have sold a goodly amount first.

 

[rumpleforeskin]

Is there a reason why one would choose this over the international version?

The Exynos been available unlocked since day 1 so it should be easier to shop around for a better price it also has better battery life and does not suffer from the low headphone volume of the snapdragon variant.

Apparently the audio is also superior on the Exynos version but I could not tell the difference.

 

[Artdeco]

Is there a reason why one would choose this over the international version?

The Exynos been available unlocked since day 1 so it should be easier to shop around for a better price it also has better battery life and does not suffer from the low headphone volume of the snapdragon variant.

Apparently the audio is also superior on the Exynos version but I could not tell the difference.

It's for us in the states, at least your depreciating bloat wear free phone has a year of manufacturer's warranty.

 

[dawheat]

It's for us in the states, at least your depreciating bloat wear free phone has a year of manufacturer's warranty.

And Samsung Pay if that's useful to you. Ebates currently has 10% off Samsung.com for anyone considering this though I think full price is still too much with the new Note and iPhone a couple months away.

 

[Commodus]

I'd hazard a guess they will, but only after the carriers have sold a goodly amount first.

No guarantees that this is what happening, but if it is... this is what drives me nuts about smartphone manufacturers beyond Apple. Even bigger ones have a "when carriers say 'jump,' we say 'how high?'" mentality where they cave to demands out of fear that they'll be dropped.

Samsung: you're the largest individual smartphone maker in the world by volume, if not by profit. You're the main alternative to the iPhone on virtually every US carrier. Tell the networks that you'll be offering unlocked versions of your high-end phones on launch (or soon afterward) from now on. What are the carriers going to do, pull the Galaxy S and make themselves even more dependent on Apple? HTC, LG and Sony aren't about to step up to the plate.

 

[Raduque]

Is there a reason why one would choose this over the international version?

The Exynos been available unlocked since day 1 so it should be easier to shop around for a better price it also has better battery life and does not suffer from the low headphone volume of the snapdragon variant.

Apparently the audio is also superior on the Exynos version but I could not tell the difference.

One word: Verizon.

No guarantees that this is what happening, but if it is... this is what drives me nuts about smartphone manufacturers beyond Apple. Even bigger ones have a "when carriers say 'jump,' we say 'how high?'" mentality where they cave to demands out of fear that they'll be dropped.

Samsung: you're the largest individual smartphone maker in the world by volume, if not by profit. You're the main alternative to the iPhone on virtually every US carrier. Tell the networks that you'll be offering unlocked versions of your high-end phones on launch (or soon afterward) from now on. What are the carriers going to do, pull the Galaxy S and make themselves even more dependent on Apple? HTC, LG and Sony aren't about to step up to the plate.

I've been saying it for some time now, if anybody not-Apple is in a position to do this, it's Samsung. People know Galaxy. People want Galaxy. Samsung could easily tell a carrier "Do you want to be the only one without Galaxy?" and the carrier will cave.

 

[Commodus]

I've been saying it for some time now, if anybody not-Apple is in a position to do this, it's Samsung. People know Galaxy. People want Galaxy. Samsung could easily tell a carrier "Do you want to be the only one without Galaxy?" and the carrier will cave.

Exactly. I can't help but suspect that Samsung gives in because "that's just how you're supposed to do business." It's as if the company feels something is going horribly wrong when it acts on its own. If Apple is overly headstrong, Samsung is overly craven -- it makes unnecessary compromises out of fear.

 

[Raduque]

Exactly. I can't help but suspect that Samsung gives in because "that's just how you're supposed to do business." It's as if the company feels something is going horribly wrong when it acts on its own. If Apple is overly headstrong, Samsung is overly craven -- it makes unnecessary compromises out of fear.

I think behaving like Apple does is a singularly American thing. Most foreign companies don't behave like that when it comes to anything. The Unlocked US carrier-agnostic S7 is the first of it's kind from Samsung. This is one spot where I think some government regulation would be welcome - forcing all mobile devices to be fully unlocked (no SecureBoot!) and compatible with all carriers frequencies - no more Whitelisted devices, I'm looking at you Verizon - or no sales in the US. No more carrier locking down, since the subsidy model is gone, it's unacceptable.

 

[cronos]

Samsung: you're the largest individual smartphone maker in the world by volume, if not by profit. You're the main alternative to the iPhone on virtually every US carrier. Tell the networks that you'll be offering unlocked versions of your high-end phones on launch (or soon afterward) from now on. What are the carriers going to do, pull the Galaxy S and make themselves even more dependent on Apple? HTC, LG and Sony aren't about to step up to the plate.

Whoa hold up. HTC has been selling an unlocked version of its flagship since the M7 three years ago (not to mention the GPE, but Samsung did that too) and did that on launch day. The HTC 10 isn't even offered with AT&T brand right now.

Sony has been doing that as well, although they stopped doing that when they ceased operation on their US-based online store last year.

Just commenting about other manufacturers who stood up against the carriers. Not saying that either of these are in any way close to Samsung's volume.

I completely agree about Samsung needing to man up.

 

[WelshBloke]

I think behaving like Apple does is a singularly American thing. Most foreign companies don't behave like that when it comes to anything. The Unlocked US carrier-agnostic S7 is the first of it's kind from Samsung. This is one spot where I think some government regulation would be welcome - forcing all mobile devices to be fully unlocked (no SecureBoot!) and compatible with all carriers frequencies - no more Whitelisted devices, I'm looking at you Verizon - or no sales in the US. No more carrier locking down, since the subsidy model is gone, it's unacceptable.

Eh? Pretty much everything is available unlocked from the manufacturer outside of America.

"Behaving like Apple does" (in the US) is the norm outside of the US.

 

[Raduque]

Eh? Pretty much everything is available unlocked from the manufacturer outside of America.

"Behaving like Apple does" (in the US) is the norm outside of the US.

I'm not talking about outside of the US. I'm talking about non-US companies doing business inside the US.

 

[WelshBloke]

I'm not talking about outside of the US. I'm talking about non-US companies doing business inside the US.

That would make behaving like Apple does a singularly unAmerican thing.

 

[Commodus]

Whoa hold up. HTC has been selling an unlocked version of its flagship since the M7 three years ago (not to mention the GPE, but Samsung did that too) and did that on launch day. The HTC 10 isn't even offered with AT&T brand right now.

Sony has been doing that as well, although they stopped doing that when they ceased operation on their US-based online store last year.

Just commenting about other manufacturers who stood up against the carriers. Not saying that either of these are in any way close to Samsung's volume.

I completely agree about Samsung needing to man up.

I should clarify what I mean. It's more that HTC, LG, Sony and their ilk aren't really prepared to become the de facto Android flagship for US carriers right now. They'd love it, I'm sure, but these are all companies that in recent years have been accustomed to limited releases (even LG has holes in its lineup). Asking them to suddenly be the huge, every-carrier-at-once partner that holds water for Android in the US might be a bit much.

 

[KeithP]

With the release of these versions of the S7, has Samsung made an official statement on how updates will work and how often owners of these phones might expect them?

-KeithP

 

[cronos]

I should clarify what I mean. It's more that HTC, LG, Sony and their ilk aren't really prepared to become the de facto Android flagship for US carriers right now. They'd love it, I'm sure, but these are all companies that in recent years have been accustomed to limited releases (even LG has holes in its lineup). Asking them to suddenly be the huge, every-carrier-at-once partner that holds water for Android in the US might be a bit much.

I can agree with that. Your previous statement made it sound like nobody even tried (to stand up to carriers). Well some did, but no dent were made because they simply don't have the power. Samsung is the only one who does have some, and while it's sad that the fact that Samsung comes out with an unlocked US version of their phone is such a big news in 2016, at least they are doing it.

We'll see if they have the guts to do this at launch time with the upcoming 'Note 7'. Probably not.

 

[Raduque]

That would make behaving like Apple does a singularly unAmerican thing.

If apple behaves like apple does in the US, but no other non-US company behaves like apple IN the US, how does that make it an un-American thing?

 

[poofyhairguy]

We'll see if they have the guts to do this at launch time with the upcoming 'Note 7'. Probably not.

It's not guts, it's $s. Samsung has a history of trying a dozen little variants of an idea and it sticks with the ones that work. If these sell well we will get more and maybe more sooner. If it doesn't sell we get another situation like the S4 Google Play Edition, where everyone loves the idea in the nerdsphere but it doesn't stick.

Which is why if you want one don't listen to the advice above, go get it. We are all dealhunters but sometimes you have to vote with your dollars that you want something other than low prices.

 

[WelshBloke]

If apple behaves like apple does in the US, but no other non-US company behaves like apple IN the US, how does that make it an un-American thing?

Because what Apple does is not the norm in the US, it's the norm in the rest of the world.
This is not that complicated.

 

[shabby]

Still has a locked bootloader, but root was attained the other day for att's s7 http://forum.xda-developers.com/att-galaxy-s7/how-to/root-s7-att-g930a-g935a-t3410538

 

[Raduque]

Because what Apple does is not the norm in the US, it's the norm in the rest of the world.
This is not that complicated.

You keep throwing the rest of the world out there, but I don't care about the rest of the world, I'm solely talking about how OEMs behave and market/sell things in the US - ONLY.

 

[WelshBloke]

You keep throwing the rest of the world out there, but I don't care about the rest of the world, I'm solely talking about how OEMs behave and market/sell things in the US - ONLY.

Well using the phrase "singularly American" doesn't make sense in that context.