yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] christoophat:
Well, with help from 2 cups of coffee, I was able to play catch up on this thread! Still running on my V30+, but is very good to see that , if needed, there are still some options for those of us who dig our V30+. Thanks for all the great info & comments from everyone. And shout out to Chazz who pretty much helped to get us the best phones of our lives so far.
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] ChazzMatt:
An UPDATE:

If you remember, AT&T sent me that threatening message back in mid-July seemingly to scare me into immediately switching to another phone of my own choice, instead of whatever "free" phone they sent me.

Finally last week (end of October) they shipped me a certified refurbished 128GB Galaxy Note 9. The paperwork inside reiterated what their months-old text message had said. I now have approximately 30 days to activate that phone (or another compatible one) or else they will auto-activate it for me and the AT&T SIM card in my V30+ will no longer work.

In preparation for this, in August, I bought a used, great condition carrier unlocked (but with AT&T firmware) 128GB Galaxy S10+. Still in box. I was waiting for this promised free replacement phone to arrive, as I knew if I activated another phone before then AT&T would not follow through. ;) Not that I am going to use their replacement phone as my daily phone, but I can give it to my daughter or keep it for an emergency spare.

Also, I'm still using my V30+ daily and was in no rush to change over to something else.

I do admit the replacement phone AT&T sent is

better than I expected

. I thought it would be some crappy 16GB, very little RAM -- whatever the cheapest phone models are nowadays.

So, now I have to find the time to start messing with the Galaxy S10+...
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] ldeveraux:
What?? Why did they send you a new phone? You didn't pay for it?
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] ChazzMatt:
The text AT&T sent back in mid-July, which I posted then, explains it. See below.

However I expected bottom of the barrel "free" phone, and since I want root if possible and my own specs, in August I went ahead and bought Galaxy S10+. But I kept it in the box, waiting for this replacement phone they were allegedly shipping to me. Finally, end of October they shipped it. I think they waited, hoping I would get my own phone in the meantime. I did, but I didn't switch over, so they were forced to send me the replacement phone anyway. Certified, pre-owned Galaxy Note 9.

As AT&T is aggressively re-farming spectrum for 5G, they will be shutting down HSPA in February 2021. They won't allow the 2017 native Open Market V30/V30+ US998 (from B&H Photo) to have VoLTE -- only a native AT&T H931 (not a Frankenstein'ed). Thus they had to send me a compatible replacement phone.

My wife and mother who both had native Open Market US998 V30 had to get different phones, also. But the difference is they are on Prepaid AT&T, whereas I'm on postpaid AT&T (for technical reasons). Prepaid AT&T isn't going to give you replacement phone. That's your problem! So, I gave them AT&T VoLTE-compatible V35 (but carrier unlocked), which was the most seamless way to upgrade from V30. Even uses same cases. Not rooted, not bootloader unlocked, but their V30 weren't either.

​

JULY 13, 2020​
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] danbest82:
Nice tactic, and a way better phone than expected for sure!
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] gimpy1:
Well, Chazz, seems you're always ahead of the ball. 👍. I like that. Unfortunately, I am not 😒, but, that's just the way it is/I am. I still am looking for a replacement phone for my v30. Still considering the TCL and the Edge + from Motorola, but, they have kinda fallen behind since the Pixel 6 and 6 pro have come onto the scene.

Being with Verizon makes it harder for me to get a specific phone of my choice. I probably won't be able to unlock and root my phone like I have the last 2 or 3 I've had. I guess that's progress? ☹️

Good luck with your new phones, all.
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] ldeveraux:
S10, done. Unlockable and rootable
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] schwinn8:
I'm not sure that's true? Snapdragon S10 phones are not rootable unless they have an older BL (bootloader)... unless that has changed? What's more, once rooted, you have to stay on the old BL otherwise you lose root.

Exynos is a different story, but I don't think they work with USA carriers?

Unlockable, yes... you can easily find unlocked S10 phones...

That said, I have an S10+ and it's not rooted. It's great, and I don't miss root at all... but that's just me.
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] danbest82:
Yes you need to be on an old bootloader still from what I read.

For me this is fine since I don't care about updates anyway. For some they like the latest update.

@schwinn8 Glad you're enjoying the no root though!
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] ldeveraux:
Sure everything you said is true. You also need to pay a guy on *shudder* telegram to unlock for you. I didn't say it was convenient, but it is easy. 😏
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] schwinn8:
Ok, just wanted to make sure.

I don't have as much of a concern with the Telegram unlock, per se. But the implication of your post was that the phone can be easily rooted. I have to disagree on that because finding a phone with an old-enough BL is difficult (unless you're holding on to one like Chazz likes to do, haha!). I tried to get an older BL phone and had no luck. And, no, you can't downgrade the BL either... so you're stuck there, too. In addition, not being able to update seems like a significant enough thing to mention as well, even if you do get root...

Yes, you can get there in specific cases, and not updating may be fine for people as well. But I wouldn't call the overall process as easy as "S10, done" since finding an old-BL phone is not a trivial task to begin with.

@danbest82 Yeah I'm fine without root. Haven't found a real need for it yet... everything works great as far as I can see... but, again, that's just me, of course! To each their own!
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] ChazzMatt:
No, it's just that for technical reasons a couple of years ago I was forced to go with AT&T postpaid instead of AT&T Prepaid. I left my wife and mother on AT&T Prepaid, but I had to get a "regular" AT&T postpaid account. And no I couldn't go to an MVNO or any other carrier for the same reason. It had to be AT&T postpaid due to where I live.

Due to paying more per month than I would like, AT&T at least sent me a "new" (certified pre-owned) phone since they won't allow my V30+ to have VoLTE. I more than paid for that Galaxy Note 9 with the increased monthly fees on the postpaid side. :)

But that's not the phone I plan to use as my new daily phone. I plan to use the Galaxy S10+ I bought back in August, but is still in the box. As long as it's not on newer bootloader it can be bootloader unlocked (for a fee) and rooted.

But whether rooted or not, the S10/S10+ seems to be the spiritual descendent of the V30/V30+ -- what LG should have done instead of going off onto wild tangents with T-shaped flip phones. Stereo speakers (on S10+), enough RAM, 1440p resolution, headset jack, larger battery (on S10+)...

Probably this coming weekend, I'll open the box and see what version bootloader it is. Having two children now, this past year has been a blur and I haven't had time to do much phone stuff.
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] ChazzMatt:
Does the bootloader auto update or do you have to approve it? I'll be checking my phone this next weekend. The S10+ I bought in August. I know nothing about Samsungs.
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] schwinn8:
If you run the next software update, and it has a new BL, then it will apply. Basically, you can't update the software without updating the BL as well.

To start out with, I'd suggest NOT connecting to wifi, then going into settings and disabling the update process in a few places (I think @danbest82 had posted some screenshots on this thread about this? If not, I can find them again.) Once disabled, then you can go into wifi and logging in. Granted, that's just me being paranoid... since I gave up root, I booted in and connected at startup, and it's not like the phone will just do the update "behind your back"... well, at least it didn't for me.

The downside is that until you update (or use root to block it more securely) you'll keep getting a nag to do it... though I have read there are ways to adb-disable the update service as well. I haven't bothered, since I'm not rooted and don't plan to be anymore. I have accepted updates along the way as well (I think we've had 2 since we got these phones for me and my wife).
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] Geekzilla:
This is why I returned my s10+ during my return window. One of the chief complaints about our beloved v30 is the lack of updates and I hated to signup for a new phone and still be unable to update (irrelevant since mine was already on v5 bootloader). I ordered a Pixel 6 256GB to be delivered next week. I'm unsure where this journey is going to take me. Compared to the v30, every phone is a serious compromise.
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] danbest82:
See posts 197 and 198 for the screenshots. There are also the adb disables.
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] matthew33:
I bought V50 LMV500EM - LOVE IT!!

Did try s10+ - sent it back after 2 days.

Matt
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] cmrntnnr:
FWIW, I experimented with an S10e as an option for a family member. The phone was nice with one exception. It was not able to make cell connections in areas with weak signal like my home where my V30 and V35 work fine. This is for AT&T and VZW.
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] ChazzMatt:
OK mine seems to be "S4DT" where you have the red circles, so guess I'm on bootloader v4? Now I need to read the bootloader and unlock instructions. I know a link was posted, just need to find it.

I also turned off the auto update and I have NOT signed into Wi-Fi nor my Google account yet, nor put in my SIM card yet.
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] ChazzMatt:
Ah, here we go. I think I also followed that thread.

But there was also an instructions thread somewhere....
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] schwinn8:
For the unlock, there appear to be two offerings - both seem to be good, but I haven't used them, of course. The thread you linked by afaneh, he supposedly would walk you through the process. Bottom line, you don't really have to do too much yourself, it seems... because they'll walk you though it. You will end up putting the device "online" so they can perform the actions needed, but there have been many success stories so I feel it's safe as well.

For the BL version, it's the 5th-from-last character that matters... I don't know if you provided a partial, so I can't tell if that's the right one or not.

For example, my current settings/about phone/software information/baseband version shows "G975U1UEU6GUJ3"

If I am correct:

G975 means it's an S10+

U1 means it's the unlocked version

I don't know what UEU means

6 is my BL number

GUJ3 is the ROM version, I believe (for the most part)
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] danbest82:
@ChazzMatt if you go to the telegram, you can confirm your BL is unlockable but it was it is. When I did my unlock, Afaneh sent me a "token" file that I flashed with Odin, which he also sent. I went with Afaneh over the other one because it was cheaper. They are both helpful from what I see.

@schwinn8 I believe you are correct.
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] ChazzMatt:
5 character from last is 4. So, I'm good as long as I don't screw it up.
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] ChazzMatt:
I just contacted @afaneh via PM here on XDA.

I know nothing about Samsung stuff, but guess I'll learn. :) Feel like a total newbie. Also, I've stepped back quite a bit from the development scene even for the V30 in the past year due to adopting two children. It's been months since I've visited the Telegram thread.
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] danbest82:
Samsung is new to me too. Been on LGs for years and Motorola before that .
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] ChazzMatt:
Just sent Device ID and payment.

Phone wasn't being recognized by Windows 10 PC and had to install "Samsung Switch" Windows app. Installed version of ADB recommended for Samsung Galaxy S10. Got Device ID through ADB, but needed to confirm in Download mode. However, I went into Recovery mode first (Up volume button + Bixby, plus Power) instead of Download mode (Down Volume button + Bixby, plus Power).

Token is being generated and he says all needed files will be sent.

After unlocking bootloader, then how easy is root? Just install TWRP and flash Magisk or what? What TWRP version do you use? I went over the Galaxy S10+ forum but I didn't see any useful stickies just offhand.
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] danbest82:
My message was supposed to say "LG for years". Frigging typo.

Anyway this is an AIO file. It really should be stickied. It installs TWRP, Magisk, and a safetynet fix.
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] ChazzMatt:
Change of plans. My Galaxy S10+ -- even though on bootloader 4 -- was diagnosed with a "passive" partition and can't be bootloader unlocked via this method. He sent several unlock tokens to try, asked for pictures of error messages. I also tried wife's laptop and old Windows PC dug out of closet, at his suggestion. (You know, like V30.) He conferred with his source, said it's rare but has happened. Can't be bootloader unlocked. He immediately send refund, when it proved impossible.

So, Plan B is the Galaxy Note 9 which AT&T sent me. Turns out that bootloader was easily unlocked via another token he sent and the fee is $55 vs the S10+ $65. He also sent AIO file with TWRP, Magisk, some mods, etc. I flashed that. Rooted and currently transferring over all my stuff from V30.

The S10+ is newer, has slightly better specs. But right now going with Galaxy Note 9. Maybe a few months from now I'll try another one.
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] danbest82:
Well that sucks about the S10+. I didn't even know that was possible to happen. From my experience, I'm sure he was helpful with he technical process and being you're good with it, it must have well. It's good he did the right thing with the refund and all. Sucks it couldn't be unlocked though.

That is great the the Note 9 worked out for you though! Good luck with it and let us know how it works out for you.
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] ChazzMatt:
Yeah, just have to get the Note 9 carrier unlocked. No rush on that right now, as I use AT&T. Just for when I travel to another country.

Maybe next Spring I'll try another Galaxy S10+. Guess I should sell this one on eBay, get some money back.

I left the new phone charging and updating apps. I will probably transfer over Titanium Backup zipped file and restore data to all apps that way. Or restore all apps and data.
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] ldeveraux:
Dude you should have looked into it months ago when you bought the S10! You know, all that free time you have.
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] ChazzMatt:
Yeah, but I didn't really want to mess with it until I had to. Have so much other stuff not done. Amazing what two children in your life do to your free time! Also, AT&T promised me a replacement phone and I was waiting for that to arrive, before switching over to the S10+. Not going to turn down a free phone (maybe for my oldest daughter), and if I had switched back in August they would consider the matter closed. Took them until near end of October...

Ironic then that "free" phone is what I'll be using, at least for awhile.

Here's the specs comparison of the early 2019 S10+ vs the late 2018 Galaxy Note 9.

Compare Samsung Galaxy S10+ vs. Samsung Galaxy Note9 - GSMArena.com

www.gsmarena.com

About the same size and not horrible. Both have stereo speakers. Galaxy Note 9 has fingerprint sensor on the back, while the S10+ doesn't. S10+ being a little newer has improved camera and faster processor, but both are probably quicker than the 2017 V30+ and both have more RAM.

Like I said, maybe in a few months I'll try with another S10+. I can't really think of any other phone right now that would check the boxes I want.
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] danbest82:
Does your Note 9 have 8gb or 6gb of RAM? From what I've read, 6-8 is just the right amount. I haven't had issues with the 8gb as I did with 4gb of the V30. With the fingerprint sensor, I never had a problem with the back sensor of the V30, but occasionally have issues with the S10+ screen sensor due to smudges and dirty screen. The Note 9 sensor might be better since it's in the back, as long as your finger cam reach it. Note 9 sounds like it might be pretty damn good. I'm not sure why I might have overlooked it...
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] ChazzMatt:
SM-N960U1

128GB internal memory/6GB RAM and actually AT&T sent me the carrier unlocked version. The sleeve of the box even says "Unlocked by Samsung". But it has AT&T logo when booting up.

Been 4 years since I switched phones. Couldn't get Titanium Backup zip file to flash in TWRP, to copy over all my apps + datea.. Said it completed but nothing actually happened. :unsure: Now trying to use Migrate.

Using Samsung Switch, most of the apps came over, but not all. Also none of the data and settings. Hoping Migrate will do the job.
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] schwinn8:
At least on the S10 series, when you get an unlocked phone, the SIM card "activates" the features in the ROM. In other words, you get an unlocked ROM and then install a VZ SIM, then the VZ stuff pops up and such. I installed a TotalWireless SIM, and so I get a green voicemail icon (versus the red one VZ normally offered... though it could be the same app, but I don't know since I don't have VZ anymore). I imagine the same thing happens when you boot with an ATT SIM - those things turn on. I expect this is also where the various VOLTE/VOWIFI and such get activated to work with the carrier.

In that sense, like the V30, the S10 is a global phone... but they took it a step further and included all the carrier stuff so that it auto switches without the need for Frankensteining, like we did on the V30. I certainly prefer that. Of course, this furthers my complaint about carriers and their dumb IMEI rules (ie, VZ won't "activate" a phone unless it has a VZ-IMEI)... but if you get a U/U1 phone, you won't have that problem (or at least you shouldn't!)
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] danbest82:
That's great it's carrier unlocked! My S10+ is carrier unlocked but has Verizon boot logo. It's just part of the CSC thing they mention you can flash in Odin but also seems to be linked to the SIM card that's in it nowadays.

I had issues with Titanium doing a proper restore also. I used Migrate and it worked for the most part. What you can try is move all the apps over with Samsung switch or Migrate. I used my same SD card and pointed Titanium to it so that all the apps and data were there, then restore "data only" batch. That worked for me. Seems Titanium has issues restoring APKs on newer versions of Android.
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] ldeveraux:
Titanium isn't abandoned, but it's pretty close. It's certainly not optimized (read: barely functioning) on recent Android builds. I use Swift for my backups now. It's a bit clugey on the interface, but rock solid with backup/restore.
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] danbest82:
Yeah it's pretty much done. I tried OAndBackupX but it's nothing close to TiBu. I'll take a look at Swift. Thanks for the heads up
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] danbest82:
@ldeveraux do you use the premium version? Is it worth it? It might be just for the scheduled backup.
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] ldeveraux:
Absolutely! What was it $5 max? Worth it for peace of mind with my phone!
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] danbest82:
Yep. Around that. Definitely worth it.
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] ldeveraux:
The fingerprint sensor on my S10 is absolute trash, rarely works, changes in temp and humidity affect it greatly. Sometimes it works, most times not. I miss having a physical fingerprint button, even if it was on the back of the phone.
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] danbest82:
Thanks for the update. Glad it all worked out.
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] danbest82:
I agree. Sometimes I feel like I have to reset it then when I go to use the phone again it works. It's definitely affected by the temp. I miss a dedicated button. Oh well I like everything else about the S10+, i may just disable the fingerprint sensor one day.
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] schwinn8:
I don't agree as much about the fingerprint sensor. It's certainly not as reliable as the V30's was, but it's workable and takes a bit of getting used to. If you press "too hard" it won't recognize. If you don't press hard enough, it won't recognize. Very annoying indeed. I wonder if it would help to teach lighter and harder presses... I don't care at the moment, but could be something for me to try. In the end, it's not great. I will say it was AWFUL with a screen protector in-place. Even the one the ebay seller provided with the special area to "pass through" for the sensor didn't work for crap. Glad I didn't buy that protector. I have none on the phone now, and it's fine (I had one on the V30 at first, but I took it off and it has been fine over the many years... I guess I'm careful enough!)

Note that there is a lift-to-wake option in the settings (for gestures) where the phone can be woken up when you pick it up. It's not the AOD, but it's not bad. I don't use it anymore honestly (just not my preference) but it may work for you?

For powering on the screen, I don't have to press the power button at all - just putting your finger on the fingerprint sensor (and if it unlocks) and you save the extra press. I expect the Note should work the same, but I don't know for sure. Basically, I almost never use the power button because of this... you may not have to either. Again, it takes a bit of getting used to where the sensor is... and it needs to work, of course, haha.

To turn off the screen, I'm using a double-tap gesture. I don't know if the stock launcher supports this, but my Nova Launcher supports it, so I use that all the time as well.

The only other complaint I have is for my wife, actually - she has a habit of using the power button (particularly to turn the display off) and since the volume button is opposite that one, the phone takes a screenshot. She takes screenshots "regularly" this way... and then has to go delete them. I activated the double-tap-off on her phone, and I think that has helped matters... I don't see as many on our shared GPhotos account!
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] ldeveraux:
The "very annoying indeed" part with the fingerprint is exactly what I hate about it. The V30 unlock with fingerprint worked 100% of the time, this one about 50%.

And I also use Nova, how do you get double tap to wake/sleep to work???
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] schwinn8:
Nova7 (I have Nova-Prime, so maybe you need that, I don't remember - got prime on a free-sale ages ago): Settings / Gestures & Inputs / Double tap - configure that to "screen lock"

Note this appears to be also part of the Samsung stock ROM as well: https://www.samsung.com/au/support/mobile-devices/enable-double-tap-to-turn-off/
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] ldeveraux:
Thanks! I ultimately found that info and enabled it too. It seems a bit tricky from the home screen though. sometimes I 2x tap it opens whatever app I tapped, sometimes it locks the screen. 2x tap from the lock screen (who needs that though??) works of course.
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] schwinn8:
Yeah, on a busy homescreen, this can be annoying. I usually keep some space open for this purpose (at least one grid location) but you could do more... that way you just have a blank area to turn off from.

Heck, that being said, you could (potentially) use a shortcut/app to do the screen lock for you as well... haha.
[LG V30 Questions & Answers] ldeveraux:
ha yeah 6 of one, half dozen the other I suppose. The V30 I could pretty much tap anywhere (especially the notification bar) to sleep it. Upgrade hell.