Live data from Hacker News

Samsung kills the cameras on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 if you unlock the bootloader

xda-developers.com

141–150 of 204 posts

Re: Samsung kills the cameras on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 if you unlock the bootloader

#141
post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Personally I refuse to buy any device that requires me to go crying to the manufacturer for an unlock key. Google and OnePlus devices can be unlocked locally with no need to contact anyone and beg, so no one can refuse your unlock on a device you already paid for.

T-Mobile US's LG devices came with unlockable bootloaders as well, but that only helps if someone develops a ROM for it. Even then, more and more important functionality is getting locked behind closed doors. On my Stylo 5, it's not the camera, it's VoLTE. What good is it to run a custom ROM if I can't make and receive phone calls?

Who makes voice calls anymore?

Also, did TMUS just drop 3G voice / CSFB already?! o_0

Re: Samsung kills the cameras on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 if you unlock the bootloader

#142
post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> they'll try to find a way to enable the cameras on unlocked phones in the future. In the meantime, I will only buy what ACTUALLY gives me control RIGHT NOW, namely, what is supported by LineageOS: https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices/

You'll have the control to...not even lock your bootloader. Use GrapheneOS, if you want something resembling security.

The GrapheneOS developers like to talk as if relocking the bootloader is unique to Google Pixels and providing a custom key is unique to them.

But that's not true. Every OnePlus device in the last few years allows avb_custom_key as well, Xiaomi Mi A2 does too, probably many others. And ROMs like Pixel Experience publish their custom keys too.

Re: Samsung kills the cameras on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 if you unlock the bootloader

#143

I can almost guarantee this is due to licensing issues with the camera firmware. Modern cameras aren't just hardware any more. They're a mix of hardware and advanced processing algorithms that really do make a huge difference in the final output. Those algorithms are often licensed from 3rd parties with specific licensing requirements. Sony has been reasonably good about enabling open-source and fixing these things i…

Absolutely does not make it ok though. We paid/pay for the device. What we do with it is our business and it should work as expected (assuming drivers exist…licensing shouldn’t prevent this)

Re: Samsung kills the cameras on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 if you unlock the bootloader

#144

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google devices cannot be unlocked locally. My USA spec Pixel 5, purchased unlocked from Best Buy, had to be connected to the internet - and I don't remember, but I may have also had to put a SIM card in - before it could be unlocked. Apparently a background service automatically checks with Google's servers whether the device is eligible for unlock (is it paid off or still under financing, and which carrier is it fro…

This discussion is not about carrier unlock! This is about `fastboot oem unlock`.

Yes. That's what I'm talking about. Not carrier unlock. Bootloader unlock is blocked until the phone is fully paid off (if purchased under loan), and I believe T-Mobile requires a 40 day wait before bootloader unlock is allowed even if you pay in full upfront, and I think Verizon prohibits it completely. Google enforces these rules on their devices and requires the phone to connect to Google to authorize bootloader unlocking. It's an automated version of the manual bootloader unlock codes that some manufacturers do.

Re: Samsung kills the cameras on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 if you unlock the bootloader

#145
post #95
post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Doesn't that rule out any phone?

Not, reportedly, the Librem 5 phone.

But it still contains a cellular modem and a wifi module, both of which run proprietary firmwares.

Re: Samsung kills the cameras on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 if you unlock the bootloader

#146
post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I had run LineageOS for some time. It works, but FDroid is missing too many apps, even opensource like Signal. I have to update apks manually every few months.

Signal team fought a long war against any forks or unauthorised builds of Signal. There are (or were) FDroid repositories with Signal compatible builds, but Moxie stated that any such build will be considered malware. Signal team was making such builds increasingly difficult to produce. Official F-Droid repo doesn't allow proprietary dependencies on which Signal depends for some messages (push?)

[deleted]

Re: Samsung kills the cameras on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 if you unlock the bootloader

#147
post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I had run LineageOS for some time. It works, but FDroid is missing too many apps, even opensource like Signal. I have to update apks manually every few months.

Signal team fought a long war against any forks or unauthorised builds of Signal. There are (or were) FDroid repositories with Signal compatible builds, but Moxie stated that any such build will be considered malware. Signal team was making such builds increasingly difficult to produce. Official F-Droid repo doesn't allow proprietary dependencies on which Signal depends for some messages (push?)

Why doesn't Signal maintain an F-Droid compatible build? (if there's a dependency problem, then they should considering dropping it, release a Signal lite perhaps)

Re: Samsung kills the cameras on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 if you unlock the bootloader

#148
post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This exact issue years ago made me think less of (and stop using) Signal rather than F-Droid. You're better off with XMPP or Matrix, plus an ordinary SMS app.

One has to already bend heaven and earth to bring people who don't care about Privacy from WhatsApp, Messenger to Signal. Only reason someone is able to do that now is because WhatsApp, Messenger gets into some legal trouble and the media advertises Signal. Preaching about significance of interoperable protocol and suggesting apps which use them is beyond the capacity of even those media.

The solution is always the same, focus on a stellar UX.

Re: Samsung kills the cameras on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 if you unlock the bootloader

#149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I feel LineageOS + F-Droid is often underrated when it comes to these discussions about alternate ecosystems. If we're ready to let go of name brands, then F-Droid has some very high quality apps[1] built with passion over profit. But I agree that the initial friction to setup LineageOS on the device is far too high for a non-technical customer, Something which could be only resolved if a devices ships with LineageOS…

I had run LineageOS for some time. It works, but FDroid is missing too many apps, even opensource like Signal. I have to update apks manually every few months.

FDroid has Silence and Jami which is what I switched to after signal started collecting and permanently storing user data in the cloud.

Re: Samsung kills the cameras on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 if you unlock the bootloader

#150
post #147
post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Signal team fought a long war against any forks or unauthorised builds of Signal. There are (or were) FDroid repositories with Signal compatible builds, but Moxie stated that any such build will be considered malware. Signal team was making such builds increasingly difficult to produce. Official F-Droid repo doesn't allow proprietary dependencies on which Signal depends for some messages (push?)

Why doesn't Signal maintain an F-Droid compatible build? (if there's a dependency problem, then they should considering dropping it, release a Signal lite perhaps)

Probably the same reason they don't maintain a Flatpak, Snap, or any other package other than for Debian/Ubuntu for Signal-Desktop.

Which according to the GitHub discussion, the answer is: ????

Post reply on HN