Forum Discussion
Forced Updates, Why?
I want to know why we are being forced to update our phones every month. I am tired of having to update it and then go without my phone because I cant recieve phones for 5 days because of the updates. I have disabled "Auto Download Over Wifi" and I have even gone through the developers setting and turned off "Auto Update System". I dont think that we need to constantly have a monthly security update on the Note 9 or to be forced to update it.
rjklindsay wrote:
For various reasons, I often use Bluetooth to transfer files and data between my PC and Samsung S8+ phone. (In situations, where USB or Wifi is not an option.) Anyway, recently I received a forced update from T-Mobile, which crippled my phones's Bluetooth capabilities, so the phone can no longer make a Bluetooth connection to the PC. Also the Bluetooth tethering option has been disabled / removed. I tried doing a factory reset, and removed the T-Mobile SIM card, but the Bluetooth tethering option is still not available.
So I have 3 questions:
Is there some way to re-flash the phone with the original OS, and restore Bluetooth functionality, or is my phone permanently ruined?
If I switch to a different carrier, which one can be trusted not to send crippling updates to my phone?
Can I sue T-Mobile for crippling my phone?
Due to Knox and how Samsung has packages signed once you go past a specific update you can't revert. Updates come from the manufacturer not the carrier. People have sued carriers from lack of updates and all those have failed for that reason alone. Samsung even within their terms of use it says Features may be altered in a future update. You can switch carriers the results will be different as some carriers may pay/not pay for options set forth by the OEM.
I doubt you are even aware of all the things you agreed to when you connected your phone to the T-mobile network, so, no, suing is not a viable option. However, what kind of computer are you using? Bluetooth has recently received a number of security updates due to a Mother Load of recently uncovered security flaws. Have you updated your computer? The Bluetooth drivers? Personally, I use KDE Connect to connect my phone & PC; it's soooooo much faster! 😉
For various reasons, I often use Bluetooth to transfer files and data between my PC and Samsung S8+ phone. (In situations, where USB or Wifi is not an option.) Anyway, recently I received a forced update from T-Mobile, which crippled my phones's Bluetooth capabilities, so the phone can no longer make a Bluetooth connection to the PC. Also the Bluetooth tethering option has been disabled / removed. I tried doing a factory reset, and removed the T-Mobile SIM card, but the Bluetooth tethering option is still not available.
So I have 3 questions:
Is there some way to re-flash the phone with the original OS, and restore Bluetooth functionality, or is my phone permanently ruined?
If I switch to a different carrier, which one can be trusted not to send crippling updates to my phone?
Can I sue T-Mobile for crippling my phone?
Besides all of the self-protection issues included in keeping your phone up to date, there is the altruistic point of view - you are sharing access to a network that we're ALL part of and it only takes ONE week link to break the chain of security for EVERYONE! Sure TMO protects itself as best as possible, but security is an illusion since it only takes one oddball (a hacker with a new idea no one else thought to protect against) to accidentally break it...😉. I personally am all about personal responsibility, however, sometimes its best to remember we're NOT alone.
tsanko01 wrote:
These updates do infact come from tmobile and are forced installs. I went one month of trying to avoid the update by turning the phone off when it tells me that it will be updated in one minute. I never clicked to install the update. Eventually it will force itself to do so. I have already checked all other carriers software's updates the an archive of samsung and t-mobile phones are the only one that gets an update every single month. Its absolutely ridiculous and takes up 200mb of storage every time
Samsung is known to force updates even for warranty issues.
Verizon about forced updates
Doing the same for other carriers will show that After so many times denying the update it will force itself.
These updates do infact come from tmobile and are forced installs. I went one month of trying to avoid the update by turning the phone off when it tells me that it will be updated in one minute. I never clicked to install the update. Eventually it will force itself to do so. I have already checked all other carriers software's updates the an archive of samsung and t-mobile phones are the only one that gets an update every single month. Its absolutely ridiculous and takes up 200mb of storage every time
Most around here complain about a lack of updates, even though the updates don't come from T-Mobile. All updates come from the OEM and are pushed usually as soon as they are ready.
2CSGB for the Note 9 on the T-Mobile firmware, which contains the August 2019 security update, is what some have been whining for since the first day of August. Updates are not mandatory but are recommended to install.
