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

Re:Samsung kills the cameras on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 if you u... by flyinghamster on Tuesday August 24, 2021 @10:19AM (#28289190)

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?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Samsung kills the cameras on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 if you u... by jeroenhd on Tuesday August 24, 2021 @10:38AM (#28289433)

For me, personally, a major reason to unlock the bootloader is to install Magisk. Running an entire ROM is nice if you can find a trusted and supported one, but failing that, root access is the next best thing.

I've got background clipboard sync back in KDE Connect through a Magisk module. No need for an entire LineageOS ROM (would be nice if it were officially supported) if everything I want can be done another way.

VoLTE is incredibly fragile. You can often force enable it and it'll just work, but there's so much that can go wrong that I wouldn't risk it.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Samsung kills the cameras on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 if you u... by fomine3 on Tuesday August 24, 2021 @08:20PM (#28296662)

Just curious, is there any "trusted" custom ROMs? It seems that LineageOS is most reputed, but are they doing some good work about trustworthy like reproducible build, or just a reputation?. I was using random custom roms from xda until Jerry Bean era, but I'm now afraid to install entire OS.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Samsung kills the cameras on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 if you u... by foresto on Tuesday August 24, 2021 @10:05PM (#28297311)

Maybe GrapheneOS?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Samsung kills the cameras on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 if you u... by fomine3 on Tuesday August 24, 2021 @10:20PM (#28297392)

Looks great, thanks. It's good that it also support with Google Play Services for who needs, despite it's privacy oriented ROM.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Samsung kills the cameras on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 if you u... by southerntofu on Wednesday August 25, 2021 @10:26AM (#28302112)

Just nitpicking, but it's technically possible to install Google Play Services on any ROM, to my knowledge. What makes GrapheneOS apart is they apparently found a safe way to prevent it from gaining control of your entire phone.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Samsung kills the cameras on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 if you u... by keanebean86 on Tuesday August 24, 2021 @11:16AM (#28289950)

I have an LG G8 from T-Mobile. It hasn't been updated since February. Rumor is they're rolling out android 11 in Q4 which is more than a year after 11 was released.

Contrast that with my wife's S10 that's got 11 around February.

At this point I have very little faith LG will follow through with updates for even the original two years let alone android 12.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Samsung kills the cameras on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 if you u... by flyinghamster on Tuesday August 24, 2021 @03:02PM (#28293350)

Yikes. My Stylo 5 recently got an update, bringing its patch level to June 1, 2021 (still Android 10). I guess I should consider myself lucky. Considering that LG decided to quit the market, I'm not too hopeful, either.

I'm honestly considering going back to a flip phone once the Stylo becomes unusable. Sure, I'd end up losing some neat things, but the bargain we're being offered with smartphones is looking more Faustian every day.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Samsung kills the cameras on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 if you u... by codazoda on Tuesday August 24, 2021 @05:00PM (#28294948)

LG has exited the phone business.

https://www.lg.com/us/notice

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Samsung kills the cameras on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 if you u... by keanebean86 on Thursday August 26, 2021 @12:08PM (#28316779)

Yes but they promised they would keep premium phones updated for three years.

"The three OS update guarantee applies to LG premium phones released in 2019 and later (G series, V series, VELVET, Wing) while certain 2020 models such as LG Stylo and K series will receive two OS updates.*"

http://www.lgnewsroom.com/2021/04/lg-announces-three-year-pl...

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Samsung kills the cameras on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 if you u... by floatboth on Tuesday August 24, 2021 @03:45PM (#28293935)

Who makes voice calls anymore?

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

[ Parent | on HN ]