I recently found my newly acquired S7 phone that I installed /e/OS onto, to be plagued with the ‘Echo’ issue:
I am trying to ascertain if it needs replacing, or simply buy another S7, without the Echo (as some users do not have this issue),
I want something that the Easy Installer works with, the latest Samsung phone that works with this I see is the S9, however I suspect that too is end of life, or is near to it.
Am I right to think that it is only Samsung ‘Firmware’ Updates that I should be looking at, ‘security’ updates only apply to the Samsung version of Android, /e/OS supplies its own security updates.
I cannot find a table showing ‘End of Life’ support dates: https://security.samsungmobile.com/main.smsb https://www.samsung.com/uk/support/?#
I am loathed to change from an S7, as I like the smaller size of the smart phone, I dont want a big slab in my pocket.
Despite the S7 being a phone no longer receiving Firmware updates, and still listed under the /e/ Smart Phone Selector page, presume the S7 will continue to receive /e/OS updates, which includes security updates…
I am not sure if you will find end of life info conveniently in a table. With my two end of life devices, I searched carefully for “the very last” stock ROM to have been archived.
In the case of your S7 you might check with one or more of the Samsung unofficial archives – I know of no Official Samsung archive.
I would suggest that if you note the current Vendor SPL date shown on your device, you might then check the archives to see if there was any software revision since your recorded date; if not, you are “up to date” in that respect.
Thank you for writing the below post, really helpful, the Easy Installer only covers a limited number of models, your guide will help me if I want to put /e/OS on other models not supported by the Easy Installer.
I see some later firmwares dated 2021 here: https://galaxyfirmware.com/model/SM-G930F/XEU/G930FXXU8EUE1
Somehow worked out the CSC Code is XEU (United Kingdom), although I also see other codes quoted such as BTU, VOD, H3G, 02U under ‘Region’, so unsure if they are relevant.
I assume I am advised to be running the most up to date Firmware for my phone.
With my Vendor SPL date of 1st Aug 2020, how at risk are you from malicious attacks.
I will try to look later … but in your own research … what you see as “dated 2021” is likely the build date / incorporating the then current Android SPL. The important Vendor SPL may be hidden behind yet another code for “Software Revision” … aka SW-Rev.
I think I need a cheap spare smartphone to experiment with, are there any you recommend ?, I’m pondering purchasing another S7 but without the Echo issue, as its cheap and small, but only if there’s no security risk in using it with older Vendor SPL.
The Echo it seems is an undefinable problem: This problem does not impact all users of this phone.
Android is very highly networked and this networking is exploited for the benefit of parties other_than_device_owner_users hence I am by nature prejudiced against using Android phones to their full advertised potential.
That said, I see the possibility of malicious exploits against the OS, these exploits hopefully being mostly blocked by Android security patches.
Malicious exploits against the hardware I think I am less concerned about as time goes on. From an engineering point of view, I see the Vendor having to make adjustments in the first 18 months due to the_real_world hazards being poentially different from designed_for hazards.
Do I think that the risk magically drops to zero at 2 - 3 years old ? No.
Would I want to use the device to its full advertised potential at 3 years from last Vendor software revision ? No, but I didn’t want to do that anyway.
Apropos, the “last Software revision” for your Galaxy S7, I wonder if I can ask @piero to give a view – he has a better brain and eye for these details (he’s French).
I feel totally incompetent to judge the security of one device over another.
From my point of view, none of them is safe, thanks to the black boxes installed by the operators, and to the backdoors left by the application developers, government agencies and others companies have, if they want, a total access to our computers (including handhelds).
If you are particularly concerned about industrial espionage, do not use Chinese devices for business purposes.
at the end of firmware reference
U is for 2021 release E is for May
V is for 2022 release G is for July
how will they do after 2026 ? samsung will colaps ?
