S8 Note no upgrades ever? How to force android 9 onto the phone
sdowney7171
Newbie

I thought my phone could upgrade to android 9 from android 8, but it says under check for system updates, your samsung sm-n950u  is up to date.

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Re: S8 Note no upgrades ever? How to force android 9 onto the phone
sdowney7171
Newbie

I am on wifi with 100% battery and never have recieved any kind of updates, security etc... I guess I need to call verizon or go to the verizon store for tech support

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Re: S8 Note no upgrades ever? How to force android 9 onto the phone
Ann154
Community Leader
Community Leader

Are you sure that is the only digits in the model number? If so, you may have an unlocked model and not the Verizon Wireless branded model. The unlocked model update would come directly from the manufacturer and wouldn't be announced by Verizon Wireless. 

 

https://www.techwalls.com/samsung-galaxy-note-8-sm-n950-model-number-differences/

If you do have the Verizon Wireless branded model, you can check the link below to compare your software version with what has been issued for the Verizon Wireless branded model. 

https://www.verizon.com/support/samsung-galaxy-note8-update/

I'm most definitely NOT a VZW employee. If a post answered your question, please mark it as the answer.

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Re: S8 Note no upgrades ever? How to force android 9 onto the phone
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

Hi, sdowney7171. Having the latest software update is key. since these updates come directly from the manufacturer, you will need to contact Samsung directly, to see when the new update will be available for your device. We hope this helps! CourtneyM_VZW

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Re: S8 Note no upgrades ever? How to force android 9 onto the phone
sdowney7171
Newbie

 

I asked my question here and I solved it

https://forum.xda-developers.com/sprint-galaxy-note-8/help/note-8-sprint-verizon-network-upgrade-t41...

I contacted Samsung customer service, they release updates to Verizon who is responsible for updating the OS, not Samsung. I used ODIN and updated the OS on my own. Verizon supposedly does not update a sprint phone OTA (over the air) on the Verizon network. Shame that it has to be so obtuse about this these updates. Which means move your carrier branded phone to a different carrier, no updates for you anymore. 

 

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Re: S8 Note no upgrades ever? How to force android 9 onto the phone
sdowney7171
Newbie

It most definitely is SM-N950U under the model name. This is a Sprint branded phone, not easy to tell that, but when you go into download mode to install a new ROM, it lists carrier as SPR, and the IMEI number according to Samsung customer service, they said this is a Sprint phone. Verizon unlocks the phone for you after 90 days on their network, verified by using their AI  and typing in some digits, the phone is unlocked. BAD thing though is Verizon will never update the software as it is a Sprint phone running on the Verizon network, which kind of I find shocking they dont allow updates. I found the latest Sprint ROM android 9 on UPDATO, so it is up to date for the moment. What is BAD, no security updates will ever be installed by Verizon for my phone. I wonder how many people are aware of that?

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Re: S8 Note no upgrades ever? How to force android 9 onto the phone
sdowney7171
Newbie

Now oddly, we bought a used Note 9 from Ebay seller who refurbishes phones and it was sold as unlocked and it updated the android from 9 to android 10 on the Verizon network. And it seemed to be having a lot of ATT software which made us think it was an ATT phone. The seller did say it will work on the Verizon network, and it fully does, I had told them it needed to work  with Verizon. But why my sprint Note 8 does not fully work on the Verizon network ? Seems inconsistent, what is the difference ?

Questions like this may never get answered, seems a lot of various opinions out there and little knowing. When I went to the Verizon store, I was told my Note 8 was too old and Verizon would not update the system software and to contact Samsung who would privately push a software update to the phone after giving them a serial number, all that Samsung refuted and said was bad info. 

 

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Re: S8 Note no upgrades ever? How to force android 9 onto the phone
Tigerstep
Specialist - Level 3

Time to buy unlocked instead of carrier branded. My unlocked S20 is on the June update as it should be

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