Phone update

[BiotechBen]

Ok, so tell me if this makes sense or if I am crazy.

So if a phone has an update to android 11 but "only in Canada" and they are "having trouble with US carriers", if you have the unlocked global model of that phone, and the model number matches the one on the available update exactly, if you download from the manufacturer website, it should work right? 

Carrier choice shouldn't matter to update availability if it isn't locked to a carrier, and the model numbers match exactly, right?

[kirashi]

55 minutes ago, BiotechBen said:

Ok, so tell me if this makes sense or if I am crazy.

So if a phone has an update to android 11 but "only in Canada" and they are "having trouble with US carriers", if you have the unlocked global model of that phone, and the model number matches the one on the available update exactly, if you download from the manufacturer website, it should work right? 

Carrier choice shouldn't matter to update availability if it isn't locked to a carrier, and the model numbers match exactly, right?

Some phone OS updates have specially crafted Cellular Radio Baseband firmware baked into them. I'd recommend asking your question in the appropriate device forum on XDA-Developers.com as they'd be better able to answer your question.

 

For example, while the base OS of my old Galaxy Note 3 phone was the same among all Canadian carriers who sold the phone back in 2013-2014, each carrier supplied their own Radio Baseband firmware. If I flashed an OS image / update onto the phone from the wrong carrier, the OS itself might work / the phone might boot up, but I would say bye-bye Cellular Radio Baseband FOREVER, meaning no more cellular connectivity.

[BiotechBen]

41 minutes ago, kirashi said:

Some phone OS updates have specially crafted Cellular Radio Baseband firmware baked into them. I'd recommend asking your question in the appropriate device forum on XDA-Developers.com as they'd be better able to answer your question.

 

For example, while the base OS of my old Galaxy Note 3 phone was the same among all Canadian carriers who sold the phone back in 2013-2014, each carrier supplied their own Radio Baseband firmware. If I flashed an OS image / update onto the phone from the wrong carrier, the OS itself might work / the phone might boot up, but I would say bye-bye Cellular Radio Baseband FOREVER, meaning no more cellular connectivity.

Thanks! very insightful, never even knew that was a thing outside of carrier-locked phones.

gotta love megacorps deciding anticonsumer practices are best.....