Hope someone from Samsung would read this. Just want to say that the security of your phones S*CKS!
I had bought a S20FE in January on a 2 year contract. On the 8th of March it got snatched right of my hands by a guy on a bicycle pretty much outside my home. Within 5min I was online trying to locate it, but got nothing. I've tried both Samsung and Google and remote messages through Avast Anti-theft. Had biometrics and pattern lock. Another 3-4 people in the area had their phones stolen that same day and many more texted me that they had phones stolen previously. One of the guys that got in touch even managed to track the thief to a house, called police, but they won't do anything - lack of evidence and what not. My report to the police got closed the very same day due to "lack of evidence".
What I was told is that it takes them 10 seconds to power off and reset the phone. Why on Earth is this even possible? Why are we paying so much money for phones if someone can have it in 10 seconds? And the phone actually costs more than my car!
I've now read about apps that attempted to prevent the phone from powering off or being reset without a password/passcode. Or others that make the phone go into fake shut down, but still allow tracking. Why is this not a feature on all phones by default? And from what I gather none of these apps is even allowed in the play store or to be installed without a root, i.e. illegally and voiding the warranty. If it's possible, why not Samsung do it?
What's the point of having tracking if you can't bloody track it?
The screens are also too big making it impossible to have a firm grip on the phone with 1 hand. It didn't even bloody fit in most of my pockets. Saw a guy with a smaller phone the other day, who had one finger on top, so his hand was covering 3 sides of the phone, assuming making it harder to snatch. And I've always had the mini versions from earlier models.
I've blacklisted the phone, but have been told that they might have ways to bypass the block as well. What good is it anyway if I still can't get it back, even if it's useless to them?
I couldn't afford a new phone in quite a few years and when I finally decide to get one as I've started college, it got taken in seconds. Now I'll be paying 2 years for a phone and not have it. And no, it wasn't insured, because I was paying for insurance for 5-6yrs and with lockdowns last year and being at home all the time and price of insurance and excess going up, I cancelled it. The 8th was the first day I have actually been out in quite some time to take my kids to school. But with all these thefts, the more people claim, insurance prices will go up. And those phones end up costing you way more.
I really hope Samsung will invest more into security soon and actually help customers enjoy there phones, instead of helping the black market to profit.
