Software Update issues

[TaydenJully]

Hey, I bought an S25 a few months ago from Backmarket (2nd hand) and its been absolutely great, though over the past couple months I have been wondering why I haven't received OneUI8? I asked Gemini and shared my software info and it tells me that my phone is never going to update as on the Service Provider Model Number my phone thinks it is an S24Ultra when it is intact a S25. I'm obviously not 100% sure about Gemini as it could genuinely be lying and hallucinating. Can anybody help me out or point me in the right direction?

[arianwen27]

So, it's not hallucinating, that does in fact say it's an s24 ultra from t-mobile.

So initial things. That's an american phone. It will not get any updates outside of america. Whoever sold it to you probably got it for super cheap or even stole it. Even if it said it was an s25, the "XAA" means it will never update without being on an american network. I've seen buying a cheap american sim card can make it update. Though that's a pain and not guaranteed.

As for the s24 ultra thing, it's the first time I've seen a model number mismatch. I have an idea on what's going on but I'd like you to check something for me.

Open the samsung members app (this app), go to the support section, press diagnostics, run a diagnostics on the software. I have a theory that someone might have flashed s24 ultra software onto it to maybe bypass stolen device protection.

If the system software checks say normal, then this really is strange. I'm expecting it to say something is wrong

[TaydenJully]

It comes back saying normal, is that strange?

[arianwen27]

It's strange that an s25 has the software of an s24u but the software check says it's all good. You are 100% sure it's an s25 right? Black rings around the cameras, 3 cameras on the back

[TaydenJully]

Yeah its 100% an S25, hardware and software wise

[arianwen27]

That really is weird then.

Anyway, ignoring the strange model number mismatch. Your update problem is due to that phone being made for america. Phones don't get updates when they're in the wrong country. In the past I've seen people get updates working with a pay as you go american sim card, put it in, update, swap back. It's to make the phone think you're an american roaming in the uk.

Besides that, the only other way to update it involves wiping all data from the phone and doing an emergancy software recovery, which is rather extreme

[TaydenJully]

Thanks for your help, so I would have to put a US Sim Card into my phone to hopefully get it to update? Because my phone is under US Unbranded I belive as the Service Provider Code? Or would taking out my sim card simply trigger something. If not, maybe I should contact Backmarket for support on this. Regardless, you've provided me with more info haha

[arianwen27]

I'd just return the phone if you can, samsung support probably won't help you or warranty anything due to the country issue. So any further issues or hardware problems, you'll be on your own or at third party shops.

As for the sim card. I had a friend with the same issue. They bought a pay as you go american sim card. They'd remove their normal sim, put the american one in, reboot, update. Swap back to their normal uk sim, reboot. Each month

[TaydenJully]

Reboot as in restart or factory reset the phone? I have a relative in the US on holiday so I could get her to bring me back a US sim to try out

[arianwen27]

Just a reboot, makes sure the phone turns on thinking it's american and doesn'tget confused. You also probably don't even need to get a sim from america. A US travel esim might do the job. You might have to try things. I've hard of it working in the past but there's no solid "do this, it will work". It's hoping things start to work