Samsung Black Friday

[Anonymous User]

So, been deluged with emails from SamS**te about their "fantastic" BF deals. (irony or sarcasm?)

So, went to website, and still they haven't fixed the issue with it. Too many pop ups trying to download, resulting in a screen that won't stand still, show to load even on 80mbs downloads speed.

Chose Fold3, added trade in, added Black Friday code, website still showed the trade in value but the total to pay didn't.

Great stuff Samsung. For such a large company, your director of IT should be fired.

Gave up in the end. If they cannot get it right before ordering (and noting the issues with the awful S21 Ultra and Samsung Customer Services) I decided not to bother 

[BandOfBrothers]

That's a shame @Anonymous User 

Did you perhaps try another browser or clear cache etc.

I went through the steps to place an order for the Watch ⁴ Classic and all seemed OK at my end.

I do find the pop up to initiate a chat with the Samsung Chat people not always needed. 

The Fold³ is an awesome phone. 

I didn't see a Black Friday code though for the phone ! 

Either I missed that or is region specific.

I'm looking at the deals for the Samsung Galaxy ⁴ Classic watch.

[Anonymous User]

Hey @BandOfBrothers

I hope you are keeping well?

To be honest the Samsung website is very poor, has been for a long time.

Given the issues with Samsung this time around (for the S21 Ultra) which has been a dreadful experience, I would be extremely cautious about buying another device from Samsung again.

Build quality (or lack of it)
Software quality (or lack of it)
Customer Service (truly awful)

So, even after Black Friday discount and trading in this awful S21 Ultra, they would still want circa £880 from me and I simply do not have the confidence to buy from them again.

I left Samsung for Huawei with the P30Pro (which was a fantastic phone ahead of it's time and pretty much as good as the S21 Ultra in many areas) and to be honest if it weren't for the US Sanctions I would have stayed with Huawei. Coming back to Samsung was a bad decision I'm afraid.

[Anonymous User]

Out of interest @BandOfBrothers, I bought my S21 Ultra direct from Samsung......

Would it have been better to have bought it from the Carrier (in this case Vodafone)? Would the software settings be different so as to accommodate Vodafone's network and thus improve the signal?

Just thinking aloud......

[BandOfBrothers]

Hi @Anonymous User 

I'm very well thank you. 👍

A phone bought from a Network is known as a branded phone.

This has Vodafone's flavour of Android on it with a specific csc on it.

Functions and features can differ depending on what Vodafone want Samsung to do with the software.

Also Vodafone can hold back software updates while they test it to ensure it does not clash with their network apps and features.

Vodafone Firmware-Explained. 

Vodafone do say that a phone not bought from them may not work with their Calling Over Wi-Fi or voLTE,  4G Calling with an iPhone being the exception. Although I have known phone's to work ok.

Vodafone Wi-Fi calling. 

I prefer to buy my phone's direct from Samsung as then updates are not controlled by any Network and the phone has Samsungs csc on it.

Also it's unlocked out of the box although Ofcom are enforcing that from December 2021 all phone's need to be unlocked out of the box.

Ofcom - mobile-firms-banned-from-selling-locked-handsets.