Having been fired up by the idea of buying a brand new fashionable smartphone, for example Samsung S4, many people wonder what is better, buying an original or a fake from a well-known brand? Currently, Chinese manufacturers have increased the pace of production and improved the quality of portable equipment so much that well-known brands can no longer keep up with them. Moreover, the price is attractive. This happened with another Chinese copy of the latest smartphone model from Samsung - the Samsung Galaxy S4, which is distinguished by good build quality, a sufficient set of functions, performance and an affordable price. If a copy of S4 is in some way inferior to the original, then its low price compensates for this, because buy a copy of Samsung Galaxy S4 It can be three times cheaper.
Technical characteristics of the Samsung galaxy s4 smartphone - Chinese copy
1) 3G and GSM network, Band (WCDMA): 2100/850MHZ (HSDPA); Band (GSM): 850/900/1800/1900MHZ
2) Two SIM cards
3) 5.0 inch HD capacitive IPS, multi-touch (5-point) touch screen, screen resolution: 1280 x 720 (HD 720)
4) Support GPS+AGPS, WiFi function, WIFI: 802.11b/g wireless internet
5) Android 4.2.1 version
6) CPU: MT6589 1.2GHz Quad Core, ROM: 4GB, RAM: 1GB
7) 12 megapixel photo, autofocus with flash, 3 megapixel front camera
8) Gravity sensor support
9) Support Bluetooth, FM radio
10) Support MP3 and MP4 player, support 1080p HD video broadcast
11) Multimedia Format:
A) Image format: JPEG, GIF, BMP, PNG
B) Video format: MP4, AVI, 3GP, MKV
C) Music format: AAC, AMR, MP3, OGG, WAV
D) MS Office format: Word, Excel, PPT
E) E-book Format: TXT
E) live wallpaper support: Yes
D) Games: Android APK and Java
12) Messaging: SMS, EMS, MMS
13) Connectivity: GPRS/WAP, 2 x SIM slot, TF card slot, Micro USB host, 3.5mm audio output, Microphone, Loudspeaker
15) Support TF card up to 64G
16) support information storage function
17) Software support: Gmail, Documents To Go, Search, Browser, Talk, wireless input devices, Flash Player wireless update, Backup and Restore, Google
18) Other functions: Clock, Calendar, Calculator, E-book, Alarm clock, Cell broadcast, To do, Notebook
19) Battery: 3.7V/2600mAh battery
20) standby time: 120-180h, talk time: 120-150 minutes
23) Dimensions: 140 * 72 * 8.8mm
The package includes: USB cable, user manual, USB charger, headphones, two Li-Ion batteries, leather case.
To personally verify this, the testing laboratory of the Tekhnoobzor website purchased such a phone for testing and comparison. A copy of the Samsung Galaxy S4 is externally indistinguishable from the original. The presence of backlashes or gaps between parts of the body is completely absent. The 5" touch display with a resolution of 1280x720 pixels supports 16 million colors and 5 simultaneous touches. The color rendition and image clarity of the IPS matrix are at a decent level.
There is a 3-megapixel webcam on the front, and a 12-megapixel camera on the back cover, which has an LED flash (also a flashlight), takes photos and videos.
The smartphone is powered by a 4-core Cortex A7 processor based on the MTK 6589 platform. The Android 4.2.1 operating system operates with 1 GB of RAM. The manufacturer has allocated 8 gigabytes of memory, but you can easily increase the volume to 64 Gb. A standard microSDHS card of the 10th speed class suited it perfectly.
Test in AnTutu scored based on the results 12554 points. This is not much inferior to the original, and most likely you will hardly notice any loss in performance. But the sound, or rather the volume, really let us down. In such a large case it was possible to fit something more powerful. In terms of volume, it is inferior even to many ordinary mobile phones, so it is better to listen to music through headphones, or in nature in silence.
True, the headphones turned out to be of extremely high quality. Beautifully detailed highs and nice bass. They have a call answer button, since they are also a headset.
The battery, despite its impressive size, holds a charge poorly. After just 2 hours of playing in 3D mode, the charge drops by a quarter. And with standard use of all functions, the battery will last for 2-3 days. This is quite small, since when testing other Chinese smartphones with similar technical parameters, we came across copies with at least 4 days of operation.
The battery charges in about 5 hours using a regular 5 volt 1 ampere charger.
To summarize, we can say that no one can tell by appearance whether it is a copy or an original, and the phone’s hardware shows no less good operating speed. And if you are not a fan of “white” devices, then there is absolutely no point in overpaying the extra $300.
Instructions for installing the official single-file firmware on the Samsung Galaxy S4 (GT-I950x).
Drivers and programs
Attention!
To install the official stock firmware on the Galaxy S4 and return the phone’s status (“Settings” > “About device” > “Properties” > “Device status”) to “Official” after switching from custom firmware and thereby returning the ability to receive updates over the air, just follow the instructions provided.
Installation instructions
Unpack the downloaded archive into a folder with Odin PC for convenience. The file in the ".tar" or ".tar.md5" format must be left, but the "SS_DL.dll" can be deleted.
Reset your device.
To do this, go to the settings tab " Accounts" to the section " Archive and reset", select the item " Reset device" and press the button " Delete everything" The phone will reboot.
Run Odin PC as administrator.
Put your device into download mode ( Download Mode).
To do this, you need to simultaneously hold down the Volume Down key, the Home button and the Power button. Then wait until the phone reboots and agree to the warning by pressing the Volume Up key.
In this state, connect the smartphone to the computer. In Odin the message “ COM».
Click on the “ AP» and select the TAR firmware archive.
Items " Auto Reboot" And " F.Reset Time" must be activated, A " Re-Partition"if active - must be disabled.
Click on the “ Start" The firmware installation process will begin.
At the end of the operation, if everything was successful, the message “All threads completed. (succeed 1 / failed 0)". The phone must be restarted manually by holding down the power button until the screen turns off. It may take up to 5 minutes for your device to boot up initially.
ATTENTION!
If the device does not boot for a long time or the data has not been reset, it must be performed from recovery.
To do this, you need to simultaneously hold down the Volume Up key, the Home button and the Power button. After downloading, select " Wipe data/Factory reset", and then - " Reboot system now" If after these steps the device also freezes when loading, you need to reflash it again.
There are many varieties of copies of Samsung phones made by Chinese craftsmen. These included models with a dual-core processor; there were also phones running Java, known for the fact that the cash balance on these phones was constantly decreasing thanks to skillful firmware.
This copy is one of the best, the characteristics stated by the seller on AliExpress are impressive. But more about them later, first about the appearance and packaging.
The packaging of the Chinese Samsung Galaxy S4 i9500 is impeccable. In a branded box, the same as the original, made to look like wood, a charger, headphones, a stylus, two batteries, a protective film, and instructions in English are neatly laid out. The seller also provided an additional case.
The phone itself is made with high quality, the back cover can be removed and put on tightly, there are no squeaks during operation. The thickness of the smartphone is 7.9 mm, dimensions 136.6 X 69.8 mm. Feels good in the hand.
The diagonal size of the phone is 4.8 inches. A real Korean Samsung Galaxy S4 has 5 inches. The screen of the Chinese smartphone makes a good impression - the brightness is good, the viewing angle is almost 90 degrees. The seller's stated screen resolution is 1900 by 1020.
Other characteristics that were on the seller's website:
Operating system Android 4.2.2
Network support 2G: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz 3G: WCDMA 850/2100MHZ
Processor MTK6589 Quad
Memory 16GB ROM + 2GB RAM
Dual cameras, front camera: 2.0MP, rear camera: 12MP with autofocus and flash.
Battery - 3000 mAh (2 pcs included)
Number of SIM cards - 1 (micro-SIM)
According to the AnTuTu Benchmark performance test, which was preinstalled initially, the smartphone showed 10340. When trying to view other characteristics, the program generated an error. It was not possible to verify the full actual characteristics of the device with this test, as with others. The Chinese did their best - the Android firmware blocked the AnTuTu Benchmark and Basemark OS II programs, and CPU-Z produced the following results, shown in the photo below:
Processor - eight-core Exynos 5 Octa 5410, screen resolution 1080x1920, Android 4.2.2, PowerVR SGX 544MP video chip, RAM 1860 MB, internal memory 1.27 GB.
Online verification of CPU-Z showed an unknown ARM Cortex-A7 processor, screen resolution 800 by 480, RAM 469 MB, internal memory - 1.3 GB, video accelerator Mail-400 MP.
The latter characteristics are more similar to the truth, the resolution of the cameras could not be determined, the quality of photo and video shooting can be assessed from the photographs and video below.
The Chinese copy of the Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-i9500 smartphone is equipped with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS navigator, FM radio. There is a gravity sensor, a light sensor, and there are also gesture controls, just like in the real Galaxy S4.
In general, in terms of appearance, build quality and screen, the phone makes a good impression considering the price on Aliexpress of 4,000 rubles.
Hello everyone, in this post I will show you how you can flash (update the software or reflash), get root rights (rutting or unrooting), install CWM (custom or non-factory recovery) and perform a hard reset on your smartphone Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-I9500 16Gb.
It so happened that I had to use it for a whole week for work. If you compare it with mine, I practically didn’t notice the difference, it’s also dumb in stock, there are also a lot of applications that are useless for me, but there is one thing - the build quality of mine is better.
And so, when updating the software, I will use the usual factory firmware of the latest version with Android 4.4.2 , in this article I will not install custom (modified by other “specialists”) versions of firmware for the reason - well, I don’t like them. I had non-official firmware on my SGS3 for about six months - I didn’t like it. It is clear that people make them “for themselves.” I put the stock one back and rooted it. Everything suits me. I need ROOT rights to remove all applications I don’t need and to install programs that need these privileges. I won't go into detail about this. In the following articles.
In terms of operation, I can only say one thing - the main problem with this phone is the battery - it swelled during this week. This is a factory defect (or rather a miscalculation). When in use, its consumption is 0.7 amperes and therefore, with prolonged use, the first batteries could not withstand such a load. And one more thing that I didn’t like - by the end of the warranty period, if you don’t use a cover, the paint may come off from the rim. In the Chinese this is almost a rarity, but here the device costs a kilobuck at the start of sales. This problem could have been solved. Okay, enough of the rant and let's get started. Everything is in order.
ATTENTION!!! Before starting software updates, rooting, resetting settings and other manipulations with your own or, God forbid, someone else’s device HIGHLY RECOMMEND read this one. In short, you have been warned and don’t say later that this is the first time you’ve heard this.
Preparation for firmware and other actions.
To start flashing your smartphone, you must first prepare. The preparatory stage does not take much time, but it allows you to do everything without any problems. Everything needs preparation.
- As usual, I first recommend charge the battery , preferably one hundred percent, but half is enough too. But it’s better not to risk it and put the phone on charge and wait for it to finish;
- For firmware we need a regular microUSB cable , which is included with the device. Check the phone and cable connectors for serviceability and the absence of dirt and traces of oxide. Otherwise, the device simply will not be detected by the computer and will not be flashed;
- Drivers are installed along with KIES -om or you can install it separately - there are installation instructions and the file itself;
- Stitcher - Odin3 v3.07 ;
- Firmware - I9500XXUGNG3 . In the examples I used this version, although an updated version has now been released. But the main thing is not to show you the process of changing software. Latest firmware version I9500XXUHOD4 is in the files - it is relevant at the moment;
- CF-Auto-Root-ja3g-ja3gxx-gti9500 - file for obtaining root rights;
- philz_touch_6.00.8-i9500 file for installing custom recovery;
- Personal computer or laptop - a simple computer with winXPwin7win8 on board will do;
- You've probably already thought about where to get all this software - at the end of the post you will find the answer to this question.
Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-I9500 - drivers.
There are several ways to install drivers for Samsung devices. I use only two - the first is to install a synchronization program with a computer called KIES. You can download it on the official SAMSUNG website completely free of charge and it is always the latest version. Look for it on the model page in the technical section. support. I told you how to install it. If you already have it installed, then you can skip this part of the post and go straight to the firmware. If not, it is better to install the drivers separately. Now I will show you how to do this.
Step 1:Download and run the file named SAMSUNG_USB_Driver_for_Mobile_Phones.
Step 2:The installer will launch. Click the NEXT button.
Step 3:Select your country and language, and then click NEXT.
Step 4:Select a disk location for installation or leave everything as is and click the INSTALL button.
Step 5:The process of copying files and installing drivers.
Step 6:The installation is complete, click the DONE button to exit the installer. Now you need to connect the turned on smartphone to the computer with a cable and wait for the system to automatically detect it.
Standard software update.
This part will show how to flash this device with standard or factory software. This method is absolutely legal and safe for both the warranty and the hardware of your smartphone. It is also very simple and you will cope with this task the first time... I am sure of it. But before you start doing anything SAVE ALL IMPORTANT AND NECESSARY INFORMATION FROM YOUR PHONE TO A MEMORY CARD OR OTHER INFORMATION CARRIER, OTHERWISE YOU WILL LOSE EVERYTHING, AS IT ALL WILL BE DELETED. Let's get started.
Step 1:Before flashing the firmware, you must enter the phone into DOWNLOADING mode. This is done like this - press the volume button down (decrease sound) and without releasing it, press the HOME button (at the bottom on the front part there is one there) and immediately the power button, hold them down until the WARNING!! warning appears. Here we are warned about the risks of flashing firmware. If this doesn’t scare you, press the volume up button to continue. If you still change your mind about continuing, press the volume down button (volume down) and the phone will reboot. But I hope that you are not one of the timid ones, so let’s continue.
Step 2:If a green android appears, then you did everything right. This is download mode.
Step 3:Now you need to run the flash driver. Go to the Odin folder and run the Odin3 v3.07.exe application.
Step 4:This is what it looks like when it's running.
PIT -JA3G_EUR_OPEN.pit
Bootloader- BL_I9500XXUGNG3_2200416_REV00_user_low_ship.tar.md5
PDA- AP_I9500XXUGNG3_2200416_REV00_user_low_ship.tar.md5
PHONE- CP_I9500XXUGNF6_2068929_REV00_user_low_ship.tar.md5
C.S.C.- CSC_SER_I9500SERGNG3_2200416_REV00_user_low_ship.tar.md5
BE CAREFUL - CHECK SEVERAL TIMES!!!
Step 6:Now you need to connect your phone to your computer. BUT if you have KIES installed, then you need to close it and “kill” all processes in the task manager with a name that contains the word KIES. This is a must do. Now connect the device. If the com port is detected, press the START button in Odin.
Step 7:The process of copying firmware files has started.
Step 8:Wait until the phone reboots.
Step 9:Everything Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-I9500 is flashed. You can use it.
Root rights in 3 minutes
Let's now show you how you can get superuser rights or root access. BUT THERE IS ONE MINUS - YOU AUTOMATICALLY LOSE THE OFFICIAL WARRANTY FOR YOUR SMARTPHONE. AND THAT'S WHY I DO NOT RECOMMEND YOU TO DO THIS.
Step 1:We enter the device into download mode. I showed how to do this above. Let's launch ODIN.
Step 2:Press the PDA button and select the file CF-Auto-Root-ja3g-ja3gxx-gti9500. We connect the device to the computer. We wait for it to be determined and press the Start button.
Step 3:The files will download quickly. The phone will reboot and the message PASS will appear! - root received.
Step 4:Go to the main menu of your phone and the SuperSU application icon should appear there.
Step 5:I WILL REPEAT AGAIN. After rooting, go to Downloading mode and you will see that the custom firmware counter has triggered. This means that if you contact the ASC under the manufacturer’s warranty with some kind of malfunction, you will carry out repairs at your own expense. Since you blew the guarantee in 3 minutes. This is spelled out in the gar. coupon. We have not yet learned how to reset this counter in a more or less simple way.
ClockWorkMod recovery (CWM)
CWM is a custom recovery that has much greater functionality compared to the standard one. Installation of recovery will be shown here philz touch for our smartphone. When installing this recovery, you also lose the WARRANTY.
Step 1:Boot your smartphone into download mode. Launch one. Select the file philz_touch_6.00.8-i9500 by pressing the PDA button, connect the body to the computer, after identifying the com port, press the Start button and wait for PASS!. CWM is installed.
Step 2:This is what CWM philz touch 6.00.8 looks like for SGS4.
Video: resetting the pattern key.
If you have forgotten the pattern combination or just want to do a HARD RESET on your smartphone, watch this video. It shows everything in detail.
Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-I9500 “SECRETS” of development.
So YOU learned how to flash Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-I9500.
P.S. If you encounter any errors during the firmware process or the device does not want to be detected by the computer at all, read this. It describes typical problems and errors that novice users often encounter.
Share:How to flash a Chinese Samsung Galaxy?
Updated firmware is a great way to make important adjustments to the phone system, eliminating glitches, making it more technically advanced, and adding some new features to the phone. We offer you instructions on how to update the firmware of your Samsung Galaxy via a computer (using the example of the Samsung GT-I9300 Galaxy S III firmware).
How to flash Samsung Galaxy: instructions
Let us immediately emphasize that, despite its apparent simplicity, the procedure still presupposes the presence of basic knowledge in this area. Therefore, if you are not confident in your competence, it is better to turn to professionals.
You can obtain the utilities necessary for the procedure, for example, on a specialized forum. As an example, we will turn to the website 4pda.ru for help.
Preparatory work
- Go to the page dedicated to flashing the firmware for the phone model indicated in the very first paragraph of the article.
- Open the “Official Firmware” section and select the latest version (or any other that interests you).
- Click on the link - it will take you to another page (for example, this one). There you can choose a mirror for downloading the file - Yandex drive, Google drive or Mail.ru Cloud. Follow the link and download the file.
- Now open the "Drivers" spoiler. First of all, you will need to download the Odin3 v3.07 SGSIII program (for example, from this link or from any other site you trust). It will help you flash a Chinese Samsung Galaxy.
- Next, you will need to download and install the Samsung Kies program on your computer (we don’t need the program itself for firmware, but we will need drivers for USB, which the utility automatically installs on the PC). If you already have the program installed, then you don’t need to do anything.
- To continue working, you will need to disable Samsung Kies. To do this, right-click on its icon on the desktop taskbar and click “Exit”.
Firmware
- Let's go back to the firmware. To do this, open your downloads folder, find the zipped Odin installation file there, and unzip it. In the regular folder that appears, delete the ss.dll format file.
- Then find the archive folder with the installation files for Odin. Unzip it by opening a regular folder and run the installation file in it (has a colored label).
- Turn off your phone.
- Now press and hold the volume button (at the point that lowers the sound), simultaneously press and hold the button at the bottom of the “Home” screen and, without releasing them, press and hold the phone’s on/off button.
- A warning message will appear on the display. After releasing all the buttons, press the top of the volume button once - this will allow you to enter the firmware mode.
- Connect your Samsung to your computer using a USB cable.
- If the system on the phone is working correctly, if you have done everything correctly, and all the necessary drivers are working adequately, then a small window in the Odin program window will light up with a greenish tint.
- Click on the “PDA” button, open the folder with the firmware, click on the only file (remember, we deleted the second one from there) and click in the “Open” window. The name of your firmware should appear in the window opposite “PDA”.
- After that, in Odin, click on the “Start” button. The data download process will begin, the progress of which can be monitored by the download bar. It will last about 4-5 minutes, then the blue “Reset” window will light up.
- Disconnect the USB cable.
- Close Odin.
- Turn on the phone - a message about updating the OS will appear on the display. Wait for it to finish.
- When the phone starts, you can go to the settings and there in the “Firmware Version” section you can see the name of the update you installed.
Also read other articles related to this phone model.
