A Letter to Samsung

Dear Samsung Customer Service Manager,

I am writing to express a concern regarding your customer service. I am using Samsung Galaxy S on Virgin Mobile and have been waiting for operating system upgrade to froyo for months. The main reason is that the existing phone operating system, Android 2.1, does not recognise Thai characters as it is my native language. I am also a Mac user and know of the issue of connectivity and compatibility between Mac OS and Android.

After the consistent delay, Samsung finally released the upgrade on Optus Network through Kies, I called the Customer Service and was informed that there was no release for Virgin Mobile users yet. However when I asked if there would be any change in any time frame for Mac users, a blunt answer was no. I also asked for an explanation but what I got from the person was “if you want Mac compatibility, use an iPhone”. At the end of the conversation, the person disconnected the line without leaving a good impression of the service.

Nowhere in the advertisement indicated this issue when I got the phone. I did not realise I could not upgrade my phone OS because I use different computer OS. To tell you the truth, I was quite satisfied with Android and Samsung Galaxy S and did not have a plan to use an iPhone and was considering to purchase a Galaxy Tab instead of an iPad, until I experienced this unpleasant dialogues with your customer service.

I would prefer to be contacted by Samsung and given a satisfied explanation of both the manner of your customer service and Samsung policy to improve the experience of the customers who do not use PCs. I am eagerly looking forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,

10 thoughts on “A Letter to Samsung”

  1. As I’ve said elsewhere, I simply don’t understand why you need a computer at all — any computer — to upgrade the software on a smartphone.

    The smartphone is already a computer and connected to the internet, just like a Windows, OS X or Linux machine is already a computer. It should be possible — easy even — for the device to download its own software and install it.

    At the very least, you should be able to download the software any way you like, transfer it to the smartphone’s memory card directly or via USB, and off you go.

    I’ll be interested to see Samsung’s response…

  2. I have the Telstra version of the HTC Desire — and I must disclose that they gave it to me as part of the #telstradesire review program. After Telstra’s initial dodgy via-the-PC upgrade option, which I didn’t try because I saw too many people having problems, the over-the-air upgrade worked perfectly.

    ‘Pong’s correct in going to Samsung, as the phone wasn’t via Virgin Mobile but a long-term loan unit I’d received direct from Samsung. I gave it to ‘Pong precisely so I could get feedback from a regular user.

  3. This is doubly stupid considering that Android is setup for Over The Air upgrades in the first place.

    This sounds like exactly the same fubar that Telstra/HTC got into for the Desire upgrade

  4. That’s terrible service, indeed. I’m slightly perplexed as to why you’re dealing with Samsung in the first place, though – surely Virgin/Optus are the people you bought the phone through and got the contract with?

    Stilgherrian: that’s how Symbian works. And, I think, how HTC Android phones work. Apple want to tie you to the iTunes model, so I see why they require a computer, but I don’t understand why Samsung (without an app store to defend) have gone down the Apple route rather than the Nokia route.

  5. Never buy a phone which has a customised os by the carrier. I had this problem with my N95 and Three. They took ages to release the upgrade I wanted as the rendering engine for their browser was broken, amongst other things. I think it took over 12 months for the carrier to release the upgrade.

    1. Well, I didn’t really buy this phone but could they regard me as a customer. Anyhow. I still have not get any response from them. When I called Nokia customer service, I was very impressed with them. They even had me rate their service in the end. On the other hand, I still am left hanging without any notice.

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