Are there any difference between phones purchased from Telcos like Optus/VF/Telstra vs outright from JB/Harvey/Samsung?
I know a few years ago, some Samsung phones from Testra had Telstra software pre-installed that even if you wiped the phone would re-install.
They don't pre install things anymore , the biggest difference is you need to wait for the teleco to test and release software updates
when you buy direct they get pushed to your phone as soon as they are released
Adding significant delay to the update.
In general you can buy cheaper outright if your savvy. Not quite sure if that's strictly the truth, certainly is with paying phones off on plan vs outright.
Telco Phones Vs Outright - Any Difference?
Hardware no
Software, yes. Telcos normally 'tweak' the firmware to work 'better' on their network, or so they say. It be be as simple as tossing their logo on power on, to installing some extra software and something modem tweaks so they prioritise their bands first etc.
Hardware no
Software, yes
Hardware can sometimes be different. My brother bought a Galaxy Note 9 from Vodafone on the understanding the phone was dual SIM per Samsung specs. Phone arrived, was single SIM. Complained to both Vodafone and Samsung and was told all carrier issued models were single SIM only.
For Samsung, if you are willing to tweak a few things then there is no difference.
If you want a specific telco firmware or the outright firmware you can just get it from SamMobile and install it.
Even when buying outright you need to be aware of whether the device is carrier branded or not. The majority of phones JB Hifi sell are Telstra branded, so you'll still be waiting for Telstra to approve software updates.
Thanks folks.
So in summary, buying outright from Google, Samsung means software releases can be quicker as they don't need to test & release the firmware.
Correct; the higher up the chain you go when buying an Android phone, the fewer companies making changes to the OS and the faster you will get your OTA updates.
Google > Device Manufacturer > Telco
Flashing custom ROMs is, of course, completely different and out of scope for this discussion.
Slight differences in the release of software updates. For example, my unlocked S10 purchased from Samsung received Android 10 one week before my friend's S10 purchased from Optus