UMI Super ROM and Accessories Issues 20160711

marcoxcosta

\n\nYesterday came out a new FOTA (UMI SUPER.V3.01_20160708).
Making the latest status on UMI Super, I found that still remain some issues with it:

• Camera improved some how, but still far from good or could I say from "SUPER"
  Still if you change the "Image properties" on the the stock Cam app and take photos and exit the app, then when you open the app again they are back again as default, so every time you use the cam have to setup your image properties... so annoying!
  Google Camera still can't make any photosphere photos beacause can't focus with UMI Super camera and photos end up blurred!
• Battery life since last FOTA seems to be ok, never the less I switch data, wifi and GPS off and turn it when I need.
  So I get with 50% battery around 22:00.
  Now UMI has implemented Battery saving profiles with this new FOTA.
  Can be some how handy but lacks of three great options that the Green Power app has; Option to turn Wifi or Data on when the screen is turned on or unlocked, to sync at regular intervals and to turn off GPS when not in use by any app.
  UMI staff should have a look at this app, it as saved me lot of battery energy.  https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.gpo.greenpower
• GPS - Problems with reception are due to the Original UMI hard cover silver ring around it (I've tested and without it the GPS works fine)
• Sound - Its quite low in general.
  Workaround by using "Engineer Mode" and tweaking sound options it worked for me but speaker sound quality remains average and isn't SUPER.
  I wonder if the phone sound tests were made on a office/lab or outside in a noisy environment...
• 4G problems - I have not found any problems with it, maybe due the frequency my operator works with.
  Some people reported having problems with the reception of 4G.
• Stock Call App remains without showing the picture from we call to or who is calling us, latest FOTA didn't correct it
• Touch screen sensitivity after this FOTA seems to be improved
• Heat - I don't use games at all and don't have the time for it, but my daughter has Minecraft.
  Minecraft has rubbish graphics by the way I had a glance to my daughters UMI Super but after 15 minutes playing it the phone looked like a "Frying Pan" so don't know if this is related to Minecraft or to "Heat Mediatek issue" that people have reported
• Original UMI Hard cover case - It Jams/decreases GPS signal reception, so if you need the GPS quite often use SUPER with out it or by the non Original one without the silver ring around it.
  Users should be refunded of this hard case, this should have been tested by UMI or the case manufacturer
• Tempered Glass screen protector - Nobody has reported to have one perfectly fitted and glued properly due to UMI Super screen edges.
  If some one has successfully bought one that fits properly please let me know!
  

I can say this UMI is "GOOD" but not "SUPER"
One of the big deals on a Smartphone is the Camera.
Many people stopped buying Photo Cameras (the average ones) because Smartphones.
UMI Super Camera did not impress any off it users.
Have some doubts if the photos shown on UMI Super pages were actually taken by SUPER...
I Will have to spent a few more Euros on buying a non original hard cover case from Ebay and a working tempered screen protector.
Bought the originals from VIFOCAL, along the tempered screen protectors and complained to them about it, and didn't received any feed back from them, so this will be the last place to look for any smartphone accessories in any near future.

CaptainTom

I have to fully agree with marcoxcosta's post:

1) Camera - improved a little bit but again focus is not so accurate nor fast. White balance has improved a little and pictures taken indoors/dusk/dawn or night are not so terribly dark as before however only in native camera app - if you want take a picture via whatsapp the problem persists and pictures are still dark and useless!

2) Battery - I have not seen any major improvements in battery life with the latest FOTA(20160708) but I have never complained about the battery - after 7 charging cycles my batt-life settled on comfortable 2 days and 7 to 8hrs SOT which is great!

3) GPS - it's been confirmed by many sources incl. myself that original UMI SUPER hard cover is blocking/jamming the GPS signal tremendously. While having it on I am unable to get any fix whatsoever but if I take it down I'll get fix within 30 seconds. That cover is nice looking but very poorly designed piece of crap. If u are using GPS, get rid of it!

4) Sound - volume can be adjusted via "engineering mode" quite easily for all sources so both - speaker and loudspeaker - volumes can be increased. Do not expect any quality improvement, just the volume which is good enough for the time being. The digital audio chip to process music in SUPER is quite capable and very close to SUPER. With quality earpiece you can get very decent sound into your ears! No complaints here.

5) 4G/3G issues - I have no problem making phone calls on 4G/3G reliably - my SUPER is connected on 4G network most of the time. The problem arises when i get bumped off of 4G network and phone connects to 3G network - at that point my SUPER thinks I am roaming(small R appears next to the 3G sign) and in order to get data I have to enable the data roaming! Extremely annoying and due to my job where I travel abroad on daily basis if I forgot to disable the "allow data on roaming" it becomes an extremely expensive bug! This must be fixed asap - it can't be too difficult.

6) Stock call app bug - still not showing the the picture of our contact who is calling us or whom we call.

7) Touch screen sensitivity - improved. No complaints here.

8) Tempered Glass Screen Protector - DO NOT BUY from VIFOCAL!!! It is a rip-off! Month ago I ordered UMI SUPER BUNDLE consisting of original UMI hard case + Tempered Glass Screen Protector(total 13usd). It was delivered quickly and in good condition and without any issues however when I tried to put the Screen Protector I found out that it is about 0.5cm short on each side and does not really fit the screen at all. When I complained with VIFOCAL, they said that they never really mentioned anywhere this protector is meant for UMI SUPER - it is some general Protector for RETINA/AMOLED display. But they offered me 2usd refund. Laughable and ripoff! Why sell UMI SUPER bundle of UMI hard case + screen protector if the screen protector is not even ment to be used on UMI SUPER. Even the package of the protector does not mention any type of the phone to be used on! Stay away from form VIFOCAL deals.

9) Gorilla Glass - this is related to the screen protectos which can not be applied on UMI SUPER. Despite the Corning Gorilla Glass should not be easy to scratch, I managed to scratch my SUPER's screen very easily despite always carrying it in the holster and never dropped it. It's hard to believe that orginial Gorilla Glass would be so easy to scratch. Would be non-issue if SUPER is covered with normal flat Glass instead of that stupid rounded 2.5D glass which can not be protected with screen protector effectively.

10) Wi-Fi & Phone Idle Battery drain issue - is still present. Wi-Fi is draining power no matter if you have it ON or OFF. If you have it OFF, the data doesn't go through but it still drains energy. Can be seen easily in the BATTERY graph. For me the wifi consumes 10% of the battery which is huge amount comparing to 7% of screen. Phone Idle is another suspicious battery-hog. Takes another 10%. How can idling phone take so much?

So I agree UMI SUPER is decent phone(after they fix the issues that can be fixed or improved) but is far from SUPER! Although if all issues are addressed by UMI effectively, for the money they charge for the phone, then we may call it SUPER! But not before things are fixed.

Fingers crossed for UMI and us users ;)