So, as the title states, why sony does this? I mean, they provide official instructions about how to unlock your bootloader, but in the same time they sell devices that cant be unlocked at all (The notorious: "bootloader unlock allowed: no"). And I don't mean the devices that are simlocked by the operator, but the devices you buy from a store that has nothing to do with your carrier eg. amazon or e-bay. What they get from it?
Cmon guys.. Lets have a discussion
Hmm...
Sounds like a attempt by Sony to keep you running stock. Reminds me of the old PSP days. Each new model had additional security to prevent modders and homebrew creators from running unauthorized Operating Systems and software. Knowing this track history, I would stay away from Sony for phones
It also seems LG for the most part also does this. For modding Go with anything s6 or older
Related
Hi ppl,
I've been looking into obtaining an Android smartphone. I find enough info about tech specs but not about some details that are important. I'm refering to locked bootloaders. Funny thing is that it's a well-known and well-documented fact on Motorola's phones yet there are MORE android phones with locked bootloaders. I recently discovered that Sony-Ericsson's devices ALSO have locked bootloaders (yet nobody writes about them like they do on Motorola). Just as I was completing the decision to get the SE Experia Neo (which seems IMHO the most interesting of the new upcoming Xperia range). I discovered this about SE android phones. :-(
How is LG in this respect?
So this comes to my question: Is there a definitive list with ALL devices that contain locked bootloaders?
If so please point me out to it (my attempts to find this info on Google came with individual reviews that mentions this).
If there isn't it is possible to create such a list and make a sticky out of it.
Apologies if this is not the right thread to post this.
Generally ALL retail Android phones have locked bootloaders. As far as I know only the Google developer phones (i.e. Nexus one and S) can be easily unlocked from adb command line.
What you're probably talking about are more sophisticated protection added by phone manufactures, like SIGNED bootloaders in Motorola phones or NAND protection on HTC phones.
I once read an article about samsung locking even older phones with the region lock nonsense, including the S3, by locking with upcoming android updates, probably 4.4.
Anybody can confirm this? I surfed the net, but its cluttered with Note 3 being region locked, so i am not sure anymore. Would help me alot.
What would happen if somebody were to unlock the phone with an unknown carrier? Probably getting a simlock I guess...
I am really sad by this development because Samsung used to be the only OEM that produced phones with removable batteries and sd slots.
I am sure somebody will find a hack to this, or when custom roms get released but its still a bummer.
http://gigaom.com/2013/10/07/app-re...ion-lock-but-samsungs-motives-remain-unclear/
Meh...
As a sidejoke:
In 2020, OEMs will read your minds and the phones will initiate a self destruct sequence if you think about selling it to a thirdparty or installing unauthorized 3rd party stuff. If you somehow survive that, your email will spammed with blackmail and you will be targeted with drones that will hunt you and your family...
What's legal and illegal when it comes to hacking android (in USA)? I want to unlock the bootloader on my Verizon gs3. Is that illegal?
If you can point me to some definitive or authoritative resources, I would appreciate that. I have been googling this topic for a couple weeks, and as far as I can tell, it's currently legal to unlock your phone for use on another wireless carrier, but it is technically illegal to root or unlock bootloaders (by hacking). But what doesn't fit with that are the bounties I see offered for these activities, so I'm very uncertain either way.
bump
Its legal to do anything to your own device.
You can unlock the bootloader, root the phone, install custom firmwares, or break it to pieces with a hammer as long as it's yours...
Worst case scenario you can always start a new life in Mexico
ishaang said:
Worst case scenario you can always start a new life in Mexico
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Click to collapse
That just made my day.
ishaang said:
Its legal to do anything to your own device.
You can unlock the bootloader, root the phone, install custom firmwares, or break it to pieces with a hammer as long as it's yours...
Worst case scenario you can always start a new life in Mexico
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you allowed to post the info of how to do it?
squebler said:
What's legal and illegal when it comes to hacking android (in USA)? I want to unlock the bootloader on my Verizon gs3. Is that illegal?
If you can point me to some definitive or authoritative resources, I would appreciate that. I have been googling this topic for a couple weeks, and as far as I can tell, it's currently legal to unlock your phone for use on another wireless carrier, but it is technically illegal to root or unlock bootloaders (by hacking). But what doesn't fit with that are the bounties I see offered for these activities, so I'm very uncertain either way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The real issue is with the contract you sign with your carrier. As long as you are in the subsidised portion of your contract (generally 2yrs), the phone technically still belongs to them, not you.
Are they going to look for you to make an issue of it, no. If you need to make a warranty claim though, and they find out it's modified, they have the right to not honor the warranty if they choose (happens occasionally, but not widespread).
I mod my phones all the time, but I do it without any expectation of help from vzw if I break something and can't fix it.
Jmo, hope that helps
squebler said:
What's legal and illegal when it comes to hacking android (in USA)? I want to unlock the bootloader on my Verizon gs3. Is that illegal?
If you can point me to some definitive or authoritative resources, I would appreciate that. I have been googling this topic for a couple weeks, and as far as I can tell, it's currently legal to unlock your phone for use on another wireless carrier, but it is technically illegal to root or unlock bootloaders (by hacking). But what doesn't fit with that are the bounties I see offered for these activities, so I'm very uncertain either way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In my opinion, as long as you have warranty, don't root your phone because it will void the warranty.
Its legal, but can void your warranty with the manufacturer or if you have bought your phone through a carrier they may have a clause in the agreement related to this.
Sony as a manufacturer is cool with you unlocking your bootloader, and they offer the instructions and code on their own website officially, here -http://developer.sonymobile.com/unlockbootloader/unlock-yourboot-loader/
So that's an example of it being legal.
Very helpful info, thanks! Now I think I'll switch to Sony instead of Samsung.
No problem, and good idea!
I've been a Sony user for a very long time, and generally their devices have never failed to deliver. On top of that they are very developer friendly and support the open source community a lot. This has been referenced in XDA also, many times. Besides that I do feel the build quality of Sony products is superior, and in phones their hardware specs and stock UI is also pretty decent.
oh it's good:highfive:
ite's legal to do anything on your phones of course (like unlock bootloader),
but if you want to test(hack) on other's phones, make sure you get their permission ^^
Why does a company like Huawei still lock it's bootloaders, even with it back economically to the wall?
I would have thought the embargo would have led to some kind of verified boot process they informs rather than controls. Something like a message on dedicated hardware that says "This phone is running software signed by HTC" or "Warning: This phone is running software signed by PGP signiture XYZ"
I understand why a few companies might prefer to keep hardware and software well and truly linked but I don't understand why the smaller Chinese manufacturers do it too?
I thought we'd have seen some devices shipping with Lineage by now.
Is there some additional licensing control from Google involved? If so, why are Samsung precious few gracious companies friendlier to bootloader unlocking?
jago25_98 said:
Why does a company like Huawei still lock it's bootloaders, even with it back economically to the wall?
...
Is there some additional licensing control from Google involved? If so, why are Samsung precious few gracious companies friendlier to bootloader unlocking?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The reason isn't economic at all. It's more political...
People are hacking things left and right to effortlessly gain root or remove pattern locks on their Androids and thanks to devs of this wonderful resource they're not spending a dime in the process, but for some reason unlocking a hardlocked bootloader, an age-old problem, has no other method but the one costing $30. I'd love if someone could explain to me what makes it such a conundrum to figure out and why aren't more people trying to come up with a free solution for everyone.
Hi @4qx.
For devices that have OEM Unlocking grayed out (so you can't unlock the bootloader), there can never be a single solution that would work for every device. Different device manufacturers have their own ideas about security and contain proprietory code specific to that manufacturer, and it's further refined as new models from the same manufacturer come out.
Sometimes a device-specific vulnerability is found and can be taken advantage of to gain root. Sometimes the manufacturer makes a very specific but easy-to-find mistake on one particular version of Android on a single device that lets users officially unlock their bootloader, but that mistake is corrected with the next update for the device.
Even though you might not hear of someone working to root particular devices, it doesn't mean that no one is trying. It's common and expected that attempts that involve vulnerabilities would be kept as secret as possible so that a manufacturer can't patch them before developers can take advantage of what they found.
So the combination of different manufacturers, different models, different variations of models, different Android versions, and different manufacturer or device-specific security makes it near impossible to find a way to root all devices without exception.
Lastly, the easiest and universal method to start the path to being rooted is to have a device that lets you unlock the bootloader officially - preferably with no penalties like some manufacturers do. Anyone who buys devices that you can unlock the bootloader officially probably has no interest in finding a way to root other ways since it's so easy to do with an unlocked bootloader.
Edit: Also, regarding "free for everyone", it takes developers time to achieve what they do, so finding a way to root a device usually isn't a way to make money to live, so they do what they can when they can.
give it a try
https://github.com/bkerler/edl#for-generic-unlocking
If you're citizien of EU and bought an Android device in the territory of EU you never will have troubles with unlocking a phone's bootloader and rooting phone's Android.
Huawei will stop providing bootloader unlocking for all new devices
Earlier this month, we wrote about Huawei and Honor users not being unable to access the page for generating bootloader unlock codes. Now, they will stop providing unlock codes completely.
www.xda-developers.com
You shouldn't post here if you've NO knowledge about current legal situation in EU.
I am from germany too and can tell you Vodafone still sells Huawei devices. There are other brands with non-unlockable bootloader (Google, Samsung, Vivo, Oppo). OEMs tend to lock down their devices entirely for reason
aIecxs said:
give it a try
https://github.com/bkerler/edl#for-generic-unlocking
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unless I misinterpret what it says, it seems to be for enabling OEM unlocking. I was referring to unlocking a hardlocked bootloader.
Sorry maybe I didn't get you right. kindly share definition / example or at least descripe what you mean with "hardlocked bootloader"?
roirraW edor ehT said:
For devices that have OEM Unlocking grayed out
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Click to collapse
Was talking about something different, though I appreciate the info.
@aIecxs check this out. Some Xperia models, mostly Japanese ones, have unlockable OEM but are not allowed to have their bootloader unlocked.
Fairly enough there exist quit few devices where manufacturer provides official unlock code, but carrier locked down bootloader by ignoring, disabling or hiding OEM unlock toggle or other device specific methods. I feel "hardlocked bootloader" is a good way to differ from "non-unlockable bootloader" where bootloader is locked from manufacturer entirely (like Huawei)
If you can have it unlocked for £23 obviously XZ1C is unlockable, so if you can find sony leaked prog_ufs_firehose_8998_ddr.elf I would give it a try at least. Björn Kerler is a leading reverse engineer in scene and did good job to oppo rooting.
(you can check /dev/block/bootdevice/by-name/* if devinfo or config exist and decide if it's worth a try)