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[Q] Would a full price S6 have unlocked / unlockable bootloader?

Hi,
Regarding bootloaders, im intending on getting an S6 from Amazon (Full price). Are these likely to have an unlocked or unlockable bootloader via "fastboot oem unlock" rather than exploit out the box?
Not sure i want an S6 if i have to potentially wait months for an exploitable bootloader like some Note 4's?

TheBlueRaja said:
Hi,
Regarding bootloaders, im intending on getting an S6 from Amazon (Full price). Are these likely to have an unlocked or unlockable bootloader via "fastboot oem unlock" rather than exploit out the box?
Not sure i want an S6 if i have to potentially wait months for an exploitable bootloader like some Note 4's?
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Yes, any sim free phone will allow to unlocked the boot loaderbut it is very unlikely that any phone will have bootloader unlocked out of the box unless is it an second hand unit but then there will be no warranty .

So which S6's can be bootloader unlocked?

I had to trade my S6 in 2016 because I couldnt stand not being able to flash custom roms via recovery, and at the time it was deemed nearly impossible to bootloader unlock an S6, especially since dev's were losing interest working around Exynos chip vs Qualcomm. But what about today? I see some threads talking about roms and TWRP and stuff which makes me think this phone was finally cracked? Is that so? Or is it only very particular variants? I remember there was like 1 model S6 that you could properly root if it had a very specific version of Android on it at the time, but if it was ever upgraded it was locked.
So which phones are bootloader/recovery installable? And what do I need to know version wise before buying one? (like are some versions blacklisted, to stay away from)

Bootloader is not locked on S6 except AT&T variant.

forumber2 said:
Bootloader is not locked on S6 except AT&T variant.
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but it used to be right? I had a verizon S6 and it was basically impossible to unlock as I recall. Is this a new development?

Will Verizon lock a phone if it's unlocked?

Getting an Unlocked Pixel 2 off EBay.
Once I unlock the bootloader, and put in my Verizon sim.......will Verizon lock my bootloader?
z

I don't think any carrier has control over locking the bootloader. They can however keep you from unlocking it, just not the other way around

zardiw said:
Getting an Unlocked Pixel 2 off EBay.
Once I unlock the bootloader, and put in my Verizon sim.......will Verizon lock my bootloader?
z
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As long as it actually was through Google and not a Verizon one you will be fine. Make sure it's not just carrier unlocked, since the Verizon ones will still be considered unlocked due to being able to use it on other carriers.

Keithn said:
As long as it actually was through Google and not a Verizon one you will be fine. Make sure it's not just carrier unlocked, since the Verizon ones will still be considered unlocked due to being able to use it on other carriers.
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The op is talking about bootloader being unlocked and your talking about the carrier/sim lock... Verizon pixels that were on a certain firmware were able to have their bootloader unlocked, and then it was patched. So pretty much all Verizon pixel 2 are not able to have the bootloader unlocked. Pixels straight from Google are able to have the bootloader unlocked. Now as far as the carrier/sim lock, either version, Verizon or Google, they come unlocked and. I'm pretty sure they can't be relocked. I believe they would just blacklist the device.

ice711 said:
The op is talking about bootloader being unlocked and your talking about the carrier/sim lock... Verizon pixels that were on a certain firmware were able to have their bootloader unlocked, and then it was patched. So pretty much all Verizon pixel 2 are not able to have the bootloader unlocked. Pixels straight from Google are able to have the bootloader unlocked. Now as far as the carrier/sim lock, either version, Verizon or Google, they come unlocked and. I'm pretty sure they can't be relocked. I believe they would just blacklist the device.
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No, I am talking about both. I only mentioned to be aware that the device may be listed as unlocked due to not having carrier restrictions, but might still be a "Verizon Edition" with a non unlockable bootloader.

Keithn said:
As long as it actually was through Google and not a Verizon one you will be fine. Make sure it's not just carrier unlocked, since the Verizon ones will still be considered unlocked due to being able to use it on other carriers.
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Keithn said:
No, I am talking about both. I only mentioned to be aware that the device may be listed as unlocked due to not having carrier restrictions, but might still be a "Verizon Edition" with a non unlockable bootloader.
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Ahh gotcha. Sorry didn't get that when I read it the first time. When you put it this way, I now get what you were saying. Good advise! :good: :good:

Pixel 3 Verizon UNLOCKED......this is not bootloader unlockable right? And no root?

Considering buying a second hand phone but wanted to make sure of this first. It is a Pixel 3 Verizon UNLOCKED model. As far as I have read this model is not bootloader unlockable and cannot be rooteed. Is this correct? Thank You.

poog said:
Considering buying a second hand phone but wanted to make sure of this first. It is a Pixel 3 Verizon UNLOCKED model. As far as I have read this model is not bootloader unlockable and cannot be rooteed. Is this correct? Thank You.
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Correct, Verizon bootloaders are locked. The unlocked probably refers to SIM unlocked.

Whats the best US Galaxy S7 stock boot loader?

Need to pick up a few phones to play with. Since they all seem to have their own bootloaders (or do they?), should I go with Verizon, ATT, Sprint phone, or?

XDASikpupy said:
Need to pick up a few phones to play with. Since they all seem to have their own bootloaders (or do they?), should I go with Verizon, ATT, Sprint phone, or?
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Virtually all models of devices from the major US carriers are going to have locked bootloader with no way to unlock them. I suggest getting the devices directly from the manufacturer or buying international non branded devices because the majority of them have unlocked bootloader or bootloader that can at least be unlocked.

If a US phone is "unlocked", does that mean the bootloader is unlocked or just unlocked for carrier use? I also hear phones directly from Samsung are locked also.

XDASikpupy said:
If a US phone is "unlocked", does that mean the bootloader is unlocked or just unlocked for carrier use? I also hear phones directly from Samsung are locked also.
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When you buy a phone that says it is unlocked, yes, it is referring to the fact that it is SIM/carrier unlocked to be used on other carrier networks.
Unlocking bootloader is a very specific procedure in order to modify the device or add/remove pieces of system level software If you're looking to use custom recovery and custom ROMs, you will definitely need to make certain that it is a model that has the bootloader already unlocked or has a stock firmware version that has a bootloader that can successfully unlocked. Typically, the older the firmware version for a specific device model number is the safest bet, the later, newer updated firmware for that specific device model number tend to have locked bootloaders. And it gets worse as the devices get newer and more improved with security features and roadblocks.
A safe bet is a Non US Google Pxel device, they are all very well supported here. Regardless of the device in question, you don't ever want anything that Verizon has to offer, period. AT&T and Sprint are just as bad.

Droidriven - Thanks for the info, thats what I have been reading, and, what makes me wonder. If I can get unlocked phones with locked bootloaders, and I am not going to mess with he bootloader, is there one "locked" bootloader better than the other?