Root and custom ROM support - Vivo Nex Questions & Answers

Hey!
I have currently a Vivo NEX on order from AliExpress.
I wonder how fast (if at all) there will be a way to root the device, and most importantly: install Google Play and custom launchers on it.
A custom ROM; something stock like would also be exciting to see soon.
Another question that I have is: will I be able to use the in-display-fingerprintsensor when I install a custom launcher?
I guess that's a very noob question but I really have not much experience with that because this will be my fist phone with a fingerprintsensor at all.
Greeting from Austria!!

LOL Meister said:
Hey!
I have currently a Vivo NEX on order from AliExpress.
I wonder how fast (if at all) there will be a way to root the device, and most importantly: install Google Play and custom launchers on it.
A custom ROM; something stock like would also be exciting to see soon.
Another question that I have is: will I be able to use the in-display-fingerprintsensor when I install a custom launcher?
I guess that's a very noob question but I really have not much experience with that because this will be my fist phone with a fingerprintsensor at all.
Greeting from Austria!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Root and custom roms will be available as soon as Vivo release source code and blobs, and yes you can use the fingerprint sensor on custom launchers, even if it doesn't have play store you can still install launchers and apps from an apk.

Exanneon said:
Root and custom roms will be available as soon as Vivo release source code and blobs, and yes you can use the fingerprint sensor on custom launchers, even if it doesn't have play store you can still install launchers and apps from an apk.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats great news actually. I have successfully rooted and installed a custom ROM on my galaxy S5. But I am still quite new to the topic and therefore I want to ask: if some videos or websites claim that they have a way to root *any* android device: can that be true from a technical standpoint or is such a thing always scam?

LOL Meister said:
Thats great news actually. I have successfully rooted and installed a custom ROM on my galaxy S5. But I am still quite new to the topic and therefore I want to ask: if some videos or websites claim that they have a way to root *any* android device: can that be true from a technical standpoint or is such a thing always scam?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is definitely a scam, there's no way of rooting *any* phone, it's true that most phones become rootable sooner or later, but that depends on the manufacturer and those who modify the device. The thing is that technically any android phone can be rooted, but that can only be done if one first has access to a bootloader which they can send commands to, such as flashing a recovery. Apps or sites that say they can root any phone is a very deceptive way of tricking inexperienced users, based on somewhat facts.
The process of rooting a phone goes something like this:
1. Manufacturer releases software which allows a pc to communicate with the phone, therefore allowing for the pc to send commands such as flashing a recovery, sideloading a custom rom, restoring stock firmware, etc.
2. At that point, the user has complete access to their phone, just as the manufacturer would, so they can flash a recovery, through which they could flash supersu or magisk in order to root their phone, or a custom rom.
Now the thing about apps that can supposedly root a phone through the os, without it having root, is that some of them are legit, but they work in many different ways, those ways vary from each device. Apps such as kingroot (roots the phone without the need of a pc) is that they normally look for system apps which they can exploit and use as a backdoor to gain root access for the device, such apps can indeed root multiple devices, but no app can root literally any phone. This is because, if for example there was a phone that was released 15th june, 2018, and would have extremely good security, no apps that could be used as a backdoor, the app simply couldn't exploit that device. This is exactly why very new phones (such as the vivo nex) have no custom roms or root, because they're so new that no exploits have been found, and the manufacturer hasn't released software for users to root, nor have they released source code for developers to start building custom roms for them.
Sorry for the long paragraphs, hope I helped.
Moral of the story: don't trust weird apps saying they can root any device.

Exanneon said:
It is definitely a scam, there's no way of rooting *any* phone, it's true that most phones become rootable sooner or later, but that depends on the manufacturer and those who modify the device. The thing is that technically any android phone can be rooted, but that can only be done if one first has access to a bootloader which they can send commands to, such as flashing a recovery. Apps or sites that say they can root any phone is a very deceptive way of tricking inexperienced users, based on somewhat facts.
The process of rooting a phone goes something like this:
1. Manufacturer releases software which allows a pc to communicate with the phone, therefore allowing for the pc to send commands such as flashing a recovery, sideloading a custom rom, restoring stock firmware, etc.
2. At that point, the user has complete access to their phone, just as the manufacturer would, so they can flash a recovery, through which they could flash supersu or magisk in order to root their phone, or a custom rom.
Now the thing about apps that can supposedly root a phone through the os, without it having root, is that some of them are legit, but they work in many different ways, those ways vary from each device. Apps such as kingroot (roots the phone without the need of a pc) is that they normally look for system apps which they can exploit and use as a backdoor to gain root access for the device, such apps can indeed root multiple devices, but no app can root literally any phone. This is because, if for example there was a phone that was released 15th june, 2018, and would have extremely good security, no apps that could be used as a backdoor, the app simply couldn't exploit that device. This is exactly why very new phones (such as the vivo nex) have no custom roms or root, because they're so new that no exploits have been found, and the manufacturer hasn't released software for users to root, nor have they released source code for developers to start building custom roms for them.
Sorry for the long paragraphs, hope I helped.
Moral of the story: don't trust weird apps saying they can root any device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks a lot for the detailed explanations!
That with the bootloader makes a lot of sense to me as I work a lot with microcontrollers especially; AVRs and PICs. Some of them have a dedicated part of the FLASH where you can keep code around that runs at system startup. A bootloader. That per example lets the AVRs flashed with an Arduino Bootloader communicate with the PC without the need for a programming device!
So I won't load any itchy software on my new device haha.
An other question I have is:
Are there any disadvantages of having a Chinese ROM other than having to install all Google services manually?

LOL Meister said:
Thanks a lot for the detailed explanations!
That with the bootloader makes a lot of sense to me as I work a lot with microcontrollers especially; AVRs and PICs. Some of them have a dedicated part of the FLASH where you can keep code around that runs at system startup. A bootloader. That per example lets the AVRs flashed with an Arduino Bootloader communicate with the PC without the need for a programming device!
So I won't load any itchy software on my new device haha.
An other question I have is:
Are there any disadvantages of having a Chinese ROM other than having to install all Google services manually?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well most of the time stock android is always faster and more stable, be it touchwiz, miui, flyme. Touchwiz for example uses very high resolution icons for the ui, which take up more ram (and make the rom size much bigger, therefore sacrificing internal memory) making the phone more sluggish. Basically roms that aren't stock always have some element to them which is likely to make them slower, or have more bugs, possibly.
Because how can you have a better android rom than pure android? Building upon it is always a good thing, but changing it completely usually results in a not so good experience. These sort of things certainly don't apply to what oneplus do with oxygen os and whatever the stock rom is for motorola phones.

As much I fall in love with this phone but VIVO is totally developer unfriendly.
Due to unavailability of kernel sources third party developers couldn't build any custom aftermarket ROM's.
It’s the opposite from what OnePlus offer.
I will wait 6-9 months we will see many other OEM building same design and feature 3d fingerprint reader under the screen and most important developer friendly.
Even Samsung device it’s very very easy rooting and installing twrp and has plenty of development support with custom rom,tweaks and mod.
This Funtouch OS out of the box Vivo phones is totally not acceptable and DOA to me.
It’s a shame such wonderful device with really bad and closed software.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

paatha13 said:
As much I fall in love with this phone but VIVO is totally developer unfriendly.
Due to unavailability of kernel sources third party developers couldn't build any custom aftermarket ROM's.
It’s the opposite from what OnePlus offer.
It’s a shame such wonderful device with really bad and closed software.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well dammit then. I came here to check about this, potential availabilty of any custom roms (linegae / RR)
I'm gonna check about others vivo. Thanks for warning

I think I'm sort of hijacking the thread but it's on topic so should be ok ... I hope.
I've never bought a Chinese phone, but this year I will be getting my first Chinese Android device (Vivo or not).
I've rooted phones in the past so not worried about it but is it required to get Google Play Store and framework on the device? Basically I'm asking how does one make this Chinese phone into a Westernized one.

01alim said:
I think I'm sort of hijacking the thread but it's on topic so should be ok ... I hope.
I've never bought a Chinese phone, but this year I will be getting my first Chinese Android device (Vivo or not).
I've rooted phones in the past so not worried about it but is it required to get Google Play Store and framework on the device? Basically I'm asking how does one make this Chinese phone into a Westernized one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Basically you cann install the playstore through the gmail hack. You install gmail via the included chinese store app. Then it will automatically load playstore on the device.
If you pick your seller with care they will have a semi western rom on the phone. I (I posted the link to the seller in the where to buy thread) ordered my vivo nex from a seller who does that. They will have english language, playsore gmail, maps youtube etc preinstalled.
Despite the not open software of the nex just because its sheer popularity there will be custom roms and hacks. You can bet on that! Just not as many of corse.

so not open software is final ?
It's one of many deciding factor for me.

ayamgoreng said:
so not open software is final ?
It's one of many deciding factor for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess noone can say for 100% sure because the phone will start selling just tomorrow. But people with vivo expreince have claimed that the software on vivo phones is generally not very developer friendly.
Even if there won't be custom ROMs I can still have a custom launcher on it.

ayamgoreng said:
so not open software is final ?
It's one of many deciding factor for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Our only hope is for wider spread selling across globe and not only Asia that maximaze possibilities.
As more and more users across globe getting know Vivo then its more possible.
Don't forget Vivo is major sponcored of World Cup 2018 that's major worldwide athletic event and think Vivo has ambition to sell to western world some time(not to far hope)

LOL Meister said:
Basically you cann install the playstore through the gmail hack. You install gmail via the included chinese store app. Then it will automatically load playstore on the device.
If you pick your seller with care they will have a semi western rom on the phone. I (I posted the link to the seller in the where to buy thread) ordered my vivo nex from a seller who does that. They will have english language, playsore gmail, maps youtube etc preinstalled.
Despite the not open software of the nex just because its sheer popularity there will be custom roms and hacks. You can bet on that! Just not as many of corse.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you.
So what's the things we are missing using a semi westernised ROM over a full western ROM?
How are sellers able to get custom ROMs on the phone so early? (Or are they not custom ROMs?).

01alim said:
Thank you.
So what's the things we are missing using a semi westernised ROM over a full western ROM?
How are sellers able to get custom ROMs on the phone so early? (Or are they not custom ROMs?).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think they might have some contracts with Vivo...
Even more proof of that if you look on AliExpress they charge way premium for the devices. I paid 800€ on the 8G 128G version!
I think that there are no disadvantages besides anything regarding their AI tech which will only understand Chinese I think.
Once I am not planning to use that, that's no problem. People claim that the funtouch OS is somewhat unstable but I will test that for myself. The seller I ordered from claims that I will be able to receive over the air updates so they will surely patch things over time.
Remember that if you do not like their OS you can still install a launcher from playstore.
But if any of that holds true, I will see when my phone arrives. The seller claims that they will ship it out over the next 7 days per DHL.
I will update here on my experience, installing launchers, if playstore is there or not etc.

LOL Meister said:
Basically you cann install the playstore through the gmail hack. You install gmail via the included chinese store app. Then it will automatically load playstore on the device.
If you pick your seller with care they will have a semi western rom on the phone. I (I posted the link to the seller in the where to buy thread) ordered my vivo nex from a seller who does that. They will have english language, playsore gmail, maps youtube etc preinstalled.
Despite the not open software of the nex just because its sheer popularity there will be custom roms and hacks. You can bet on that! Just not as many of corse.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
will the gmail hack enable google services like Calender and contact sync also??

When you open the developer options, your phone will keep warning on status bar???

野比君 said:
When you open the developer options, your phone will keep warning on status bar
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you serious??
Btw, do you know if you can eliminate the chinese software that comes pre-installed? And can you configurate everything you need as if it were a "normal western android"? (contacts, calendar sync, emails, etc)

LOL Meister said:
Hey!
I have currently a Vivo NEX on order from AliExpress.
I wonder how fast (if at all) there will be a way to root the device, and most importantly: install Google Play and custom launchers on it.
A custom ROM; something stock like would also be exciting to see soon.
Another question that I have is: will I be able to use the in-display-fingerprintsensor when I install a custom launcher?
I guess that's a very noob question but I really have not much experience with that because this will be my fist phone with a fingerprintsensor at all.
Greeting from Austria!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the Vivo Nex now. Can't use third party launcher unless you sign up for a vivo account which can only be done with a China phone number. This is a new development as I was able to get nova on vivo x21 without account.
Really annoying.

radioraheem2 said:
I have the Vivo Nex now. Can't use third party launcher unless you sign up for a vivo account which can only be done with a China phone number. This is a new development as I was able to get nova on vivo x21 without account.
Really annoying.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for informing! I really hope that someone finds a workaround soon!
Just a note at the side: I don't know about stability but even though the Vivo OS looks a lot like iOS especially for larger phones like that things like the quick draw from the bottom are quite nice features.
DrG0nz0 said:
Are you serious??
Btw, do you know if you can eliminate the chinese software that comes pre-installed? And can you configurate everything you need as if it were a "normal western android"? (contacts, calendar sync, emails, etc)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Also interested in this one, since the phone is available now! Mine will take some time in shipping though.

Related

Here is what Rogers thinks about rooting.

Taken via Rogers Redboard Blog http://redboard.rogers.com/2010/redboard’s-faaq-frequently-asked-android-questions/
Android, one of the newest – and hottest – mobile operating systems out there today is also one of the most-talked about topics here on RedBoard. One report predicts more than 50 Android-powered devices will launch this year — up from 10 in 2009.
We’re big fans of Android at Rogers. We were the first in Canada to carry an Android-powered device and have this country’s largest selection of Android devices such as the HTC Dream, HTC Magic, LG Eve, Samsung Galaxy Spica and Google’s Nexus One with even more Android devices on the way, including the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10.
We’re working hard to have real conversations about Android whenever possible – both online and in person – and thought it would be useful to answer some questions submitted by you, here on RedBoard.
1. Why should I care about Android?
Android is the operating system (OS) created by Google with which you can run programs on your smartphone. It is “open source” software, meaning that while Google has created it, other software developers – no matter their size – can modify the system or create add-on software programs that run on the OS called “apps.” The open-source aspect of the OS is driving many gadget-hungry consumers to Android-powered devices, causing handset makers such as Sony, HTC and LG to take notice and use the OS to power their products.
2. Why does it matter which version of Android I have?
The newer the version, the newer the features and functionality you can have. Just like how some software programs are written for Windows XP or Windows 7, newer Android-based apps – such as voice search or live wallpapers — are written for the newest Android OS, version 2.1. As the first to bring Android to Canada, we were also the first to learn just how much OS upgrades mean to our customers. This was a new challenge that we hadn’t dealt with before. As such, Rogers is working with handset manufactures to ensure an OS upgrade path on all all future devices.
3. Why does “rooting” an Android device void its warranty?
Rooting is when you wipe your handset clean of its existing operating system and install a new version. The problem with rooting is that handset manufacturers install and customize the OS to work specifically with their device so clearing it may make some features and functionality not work correctly. Furthermore, all handsets sold by Rogers are verified to work on our network before giving them to customers. In turn, it’s impossible for us to troubleshoot or provide technical assistance on a device that is no longer in line with that verification. That, in a nutshell, is why rooting voids the warranty of Rogers-purchased devices.
4. What sorts of things can I do with an Android phone — and what’s different from other smartphones?
Android phones aren’t for everybody. Some customers swear by their iPhone, BlackBerry or other smartphone. But here are some of the differences that will help you determine if Android is right for you:
The ease of personalization of Android phones – from colours to fonts to widgets.
The seamless integration with Google’s wide array of products such as Gmail, contacts, calendar, Picasa and maps. If you use your Gmail account on your computer to store important information, you’ll have the exact same access on the go.
Then, there are the apps. The open source community has embraced Android and as such, there are thousands of applications for download through the Android Market.
5. Are there places online that I can get tips for using Android to its fullest?
Not surprisingly, Google has a very thorough website dedicated to Android at http://www.android.com. There are also forums and blogs dedicated to Android, which you can find via an online search.
6. Does Rogers have any custom applications for my Android phone?
We recently launched the My Account app, which provides secure, 24/7 access to your Wireless accounts to view your balance, make payments as well as check airtime, messaging and data usage. It also lets you pay your bill right from your phone. Rogers SportsNet also has an app for getting the latest scores and sports news. While we can’t discuss plans right now for competitive reasons, we will be rolling out even more custom apps for Rogers customers in the near future.
7. How does Rogers define its commitment to the android community?
We understand that for Android users, the smartphone is more than just a device, it’s an extension of who they are. We’re listening to members of the Android community, and engaging with them (online and in person) to truly understand their wants and needs. That’s not limited to just users of the devices. We’re also working with software developers to ensure Rogers Android users have the best possible customer experience.
What kind of phone do you have? Would you consider an Android phone as your next device?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does not seem like they have a clue what rooting is.
Szadzik said:
Does not seem like they have a clue what rooting is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why? They have explained their point of view well and actually they're right. They can't be responsible for issues on rooted devices, because these issues may be caused by system customizations done by 3rd party. This is absolutely logical.
You can root your phone without actually changing the original OS. They're talking about not supporting various custom firmware, which is different from rooting.
Although with Rooting, you can make core changes that could effect functionality... But like any OS, I don't know if it really matters. I've cooked all of my Windows OS's on a range of devices and still always got warranty exchanges if needed. Just flash a stock firmware and call it a day.
player911 said:
You can root your phone without actually changing the original OS. They're talking about not supporting various custom firmware, which is different from rooting.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, but you don't root to not change anything, right? And they won't compare md5 of every file to see, whether you have changed somethin' or not. They don't give root to people just to be sure, that you have exactly what they have installed to you. If you have rooted, then they lose this sureness.
player911 said:
Although with Rooting, you can make core changes that could effect functionality... But like any OS, I don't know if it really matters. I've cooked all of my Windows OS's on a range of devices and still always got warranty exchanges if needed. Just flash a stock firmware and call it a day.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I think it would be nice if they would just erase all your data and install stock system. Then they would not waste too much of their time, but would be helpful.
Ahh and there is one more thing: when you flash roms, you risk hardware failure, especially if you aren't careful. It would not make any sense, if they would be responsible for such situation.
Rogers clearly does not have a clue what rooting is - what Rogers has described is installing a custom rom.
Rooting is not the same act as installing a custom rom - it's just giving yourself root access in the operating system.
Granted, that increases the amount of power the user has over the operating system - and honestly, I prefer that rooting be a little harder to do than just a one-click setup.
My reasoning behind that is simple - with great power, comes great responsibility.
Unfortunately, responsibility is a foreign concept to most consumers, especially when in over their heads trying to alter anything 'behind the scenes'.
That said, I can see why service providers would be disinclined to deal with the many problems that could arise due to root access.
Brut.all said:
Why? They have explained their point of view well and actually they're right. They can't be responsible for issues on rooted devices, because these issues may be caused by system customizations done by 3rd party. This is absolutely logical.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As pointed out below Rogers explained using custom ROMs and not rooting. I have root and have not installed a custom ROM. I installed an overclocking app instead - does this mean my warranty has not been voided? According to Rogers it would not be.
This part made me laugh
Furthermore, all handsets sold by Rogers are verified to work on our network before giving them to customers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh yes we've seen that with the whole E911 patch fiasco that ensued with the "verified" rom from Rogers.
Szadzik said:
As pointed out below Rogers explained using custom ROMs and not rooting. I have root and have not installed a custom ROM. I installed an overclocking app instead - does this mean my warranty has not been voided? According to Rogers it would not be.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As I said:
Brut.all said:
And they won't compare md5 of every file to see, whether you have changed somethin' or not. They don't give root to people just to be sure, that you have exactly what they have installed to you. If you have rooted, then they lose this sureness.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can't have a gun without a license even if you don't use it, but just like to have it. No one will waste his time to check, what you actually do with this gun.
And this a reason, why such point of view *is some kind of standard* in software world. We support users of our software, but if you modified something in it, then we won't even look into your problem - go and fix it by yourself, have luck.
Even with custom rom, if flashing back the original rom can still prove that same feature still fails, the warranty is not considered void, it could be a hardware problem.
Some providers do not know what they are selling and what they are providing.
Nomal people use the mass on top to think and the gap on top to speak, but unfortunately, some chooses to use the mass at the "bottom" to "think" and the gap "below" to "talk".

Phone Model

Im looking for a new phone. My main concern is being able to run without bloatware. I don't want to root the phone or disable via usb debugging. I'm looking for the most friendly out of the box phone that lets you inherently disable/uninstall apps you don't want as a user. Please exclude iPhone, I have no interest in using an iPhone.
Ultimately I want a phone that is responsive and I don't have to constantly be bombarded by app "notification" aka ads. I know some will allow better control of notifications but, I just don't want them running in the first place.
Thanks...
Taboriious said:
Im looking for a new phone. My main concern is being able to run without bloatware. I don't want to root the phone or disable via usb debugging. I'm looking for the most friendly out of the box phone that lets you inherently disable/uninstall apps you don't want as a user. Please exclude iPhone, I have no interest in using an iPhone.
Ultimately I want a phone that is responsive and I don't have to constantly be bombarded by app "notification" aka ads. I know some will allow better control of notifications but, I just don't want them running in the first place.
Thanks...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good luck with finding a device that does all of that, IF it even exists, which I doubt. There is no such thing as an out of the box android device that doesn't have notification services running in the background, you will have to settle with using the user settings to disable/enable the notifications to suit you, regardless of the device you get.
There are devices that do not have manufacturer or carrier bloatware, but I suspect that what you would call "bloatware" isn't technically bloatware, they would just be apps that you would prefer not having on your device.
But honestly, based on what you say you're looking for, you will need a device that can be rooted in order to remove the things you don't want because what you are looking for doesn't come "standard" on any device that I know of.
Sent from my LGL84VL using Tapatalk
Im not worried about notifications, I know those can be managed. Im more concerned with apps that I dont want on the system and cant be uninstalled or disabled without root privileges. There are a ton of apps not needed, a slew of samsung as well as my carrier.
So, what Im being told there is no phone model by any manufacturer that comes rooted or allows you to remove all unwanted apps...???
Taboriious said:
Im not worried about notifications, I know those can be managed. Im more concerned with apps that I dont want on the system and cant be uninstalled or disabled without root privileges. There are a ton of apps not needed, a slew of samsung as well as my carrier.
So, what Im being told there is no phone model by any manufacturer that comes rooted or allows you to remove all unwanted apps...???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are plenty of phones that can be easily rooted after buying them then remove the apps you don't want.
Sent from my LGL84VL using Tapatalk
I understand there are plenty of phone that you can root. My question was are there any "open" by default, to which I was told no. Understood. The follow up question is, which are the most friendly to the rooting process. Some phones are more difficult to perform the root process than others I would assume. So, which are the best(overall well functioning phones) and the most friendly to the rooting process to avoid bricking or causing other issues with the phone
Taboriious said:
I understand there are plenty of phone that you can root. My question was are there any "open" by default, to which I was told no. Understood. The follow up question is, which are the most friendly to the rooting process. Some phones are more difficult to perform the root process than others I would assume. So, which are the best(overall well functioning phones) and the most friendly to the rooting process to avoid bricking or causing other issues with the phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The eaaily rooted phones were the Google phones, but when they released the Pixel devices, that was no longer the case.
In the US, it is more of a matter of which carrier you get the device from than it is about what device you get. Some carriers lock the bootloader on their device and some don't. The ones with locked bootloader are the difficult devices to root and flash ROMs, the ones without locked bootloader are easier but not necessarily "easy".
The devices that are the easiest to root and flash ROMs are the devices with MediaTek processors. They are also the easiest to unbrick if a problem occurs, but that only applies to the MediaTek devices that have a stock firmware that is available to the public, the ones that don't have an available stock firmware or stock source code should be avoided because they are near impossible to unbrick if something goes wrong. But, MediaTek devices are the cheapest devices and they aren't very well made. Some offer good specs but the hardware is inferior, a powerful car is no good if it won't stay together very long, if you understand the comparison. It's like having a cheap car that is easy to work on and make faster, but that is no good if the parts are not available to fix it if something breaks. You would be better off buying a car that costs more.
HTC devices are fairly easy to root and flash ROMs(but they do have some tricky stuff in the process) and they offer excellent software support, they make their stock firmware available and their stock source code available to make repairs and build ROMs.
Instead of asking which devices are easier, just look around, find some devices that you like, and then do some Google searches using that device's model number to see if root is available for that model and if custom recovery and custom ROMs are available for that model. I say this because it is more of a matter of which actual devices root and ROMs are available for instead of a matter of what type of devices are easier to modify. Take HTC, for example, "this" model number of HTC device might have root and ROMs but "that" model number of HTC won't. Or "this" model number of Samsung might have root and ROMs but "that" model number of Samsung won't. You need to look at this on a device by device basis, not by "type" or "brand" of device.
Do you see that you are looking at this with a top down view when you should be looking from the bottom up or jumping in and looking around. It is like looking at an aerial photograph of a town/city, you can see things about it but that doesn't tell you anything about the place, you have to be on the ground in the midst of the town/city to be able to really tell anything about the place. You can look for the most descriptive aerial photo but it still doesn't tell you anything. Stop looking for a photo, go actually take a walk around the town, then you will know what the place has to offer or not.
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Are there any phones actually worth rooting anymore?

Due to a little frustration I decided to create a whole thread for this.
I suck at computers and I have no idea what I am doing so I ended up bricking my device lmao.
In theory, the thought of rooting your device, and installing a custom OS sounds great! (Like communism) but when put in practice never really works out. The reason for that (I think) is because there are so many different versions, models, and brands. I end up spending all my time trying to refine my search to the right software and versions, and then when I do, I am stuck with some stupid site like (every damn rom site) with a 20kb/s download rate, and a page full of ads! Why? Because they are storing like 2 billion different 2GB roms. In my opinion paying for faster download speed from these websites is ridiculous. I don't even know why they offer (you would have to be stupid(like me)).
(tl;dr: Android SUCKS)
So, now to my actual question...
With the release of the Librem 5 phone, there really is not going to be a point to rooting phones anymore, because google with already be decimated from it... But that comes out in April/May and I still need a phone in the meantime.
So.. Are there any cheap phones ($500+/-), that are not a pain in the ass to root? And one that the developers actually care about to actively develop. All I wan't is a phone I can install stock android with root, and that can be installed without google or gapps. Also I live in Canada, which is another reason why it's a pain in the ass to find a decent phone because all our carriers deadbolt their firmware, and bootloaders like their storing the coordinates to some secret location with a pot of gold.
starscrpt said:
Due to a little frustration I decided to create a whole thread for this.
I suck at computers and I have no idea what I am doing so I ended up bricking my device lmao.
In theory, the thought of rooting your device, and installing a custom OS sounds great! (Like communism) but when put in practice never really works out. The reason for that (I think) is because there are so many different versions, models, and brands. I end up spending all my time trying to refine my search to the right software and versions, and then when I do, I am stuck with some stupid site like (every damn rom site) with a 20kb/s download rate, and a page full of ads! Why? Because they are storing like 2 billion different 2GB roms. In my opinion paying for faster download speed from these websites is ridiculous. I don't even know why they offer (you would have to be stupid(like me)).
(tl;dr: Android SUCKS)
So, now to my actual question...
With the release of the Librem 5 phone, there really is not going to be a point to rooting phones anymore, because google with already be decimated from it... But that comes out in April/May and I still need a phone in the meantime.
So.. Are there any cheap phones ($500+/-), that are not a pain in the ass to root? And one that the developers actually care about to actively develop. All I wan't is a phone I can install stock android with root, and that can be installed without google or gapps. Also I live in Canada, which is another reason why it's a pain in the ass to find a decent phone because all our carriers deadbolt their firmware, and bootloaders like their storing the coordinates to some secret location with a pot of gold.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Get something that is not a Samsung, not carrier branded(an international model) and is factory unlocked or can be unlocked.
I suggest you just do some searching to find some devices that you are interested in, then write down the model number of each device and then do some Google searches using those model numbers one at a time to see if a known rooting method exists for each model, then do some Google searching to see if TWRP exists for each model number, then do some searches to see if there are ROMs available for each model number.
We can't predict the future and say which devices will have a rooting method, we can only point you to devices that have already had a known rooting method discovered for that model, you can find that information yourself by doing the Google searches listed below.
To find root methods for the devices:
"Root for (specific device model number here)"
That should find root method for the device in question.
To find TWRP or custom recovery for the devices:
"TWRP for (specific device model number here)"
Or
"Custom recovery for (specific device model number here)"
That should find TWRP or custom recovery if it exists for the device in question.
To find custom ROMs for the devices:
"Custom ROMs for (specific device model number here)"
That should find ROMs if they exist for the device in question.
You might want to consider getting an international device directly from the manufacturer that is factory unlocked or can be unlocked(also known as SIM/carrier unlocked) instead of getting a carrier branded/sold device. Factory direct doesn't come with bloatware and unlocked/unlockable means it should be able to be activated on your carrier network.
Also, make sure the device has a factory unlocked bootloader(this is not the same thing as SIM/carrier unlocked) or can at least be unlocked using a known and verified unlock method. The unlocked bootloader is required if you want to flash custom recovery or custom ROMs.
If you just want to use the stock firmware and modify it to remove the Google stuff, unlocked bootloader won't be required for that. But, if you are going to just modify the stock software already on the device, I will advise you to make sure that the stock firmware for that device is available for download and then download a copy of it just in case you mess something up in the process of removing Google and its components, then you can just flash the firmware on the device to fix it(if you don't screw it up too bad, that is).
I would really recommend that you choose a device that has:
1) an unlocked/unlockable bootloader so that you can flash TWRP on the device
2) has an available downloadable stock firmware so that you can repair the device, if needed
3) has a TWRP recovery available so it can be installed on the device and then used to create a backup of your unmodified stock ROM, then you can modify the device and if you screw something up, you can use TWRP to restore the backup that you create, this will return the device to working condition.
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Droidriven pretty much covered it extremely well.
With regards to rooting:
It often can raise the stress levels beyond normal. Set aside time and take each step slowly and deliberately. Some guides can be much worse than others.
PS. Your idea of a cheap phone is at least 3x the cost of my idea of a cheap phone
The Asus Zenfone 6 just released bootloader unlock and kernel source so there should be a fairly healthy dev community when its released in the US.
The librem 5 ?? I dunno , on my list for sure . but hardware specs soundsmeh for the price . And will we be able to install ubuntu software like clementine music play ? jeez if so that would make up for the lack hardware.
looks like 2019 q3 is going to be an exciting time. I want the zenfone 6 but I dunno..... that librem 5 ubuntu phone is going to need to be checked out once rc is released .

Question Where are all the rom for the s21+

Hello,
Long time i didn t buy a new phone ( i am still on s9+) and there where a lot of rom for the s9+, but doesn t seem to find them for the s21+.
Where are they ?
I believe more people aren't interested to root, unlock bootloader and create custom roms. One of reasons you lost warranty, secondly you lost google pay, samsung pay, secure folder etc. No Updates OTA. And many more. Yes you can fix some of them by custom kernel or Magisk Hide etc. And android in nowadays is enought good. So are you interested in this?
@Itadiki What are you missing from OneUI? What would you want from a custom ROM that you don't have in the official ones?
As @Nettwerk was saying, nowadays OEM Android is good enough even for most of the people that in the past would run a custom ROM. So custom ROMs make little to no sense. Put the disadvantages on top (like loss of warranty or functionalities) and you get the current situation.
@Nettwerk My s9 was rooted and I still had access to google pay. We don t have samsung pay and never used secure folder but I don t see the reason why it would not work
As For @daniel_loft The same reason I wanted my all other devices rooted. Faster speed, no bloatware, optimization in general, and discover a lot of possibilities I didn t think about with all rooted software than can customize everything.
I can root the device myself, Remove the bloatware, install xposed framework and lots of other tools myself. But I am lazy, and not as knowledgable as the excellent people who spend hours and hours on giving us a way better rom than the stock one.
Yes the loss of warranty is a risk I am willing to take.
Secure folder checks knox. If efuse is trigered than it doesn't work. If I'm not wrong.
daniel_loft said:
@Itadiki What are you missing from OneUI? What would you want from a custom ROM that you don't have in the official ones?
As @Nettwerk was saying, nowadays OEM Android is good enough even for most of the people that in the past would run a custom ROM. So custom ROMs make little to no sense. Put the disadvantages on top (like loss of warranty or functionalities) and you get the current situation.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Custom roms are always a good option , they lead to many innovations that with time and popular demand are later integrated in official rom , my last two phone i have not rooted them , i have not missed a thing from not doing it either.
If you root you will miss out in Samsung pay or google pay but of course it may not be important to everyone
Itadiki said:
Hello,
Long time i didn t buy a new phone ( i am still on s9+) and there where a lot of rom for the s9+, but doesn t seem to find them for the s21+.
Where are they ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi
I found one .
Hi,
there is a very good one for S21 Ultra -> https://drketanrom.com/samsung-s21ultra
TeLMiT92 said:
Hi,
there is a very good one for S21 Ultra -> https://drketanrom.com/samsung-s21ultra
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Click to collapse
yes I saw it ... but not for S21+ unfortunately
daniel_loft said:
@Itadiki What are you missing from OneUI? What would you want from a custom ROM that you don't have in the official ones?
It's not what's missing...it's what I *want* missing....I really want to get rid of the Bloat...nd fix a couple of issues that are plaguing my current s10+ (like the fact that any streaming is interrupted if *any* other resident program is in front of it, and needs an update....my Music cuts out when Waze needs to check in, for example (every 5 minutes).... and T-Mobile swears there is nothing wrong. (...then why did it start doing this *after* a forced Update that they refuse to roll-back?)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I could go on...but it's not additional functionality...it's control of my device (If I wanted to be told how to use my phone...I'd get an iPhone *ecccchh*)
Itadiki said:
Hello,
Long time i didn t buy a new phone ( i am still on s9+) and there where a lot of rom for the s9+, but doesn t seem to find them for the s21+.
Where are they ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know what you mean.
I remember back in the day when I had an HTC One X (still my favourite phone even though I got an s21) then later the M8 and there were tons of roms and mods available from a range of creators. My fav rom was the Viper range which had tons of features like tap to wake and customisable themes which didn't appear on official android for years and had OTA updates which got you on the latest android version before official release.
But I think, as said above, nowadays android has progressed to the point that you don't need to root to get roms with missing features and the likes of Samsung update their phones much faster than they used to. Even I haven't installed a custom rom since the S8 (the S6 & One M9 were the last ones I rooted. And the M9 was only to remove htc bloatware). And though rooting is still useful for removing baked in apps you don't need (Samsung, I'm looking at you!) but in general it's not needed anymore. Especially since manufacturers seem to have got 'inspiration' (interpret that as you will) from some of the fantastic indipendent developers found on sites like XDA.
The other problem is that these days more people use their phones for banking and paying in store and these functions are blocked on rooted phoned.
It is a shame though, the creativity, diversity of mods and general level of knowledge that was once found here back then was amazing.
That's not to say there isn't great talent still here, there is, simply back then there were much more developers creating full roms.
FerretPD said:
I could go on...but it's not additional functionality...it's control of my device (If I wanted to be told how to use my phone...I'd get an iPhone *ecccchh*)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Totally agree with you here.
This was once a clear distinction between android and iPhone. These days they are all trying to suck you into their own eco system.
What's funny is that on my Huawei Nova 5t I had much more control of an apps access to my data and no apps were 'baked in' like Samsung pay etc. We should not have to root a phone we own to remove apps we don't want or make changes to the functionality of a phone, especially after we have paid hundreds of £/$ or more for.
i like root for Root level Backup, Host File level adblocking see wakelocks, change CPU/GPU underclock/overclock/undervolt.. And to keep upgrading my phone to new versions long after the manufacturer stops providing updates.
I am looking at a S22.. though if no community support then maybe not..
Sage said:
i like root for Root level Backup, Host File level adblocking see wakelocks, change CPU/GPU underclock/overclock/undervolt.. And to keep upgrading my phone to new versions long after the manufacturer stops providing updates.
I am looking at a S22.. though if no community support then maybe not..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
unless u buy an exynos s21, u'll be able to root and do whatever... but if u buy a qualcomm one., u wont be able to root, unless u pay... i suggest to stay away from samsung (qualcomm) if u're into the rooting scene
efebe said:
unless u buy an exynos s21, u'll be able to root and do whatever... but if u buy a qualcomm one., u wont be able to root, unless u pay... i suggest to stay away from samsung (qualcomm) if u're into the rooting scene
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i avoid snapdragon like plague for some years already since the inability to root/titanium backup. as long as the phone can't be rooted, i don't buy it, even exypnos is hotter slower dumber etc but the freedom to block ads and freeze/unfreeze/backup app is totally unmatched. also nowadays there's knoxpatch module so i can pretty much use any samsung secured function (just lack samsung pay/pass)

Question Unsupported Countries and Root

Hey guys i need your advice.
Tomorrow my Pixel 7 pro arrives and i am living in an unsupported county. I have read a lot of guides about the root etc. i just want to verify that i will be able to use the full features of the device if i rooted....like call screening, 5g etc. and how risky is to be rooted nowdays because last time i root my phone was 10 years ago....if after the mandatory things i don't install any app outside of the store and don't grant access root will my device be safe ? thank you
try hentaios In the latest update it was activated 5g in unsupported countries
m3ath said:
try hentaios In the latest update it was activated 5g in unsupported countries
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HentaiOS for Pixel 7 Pro? Is it on Telegram or another third-party place?
ekin_strops said:
HentaiOS for Pixel 7 Pro? Is it on Telegram or another third-party place?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes for 7 pro and 7
They have a channel in Telegram
I am certainly not an expert. I remember the days of flashing roms. I used to sometimes flash multiple roms a day.
Now most of the features I used to use custom roms for are already in Android.
Also if you have a Pixel you have a pretty clean version of Android.
So I don't really see the point. Maybe in your situation because you are using the phone in an unsupported country you might be able to enable some features but I would think the network bands are hardware based and either your carrier is compatible with the Pixel or not?
IMHO I would not root or install custom software on a brand new phone like a Pixel or other flagship. It generally voids your warranty and if you soft brick the device and can't revive it what do you do? Also with root you have huge security vulnerability. Pixel is supposed to be one of the most secure Android phones so why would you get rid of that benefit?
Also updates would be a pain.
If I had a free cheap phone from a carrier with a crappy version of Android that I would risk rooting and maybe installing a custom ROM but I just don't see the need on a Pixel??
robbbzilla said:
IMHO I would not root or install custom software on a brand new phone like a Pixel or other flagship. It generally voids your warranty and if you soft brick the device and can't revive it what do you do? Also with root you have huge security vulnerability. Pixel is supposed to be one of the most secure Android phones so why would you get rid of that benefit?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) It doesn't void your warranty on the Pixel.
2) Root isn't a security vulnerability in and of itself but the unlocked bootloader can be if someone gets ahold of your phone. Seeing how the filesystem is encrypted though, it's not so much a risk to your data as it is to the person being able to steal the phone easier.
3) Most other phones have largely been locked down so a lot of us get the Pixel *because* it can be rooted.
robbbzilla said:
Also updates would be a pain.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not too bad. Pixel Flasher makes the whole process easy. Plug into the computer, launch Pixel Flasher, download the update, click the patch image button so it makes a Magisk image, select that image, flash. It's all done with a user friendly GUI. While it's not as straightforward as updating directly on the phone, it also installs faster, so it's a worthwhile trade off.
EtherealRemnant said:
1) It doesn't void your warranty on the Pixel.
2) Root isn't a security vulnerability in and of itself but the unlocked bootloader can be if someone gets ahold of your phone. Seeing how the filesystem is encrypted though, it's not so much a risk to your data as it is to the person being able to steal the phone easier.
3) Most other phones have largely been locked down so a lot of us get the Pixel *because* it can be rooted.
Not too bad. Pixel Flasher makes the whole process easy. Plug into the computer, launch Pixel Flasher, download the update, click the patch image button so it makes a Magisk image, select that image, flash. It's all done with a user friendly GUI. While it's not as straightforward as updating directly on the phone, it also installs faster, so it's a worthwhile trade off.
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Click to collapse
Good to know. I thought enabling root level privileges would cause system wide insecurity.
As I prefaced my comments I am no expert and it has been a long time since I rooted my phones.
That is why it is good to ask questions and learn about the state of things now.
I didn't know that you could root a Pixel device and not void the warranty. I am used to the Samsung lock down.
Also with Pixel or with previous Nexus device it was always fun to see what new features Google would add in a new update/feature drop so I never felt the need to root a Pixel phone.
However if you like rooting and can do so without much risk then why not? I can see the fun in trying different software and gaining better control over your device.
robbbzilla said:
Good to know. I thought enabling root level privileges would cause system wide insecurity.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seeing how you still have to authorize the use of root and Magisk even has added support for fingerprint verification to do so, it's not much more of a risk than having an unrooted device really.
robbbzilla said:
Also with Pixel or with previous Nexus device it was always fun to see what new features Google would add in a new update/feature drop so I never felt the need to root a Pixel phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You still get this stuff when you're rooted and even on most custom ROMs for Pixel. The only downside comes from apps that don't want to play nice. As long as I can use Google Pay, which I'm able to do after using the SafetyNet fix mod, I don't mind having to use the web browser for a banking app here and there (and right now there's only one that flat out won't work, Security Service FCU, so I'm not too put out by it).
It's a pain in the ass to enable carrier features like VoLTE, VoNR, etc. Pixel features like call screening require phenotype edits, which are also a pain in the ass.
G_Vasi said:
Hey guys i need your advice.
Tomorrow my Pixel 7 pro arrives and i am living in an unsupported county. I have read a lot of guides about the root etc. i just want to verify that i will be able to use the full features of the device if i rooted....like call screening, 5g etc. and how risky is to be rooted nowdays because last time i root my phone was 10 years ago....if after the mandatory things i don't install any app outside of the store and don't grant access root will my device be safe ? thank you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One bit of warning/caution, I've seen/found a lot of users on this forum who are in other countries (maybe unsupported) biggest issue would be NFC pay & banking apps not working. I personally have only seen a few select apps stated on this forum that can't be launched due to root detection that SafetyNetFix and Zygisk DenyList/Shamiko wasn't able to successfully hide, but there are some -- I myself have Wallet, Gpay, 4 banking apps, Xfinity apps, working while I've discussed with some other users the same banking app not working for them -- that, no matter how much users tried, they were unable to get it working. Supposedly there are combinations of root hiding methods and modules that have blocked mostly all of the stubborn apps, but then there seems to be some apps that merely just having an unlocked bootloader is enough to restrict their use.
So if this might be your situation where you have certain apps (most likely banking) that you can't really live without and/or use daily/frequently but they are known to not run on a rooted & unlocked bootloader device, that's the only real downside to rooting.
Other than that, I believe obtaining root on our device benefits so much far outweighing the risks. If certain things stop working, usually there are workarounds to get them to work or alternatives. If anything, particularly in your case, I don't believe you can get those features of 5G and call screening and camera sound and VPN and whatever other feature is restricted in an unsupported country without root....
So there are them pros & cons...
Thank you for your answers guys.....I also think that pros are more than cons....as far as I know and from the ways I found here my Bank apps will work normally.....and also I found a tutorial here that say it will enable all the Pixel features in unsupported countries so hopefully it will work...if by any case anyone tried it I would like to hear the feedback especially for google screening.

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