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All Android phones, even the most budget-friendly ones, have access to a feature known as Android recovery mode. When you boot into this mode, you can perform a simple factory reset, reboot into the bootloader to use Fastboot commands, or apply system updates from your local on-device storage. You can also run a simple graphics test to ensure your device's display functions correctly, which can help you double-check your screen in a pinch. This tutorial discusses how to boot into the Android recovery mode and its various features.
The Pixel Watch bootloader is unlockable, but you'll need to sacrifice a good USB cable
We're well on our way to getting custom ROMs for this watch
If you've been looking for a way to load custom ROMs to your $350 Pixel Watch for some god-forsaken reason, by all means, go ahead. Someone else has paved the way for you to do so and, trust us, it's pretty ugly.
Samsung cripples the Galaxy Z Fold3 if you unlock the bootloader
Don't do it if you like having a phone that takes photos
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 is an amazing smartphone that marks a lot of firsts for the company. You get an under-screen front-facing camera in the device's foldable 7.6-inch display, and a rear triple camera setup as well. And if you like having those cameras, you know, actually functioning, then you probably don't want to unlock your bootloader. Samsung is taking an odd measure to prevent people from modding its phones: if you unlock the Z Fold3's bootloader, the camera functionality will be completely crippled.
Microsoft releases Surface Duo kernel source code — developers, start your engines
The company has also published a handy guide for compiling the source yourself
After much anticipation, Microsoft launched its very first Android device last month. In Corbin's review, he called it a phone for enthusiasts, and that's something Microsoft seems to be embracing. Microsoft has released the Surface Duo's kernel source, which will assist third-party developers in building custom ROMs and kernels for the unique device.
Bootloader unlock process for OnePlus 8 5G on T-Mobile not working for many
'please enter a valid IMEI' error happening for many even with carrier approval for the unlock
For some, the biggest advantage of OnePlus phones isn't the price or the software, it's the fact that they're one of the last manufacturers offering easy bootloader unlocks, which makes rooting and ROMing the company's phones pretty easy. Unfortunately, the unlock process that's been put in place for the T-Mobile version of the OnePlus 8 5G doesn't seem to be working for many device owners.
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Owners of the T-Mobile-exclusive OnePlus 7T Pro 5G McLaren interested in bootloader unlocking the device for root or ROM purposes should think twice before they do. Based on recent reports, that process can prevent the phone from being able to download future official updates, including one that was just released.
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- According to the folks at Nokiamob, HMD states that this was an "inadvertent miss" (which we take to mean "accident") and a future update will remove the option to unlock the bootloader.
For most people, a locked bootloader is no big deal. However, some Android users demand an unlockable bootloader so they can tinker with the software on their phones. Many devices are completely locked down, but HMD might be easing up a bit. The recently launched Nokia 7.2 is apparently the company's first phone with an unlockable bootloader.
Huawei's newest flagship, the Mate 30, was officially revealed a few days ago. It's an impressive piece of hardware, but its lack of Google services (due to ongoing trade disputes between the United States and China) mean it's going to be a very hard sell outside of China. There was some hope that Huawei would loosen its grip on bootloader unlocks, so buyers could flash an alternate ROM with Google apps, but that won't be happening.
[Update: Nope] CEO says Huawei Mate 30 bootloader is unlockable, opening easy pathway to Google apps
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Huawei might have been able to deploy Android 10 just in time for its Mate 30 and Mate 30 Pro releases, but, thanks to a looming U.S. imports ban, Western markets will not be able to use Google apps and services on those phones... at least out of the box. We've been expecting a couple of twists to come out of the company in order to accommodate those Google-dependent customers and they have certainly come — right out of the CEO's mouth.
It's a bit of a bummer that the OnePlus 7 is only able to stream Netflix at "HD" resolution — that's below the full 1440p resolution of its beautiful display, after all. But if you decide to unlock the bootloader for future root/ROM adventures, then you'll have to make do with just non-HD 480p Netflix streams.
LG's official bootloader unlock tool makes the company seem developer-friendly on the surface, but very few phone variants actually get added to it. For instance, the last supported US-market variant on the rather short list was the LG G6, a phone that was announced nearly two years ago. LG has just added the V40 to the list, but unsurprisingly, only the European-market model is compatible with the tool.
At launch, OnePlus was surprisingly quiet when it came to particulars about the T-Mobile version of its Oneplus 6T, but in a post published late last night to the company's forums, additional details about both the partnership between the two companies and the differences in the T-Mobile version of the phone were discussed at more length. If you were hoping to root or ROM your T-Mobile-bought OnePlus 6T, you can, in fact, unlock the bootloader, you'll just need to pay the phone off early.
HMD Global, the manufacturer of the recent Nokia phones, has notoriously been against releasing kernel source codes for its devices, despite their popularity. And even when it does push those out to the development community, it typically prevents people from unlocking the phones' bootloaders, which hampers customization options. But this morning brought news that Nokia 8 owners could do just that: unlock their bootloaders.
OnePlus began rolling out a new 5.1.6 update last week that added several promised features including scheduled do-not-disturb mode and battery percent in the status bar. However, the OTA halted because of some bugs, and now there's a new build. This one adds additional bug fixes and patches that nasty bootloader vulnerability discovered a few days ago.
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One of the most elementary aspects of phone security is the idea of a locked bootloader, which is supposed to prevent a handset from flashing or booting arbitrary code, ostensibly keeping the software on the device secure. It's super basic—or, at least, it's supposed to be. Turns out, the OnePlus 6 will allow you to boot any arbitrary or modified image you choose, even on a locked bootloader.
One of the nice things about Google's phones has always been that you could unlock the bootloaders to flash ROMs or official system images. However, Verizon isn't cool with that, so Pixels sold by the carrier don't support bootloader unlocking. Or do they? An XDA poster has discovered a method for unlocking the bootloader on first-gen Verizon Pixels, and it's not even very complicated.
Huawei, in an attempt to burn the bridges it built with the custom ROM community provide a better user experience for its customers, is closing the bootloader unlock program on its devices, including those under the Honor brand.
The Razer Phone is one of the few devices that caters to developers and enthusiasts with an unlockable bootloader, factory images, and so on. It was stuck on Nougat until recently, though. Razer just started pushing the Oreo 8.1 update, but you don't have to wait on the OTA. There are already factory images available for download, and the kernel source is out.
After the Android P DP1 hit, a few people reported running into difficulty unlocking their bootloader if it wasn't already prior to flashing the developer preview. Turns out, there is a fix, and you don't have to wipe your device. Simply disabling whatever lockscreen security setting you might have is enough to fix things.
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- It was bound to happen sooner or later, but it looks like the loophole has been patched in the latest update for the Pixel 2. If you've updated your device to the Verizon-exclusive build OPM2.171019.016, then you'll no longer be able to unlock your bootloader.
The biggest disadvantage to picking up the smaller Pixel 2 on Verizon's network is the locked bootloader. Big Red dictates that the phones it sells have to be locked down tight. That's a problem if you're into ROMs or if you'd like to root without an exploit. However, the folks over in the XDA forums have discovered a trivially simple way of unlocking the bootloader which is every bit as easy as the typical method for non-carrier locked Pixel 2 phones.