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HTC Unlocks Bootloader For All of Its Devices

Posted by timothy on from the hunting-goodwill dept.

An anonymous reader writes "HTCDEV announced today: 'HTC is committed to listening to users and delivering customer satisfaction. We plan on releasing the updates that will allow you to unlock your bootloader in the coming months.' However, they do note this: 'It is our responsibility to caution you that not all claims resulting or caused by or from the unlocking of the bootloader may be covered under warranty,' and this: 'We strongly suggest that you do not unlock the bootloader unless you are confident that you understand the risks involved.' This looks like a new year gift to some."

13 of 133 comments (clear)

  1. This is good news! by americamatrix · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Congrats to HTC for actually knowing what their customers want and giving it to them.

    Hopefully some other companies follow suit as well!


    -americamatrix

    1. Re:This is good news! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      Dude what? This is HTC copying what Sony Ericsson did months ago:

      http://unlockbootloader.sonyericsson.com/

      They even went further and released an ICS alpha build to the dev community before christmas!

      http://developer.sonyericsson.com/wp/2011/12/15/ice-cream-sandwich-alpha-rom-available-for-unlocked-xperia-phones/

    2. Re:This is good news! by PixetaledPikachu · · Score: 4, Informative

      I'm another person with an HTC phone. What I really want from my next phone is Android without Sense UI crapping it up. Yes, I could get an HTC phone and put CyanogenMod on it, but I'd rather support manufacturers who give me what I really want without having to invalidate my warranty and mess with firmware.

      But of course you can! Buy one of the nexus series phone, and you'll get the pure android experience and direct support from google for software updates. As for me, I recently switched from HTC Desire Z (which got stolen) to Nexus S, and I'm already missing the text reflow on the built in browser, pinch to switch browser window, the ability to force the phone to use 3G only (you need to enter certain code to get to that option on a plain android), HTC IME keyboard, and lots of other tweaks from HTC.

    3. Re:This is good news! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      See, while I agree Sony did a cool thing with the Android issue...does it really negate all those douchey things they've done for years?

      They locked down the playstation so no more Linux.

      Every damn device they release uses their obnoxious memory card. It might be superior to the others it might not, but the difference is, it isn't standard. It's been around for a decade and still isn't standard. And it's expensive.

      They got hacked and basically gave no fucks.

      So I might buy an Ericson if faced with a choice, but I would probably buy the HTC. Just sayin'...

    4. Re:This is good news! by newcastlejon · · Score: 4, Informative

      SonyEricsson are not Sony, in the same way that SCEE aren't SME either. Yes, the whole brand has been tainted, but it's not necessarily because of anything the mobile phone guys did.

      --
      If God forks the Universe every time you roll a die, he'd better have a damned good memory.
    5. Re:This is good news! by SuricouRaven · · Score: 4, Informative

      "They got hacked and basically gave no fucks."

      Not true. They took countermeasures to protect against such an event occuring again. Specifically, they updated the PSN licence agreement to forbid users from bringing class-action lawsuits.

  2. In other words, we hate updating software by blahbooboo · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Like most hardware manufacturers, they are trying to get out of updating and maintaining software since it's a loss for them. Unlocking lets the whiners who notice or care about updates go play and leave HTC alone to abandon the handsets after ~12 months post release. It's the real challenge Android has versus WebOs, Windows Phone, and iOS. (Yes, I know get a Nexus, but Google abandoned their first phone already too)

    1. Re:In other words, we hate updating software by oakgrove · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Like most hardware manufacturers, they are trying to get out of updating and maintaining software since it's a loss for them.

      So, you're saying HTC is using this as an excuse to not update their software? Last I checked if an OEM doesn't want to update, they just don't. They don't need to throw any bones. You're reading way too much into this.

      Unlocking lets the whiners who notice or care about updates go play and leave HTC alone to abandon the handsets after ~12 months post release.

      So people that want to use their devices with their own software are "whiners" now? I thought they were paying enthusiastic customers who might or might not have a trusted opinion their less tech savvy friends and family might be relying on to make future smart phone purchases.

      It's the real challenge Android has versus WebOs, Windows Phone, and iOS.

      Normal people don't care about updates or unlocked boot loaders. Do a poll of the next 100 Android users you see and see how many of them even know what version of Android they are on and if there is a newer version than what they have. You will find that the vast majority don't know and will be more annoyed by the question than anything else because they just don't care. Updated competitor handsets is not what Android has to worry about. Android has the formula down pat. Give the customer the features they want at the price they are willing to pay. That's it. In that arena, only windows phone has a hope of competing in any time soon if they can get the price of the handsets down with some cheap SOCs. Until that happens, Android will reign supreme as it has for a while now and the dominance will only accelerate because the formula ain't changing anytime soon.

      --
      The soylentnews experiment has been a dismal failure.
  3. All devices? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    That includes Windows Phone devices too? Or this is one more example of /. "journalism"?

    1. Re:All devices? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      What's a "Windows Phone"?

  4. Not ALL devices, also, leaves a record by kav2k · · Score: 5, Informative

    All devices? It only applies to "All HTC Android devices launched after September 2011". Also, tho process means they will have a record of a certain device requesting such unlock, possibly affecting warranty.

  5. Their unlock process calls home by friend+function · · Score: 5, Interesting

    It worries me that their unlock process calls home for an auth token.

  6. Re:Good job HTC by swanzilla · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'll be in the market for a phone in the next few months...I'll remember this.

    +1 Fascinating

    --
    0 = 1 + e^(Alt something)