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Huawei Will No Longer Allow Bootloader Unlocking On Its Android Handsets (androidauthority.com)
Chinese smartphone maker Huawei has long made it easier for users to unlock the bootloader on its phones. But that is changing now. Android Authority: Earlier this month a support page, which detailed ways to unlock a bootloader, disappeared without any explanation from the company's websites. In a statement, the company said, "In order to deliver the best user experience and prevent users from experiencing possible issues that could arise from ROM flashing, including system failure, stuttering, worsened battery performance, and risk of data being compromised, Huawei will cease providing bootloader unlock codes for devices launched after May 25, 2018." It added, "For devices launched prior to the aforementioned date, the termination of the bootloader code application service will come into effect 60 days after today's announcement. Moving forward, Huawei remains committed to providing quality services and experiences to its customers. Thank you for your continued support."
I am against the government getting involved in most aspects of our lives, but this is flat out a case where government intervention is needed,
If a phone can't be unlocked so I can install whatever OS I want, then it should not be allowed to be imported into the USA.
This includes the iPhone...
If I pay $3000 for a top of the line laptop, I can install whatever OS I want. It may not work perfectly, but that is on me. If I pay $300 for a bottom basement laptop, I can still install whatever OS I want.
This has GOT to change with phones as well.
They try to give some bullshit about how it is to protect the network, but that is a load of horseshit.
-- http://anonet.org -- The internet the way it was meant to be. Check it out, you may be surprised.
What OS? Just what do you think you're going to put on your iPhone, let alone Android?
Huawei has been positioning itself as a higher quality smartphone brand than the rest of the Chinese competition, but fails at it entirely. It is, however, worse value than all other Chinese brands.
I don't care one way or the other as I have standardized our family on the same model Samsung Galaxy phones (so we can swap batteries and other accessories among us), but from time to time I look into the Chinese brands like OnePlus, Alcatel/TCL, Oppo, Lenovo (though this is partly a Taiwanese brand from a technological POV). Huawei makes just OK phones which have an incredibly uninspiring value.
I guess they have even more delusions of greatness now, as they think they should stop people from using their phones as they like (like Apple).
"The agriculture ministry is not in charge of Gundam" - Japanese ministry official.
"Thank you for your continued support."
There is no support. I don't have much influence in the phone world, but all that I have will now be directed at convincing people away from you.
"First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
And 9-11 was a libtard job, duh! ae911truth org
I won't be sad when the current round of political stupidity ends.
"First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
It certainly wouldn't be the first time a government used a "national security" blanket excuse to covertly force something down a company's gullet.
Yeah, but a whole new one usually starts right after.
Shhhhh! Calm down and go back to your cartoons. The adults are talking. Iâ(TM)ll put Harry Potter on your iPod for you.
I am very pleased that major U.S. carriers were pressured to dump you. The unlockable bootloaders were likely a ploy anyway. ZTE has given us reason to spurn these products.
Put your iphone back up your ass and STFU, you jewnìgger piece of shit.
They lock if you buy the phone through them. Do what I did and pay more for an unlocked phone. You hear that? Stop being cheap and pay MORE for an unlocked phone which puts it closer to the MSRP.
I'd like to add that networks are built on the common property of wireless airspace. We have granted the government the authority to license the access to the airspace, which the carriers must pay to use. The carriers benefit from something that belongs to the people, and they can continue as long as they operate in a way mutually beneficial way. But careful oversight and regulation of a business using a common property is important to insure that their behavior remains in the public's interests.
“Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
It kinda sounded like "You don't want to buy our stuff. You want to buy stuff from someone who isn't going to place limits on you doing what you want with your own device."
Chas - The one, the only.
THANK GOD!!!
For owners of Huawei devices it is important to understand that currently Huawei reinstated the page that one can use to get their devices' bootloader unlocking code.
That page will vanish in around 60 days and then you will have to find another way (e.g. pay some third party unlocking service) if you do not obtain your unlocking code now.
While rambling on /. maybe consider grabbing the unlocking codes for your older devices .. Just in case.
For what its worth it I will never buy a phone that cannot easily be unlocked and hopefully everyone else will be doing similar. Once they see their revenues tumbling they may think over this.
> It's a pretty safe bet that this isn't the constitutional issue that it's made out to be in comments above.
That companies can make locked down devices isn't a constitutional issue, but the fact that it is illegal to circumvent these restrictions on devices you own (via the DMCA) is a constitutional issue.
Yes, because tearing down our critical infrastructure will show those phone manufacturers from some other country who is da boss!!!
This sort of self contradictory reporting bugs me a lot more than it probably should....
I need a wheelchair van for my son. Help me get the word out. https://www.gofundme.com/wheelchair-van-for-jj
"In order to deliver the best user experience and prevent users from experiencing possible issues that could arise from ROM flashing, including system failure, stuttering, worsened battery performance, and risk of data being compromised, ...
It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
So I'm voting with my feet, I decided ages ago that iPhone and Android are garbage. librem5 by Purism here I come. 100% open source means 100% adblocking enabled.
And 9-11 was a libtard job, duh! ae911truth org
I won't be sad when the current round of political stupidity ends.
The heat death of the universe is a long time to wait.
It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
Goodbye Huawei, was nice knowing you for the two devices I had, no more.
Bye Bye Huawei.
Hell with 'em all!
Waiting for the Librem 5
https://puri.sm/shop/librem-5/
R O
It is simply not legal to Tamper with a phone or software owned by Hauwei. Hauwei owns the software,and the hardware, you are simply licensed to use it as Hauwei sees fit. For a small monthly fee, or a small payment, Hauwei licenses you the software and hardware as one unit. You can store data on Hauwei's chips, or Hauwei's servers, and use as much of Hauwei's software and hardware as you like! As long as you respect Hauwei's IP Hauwei's will let you do most everything on Hauwei's devices, a win-win situation.
Of course, since Hauwei's owns the device, Hauwei can inspect your data, to ensure it meets Hauwei's policies. Hauwei's contacts, Hauwei's data, Hauwei's IP. You are just a licensee of Hauwei.
Remember, you must obey Hauwei's terms, or Hauwei can deactivate Hauwei's device.
If i wanted a walled garden i would have chosen Apple.
apple will fix that for you in 6 months.
This issue, like so many others, is not a problem for people who don't use a cell phone. I, as an individual, have little power to protect myself from bulk surveillance and many others forms of invasion of privacy, but I can to stop playing their game by not having a cellphone anymore. Making it illegal to spy on people doesn't seem to be working -- make it impossible to spy on people. I do many other things to prevent leaving a digital trail of breadcrumbs, but that is a discussion for a different post.
.... they're certainly not acting like they aren't.
Good. More money for Librem Phone.
I wasn't impressed when the government told me to avoid them, but now Huawei itself is telling me to avoid them.
I think we've pushed this "anyone can grow up to be president" thing too far.
IF you cannot install/replace the OS then you can't eliminate the spyware. That's what this is all about.
Huawei is doing everyone a favor by being clear about this.
Unlocked my Honor 6x ($99), didn't change OS because 2 hrs of attempts failed. Since then, it won't update the OS from the vendor. It keeps downloading and nagging, but won't update. Usually takes 3 attempts to get it to boot the old OS.
I expect they are doing it so the tracking apps/hidden "phone home" stuff will always be installed across all their phones to help the Chinese govt.
At least it didn't come pre-installed with Faceboot or tweeeeter.
I need to try to root it and get LineageOS installed. My Android device FU is weak.
Even slowed down an iPhone is faster than android garbage.
Normally I'm against regulation of technology (in general), but here's a case where we, the people, genuinely need the government to step in. It should be illegal to manufacture, import, or offer for sale any device which contains anti-freedom provisions such as bootloader locking or anti-root measures.
A government is a body of people notably ungoverned - AC
It seems like finding something with an unlockable bootloader is virtually impossible these days.
What companies actually allow it still? HTC is the only one I know.
Kinda sounds like "You want to buy the shiniest newest device every year after throwing away your old one and you don't care about bootloaders. If you do, you're in the minority that won't affect sales."
Huawej can suck mx dick now!
Chile has a govt registration for cell phones. If your phone isn't registered, then it can't be used with a local SIM.
That went into effect last Sept/Oct. I showed up in November with a new Huawei phone that couldn't be used in Chile at all. Filled out the online web form to have my phone added to the Chile Govt DB. The DB was new and few locals knew anything about it. Phones on their network were grandfathered. The site claimed 48 hrs - 3 weeks, but lots of people NEVER got their devices added.
When travelling to Chile without a roaming plan, the best option is to buy a cheap, local phone on arrival unless you have international roaming that will work where you will be. Most of the best places in Chile have poor to zero coverage, like in the Patagonian national parks.
Or has the govt DB gotten better since Dec'17?
It prevents criminals from selling stolen phones.
They wanted to prevent people plugging modems into the phone lines: 4800 baud half-duplex was available from them and only them, and that's all anyone could ever need, so there!
davecb@spamcop.net
TRUMP's NSA? Might be you're unacquainted with all the absolutely massive spying on ordinary Americans his predecessor did, nevermind the thoroughly illegal act of using national intelligence assets to spy on his successor's presidential campaign.
I have consistently purchased Google Nexus phones because I can unlock them if they aren't. I also want alternative operating systems not necessarily Android. Ubuntu Touch on my Nexus 5 from the ubports has been a good experience for me lately athough sometimes I do miss all those other apps around in the Google Play Store. I was actually considering to buy a Huawei Android phone for my next purchase because they are feature-full.
If I cannot unlock my potential phone, that implies I won't be purchasing said phone. I guess I'll be sticking to those phones that are directly supported from Google either Pixel 2 or Pixel 3.
We allowed to install custom ROMS til now for less stuttering and better battery life, but Chinese Government wants to spy and custom ROMS don't have the government software.
We sorry, please use us!
Microsoft, Apple, Google, Amazon what's the difference? All steal money from devs and control with walled gardens.
Your refrigerator? your car? your pacemaker? Do those manufacturers have to support third-party SW modding? Who draws the line?
There's a CPU in everything--should the manufacturers for every programmable device be required to enable third-party SW on that device? It's easier than you think to cause real physical harm if we let /. Java-monkeys re-write critical pieces of firmware on embedded devices; and it would cost a lot of money and effort to put in physical hardware safeguards to protect the world from the zombie hoard of self-satisfied ass-clowns that hang out on this forum.
...because it points out the fundamental problem that no one here is talking about. The fraction of people who care about rooting their phone is statistically insignificant. If there was a market there, then companies would try to fill that void (it's not that hard to make a smartphone nowadays).
Just like if there was a market for a brick-sized phone with 2 weeks of battery life using replaceable batteries, 3 headphone jacks, no FaceID or fingerprint sensor, 4 different kinds of memory slots, and full circa-2003 Flash support, then somebody would build that phone.
Instead the hacker crowd talks about "freedom" and "sheeple" when what they really mean is, "please force everyone to subsidize my nerdy little hobby--and please make technology hard to use again so that my existence is justified and normal people are forced to talk to me occasionally."
Yes, all iPhone users need to get more speed on their Facebook so they can emoji and like faster, and make better pictures of themselves with puppy faces. It seems to get even faster the more you bedazzle it with your rainbow studs, glitter, and plastic diamonds. And don't forget your LVE stickers where the apple logo fills in for the missing O.
Huawei is practically banned from the US already, why would they care what the government thinks?
If you're that worried about it then you should start a campaign to educate people about it
Was DDT banned due to lots of people voicing their opinions on it ? Or was it banned undemocratically, with a mandate from powers that be ?
About technical matters, where the populace is not expected to understand the implications of their choice, how are decisions taken in your world ?
Bingo Dictionary - Pragmatist, n. A myopic idealist.
didn't know apple offered a 8 core 5ghz option. might give it a try, where can i buy?
Who is liable when somebody rewrites your pacemaker software and kills you? Or burns your house down when they rewrite the software on the microwave? I guarantee the same people on this forum who are insisting on more freedom will be the first people to line up and sue they manufacturer when they cause some real physical damage by modding the device, "but, but, there should have been hardware interlocks preventing me from doing any real damage".
Because they want to be able to get back into the market in a couple of years?
As many years as I care to merge them into the branch for my device and recompile. If I could find a phone that lasted longer than a couple years without some piece of hardware going out I'd care more.
refactor the law, its bloated, confusing and unmaintainable.
it's no longer an option now.
they even have their own GUI upon Android (MUI).
if i can't flash it and run a standard Android, no thanks
On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero.
Need i say more.The Banks want your phones ownership and it's whereabouts for every moment of your live in exchange for holding your phone up to the till in the supermarket.
Some exchange.
I am done with Who are We.
What a sell out bunch you are allowing this to happen.