Motorla pay attention and follow HTC's lead!

[bouchigo]

HTC to commit to not lock bootloaders!

https://www.facebook.com/HTC/posts/10150307320018084

 

[Nightwind Hawk]

Wow...

Here I come HTC!

 

[bouchigo]

Wow...

Here I come HTC!

That's what I was thinking when I saw that. I hope they come out with a really nice phone for VZW (with good battery life).

 

[z0mb13m4n]

Yeah, right now the HTC's on Verizon aren't what I'm wanting, but Motorola really needs to follow HTC's lead on this an just unlock our damn phones already.

 

[ThaiBoy02]

I feel HTC as well as Moto need to step up their hardware on the VZW network, all their recent phones are just underwhelming.....

 

[Airmaxx23]

Now all they need to do is make a phone that doesn't feel like cheap plastic.

 

[nsa_sailor]

But they are cheap plastic.
I actually like my HTC Imagio.

 

[Kevmueller]

Of all the bands of phones I have owned, which is most (outside of Apple) Motorola builds the strongest feeling phone. I would be willing to say IF Motorola ever decides to unlock the bootloaders I may never buy a different brand of phone. The two HTC phones I had looked used after 4 to 5 months, my 10 month old X still looks like it came out of the box last week.

 

[trophynuts]

First of all...i've never heard anyone use HTC and Good Battery life in the same sentence until now...lol

Second of all....isn't this just a way possibly for HTC to point the finger at Carriers. Just because HTC doesn't lock phones could the carrier still lock them?

 

[PACAnesFan]

Didn't Moto say they would unlock bootloaders when/if the carriers sign on to the idea? I would imagine Verizon would not be too happy if HTC did this of their own accord.

 

[anabsa]

Didn't Moto say they would unlock bootloaders when/if the carriers sign on to the idea? I would imagine Verizon would not be too happy if HTC did this of their own accord.

It appears that you are right...

@andrewwalberg
@VZWSupport will @VerizonWireless allow @htc phones with the unlocked bootloader on there network?



@VZWSupport
@andrewwalberg No, a device with an unlocked bootloader cannot be activated on the Verizon Wireless network. *RB

 

[Metroidman]

It appears that you are right...

@andrewwalberg
@VZWSupport will @VerizonWireless allow @htc phones with the unlocked bootloader on there network?



@VZWSupport
@andrewwalberg No, a device with an unlocked bootloader cannot be activated on the Verizon Wireless network. *RB

Um what? Incredible had unlocked Bootloader as I recall. So did the original Droid. I don't think the inc 2 or TBolt have locked Bootloaders.

 

[PACAnesFan]

The Inc2 and TBolt DO have locked bootloaders. HTC provided the keys to the dev. community. The Inc did have an unlocked bootloader, if I recall correctly.

That tweet is very interesting. Very interesting indeed.

 

[andonakis]

HTC to commit to not lock bootloaders!

https://www.facebook.com/HTC/posts/10150307320018084

What in the world is a bootloader?? And why is it such a deal breaker for so many? I just don't understand this bootloader thing. I googled it and I still don't understand the benefit of having an "UNLOCKED BOOTLOADER"

 

[trophynuts]

let the carrier/manufacturer finger pointing begin

 

[hahaha what]

Twitter

@VZWSupport VZW Support
Correction>> You CAN activate your HTC device with an unlocked bootloader on our network, we apologize for the confusion.

also moto talked about bootloader unlocking months ago, this thread should be named htc paid attention and followed motorola's lead.

 

[VoidedSaint]

lol, it should actually be named
HTC followed Moto's lead but realized that was dumb

 

[JrzDroid]

Twitter

@VZWSupport VZW Support
Correction>> You CAN activate your HTC device with an unlocked bootloader on our network, we apologize for the confusion.

also moto talked about bootloader unlocking months ago, this thread should be named htc paid attention and followed motorola's lead.

talked but never did anything. HTC said it and then did it. Motorola's was a public stunt. Said it from the beginning

 

[scary alien]

What in the world is a bootloader?? And why is it such a deal breaker for so many? I just don't understand this bootloader thing. I googled it and I still don't understand the benefit of having an "UNLOCKED BOOTLOADER"

andonakis,

A bootloader is the software that a computer (or whatever smart device is using a CPU) uses to initially load the remaining operating system software (Android, in our phone's case). The term is coined from the word "bootstrap" or "bootstrapping" (i.e., to pull oneself up by your own bootstraps (think cowboy boots with the straps on the side)). See Bootstrapping - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A locked bootloader prevents you from loading (booting) software that does not have the signature that said locked bootloader expects (i.e., Motorola, in this case, prevents only Moto-signed ROMs / software from being loaded and flashed).

Unlocking the bootloader, or allowing the bootloader to load things other than the "approved" / signed software, opens-up the possibilities of installing custom kernels, true custom recoveries, and ROMs that may (do!) provide many features and alternatives that the original software did / does not provide.

Hope that helps.

Cheers!

 

[Piiman]

The Inc2 and TBolt DO have locked bootloaders. HTC provided the keys to the dev. community. The Inc did have an unlocked bootloader, if I recall correctly.

That tweet is very interesting. Very interesting indeed.

The tweet is basic VZW support....Clueless.

 

[Piiman]

Twitter

@VZWSupport VZW Support
Correction>> You CAN activate your HTC device with an unlocked bootloader on our network, we apologize for the confusion.

also moto talked about bootloader unlocking months ago, this thread should be named htc paid attention and followed motorola's lead.

except Moto hasn't actually unlocked any yet.

 

[bouchigo]

except Moto hasn't actually unlocked any yet.

Exactly, Moto is nothing but talk and no action.

Not only has Moto not unlocked anything, but I haven't seen their CEO come out and say they will unlock their bootloaders like HTC's CEO has done.

 

[novox77]

While HTC has announced that they will unlock their bootloaders, it's unclear what "unlock" refers to. I suspect they will remove the encrypted signature (which is really what people were protesting, btw, whether they knew it or not). But NAND protection will still be on at the time of activation. It's up to the user to then find the means to unlock the bootloader. Business as usual.

I doubt HTC would have made this very public announcement about unlocking the bootloader if the carriers would never agree to it. Because the end user doesn't know/care who is enforcing the lock. If the end result is not an unlocked bootloader, HTC will take the hit. Which is why I think either the carriers don't care, or they don't have the leverage to prevent HTC's decision.

It's also likely that the decision to lock the bootloader never had anything to do with the carriers.

I'd love to see Motorola follow suit and announce a change in their bootloader policy. Sony, Samsung, and now HTC are moving toward lax bootloader security. So Moto is really starting to stick out like a sore thumb.

If you're interested in learning more about what all the hoopla is about, take a look here for some basic definitions of locked, signed, and encrypted, as they relate to the bootloader. It was written for an HTC audience, but it's still very applicable to Moto.

http://androidforums.com/evo-3d-all-things-root/342046-encrypted-bootloader-properly-defined.html

 

[kramerica]

Is this just the talk portion? It reads like they are on board???

Motorola Says 2011 Devices To Have "Unlockable/Relockable Bootloader" | Android News, Reviews, Apps, Games, Phones, Tablets, Tips, Mods, Videos, Tutorials - Android Police

 

[scary alien]

Is this just the talk portion? It reads like they are on board???

Motorola Says 2011 Devices To Have "Unlockable/Relockable Bootloader" | Android News, Reviews, Apps, Games, Phones, Tablets, Tips, Mods, Videos, Tutorials - Android Police

Yes, at least so far, it is .

HTC's announcement can only help put a little pressure on Motorola.

The link you provided that came out in late April certainly was a good start (a small olive branch, if you will), but as many have indicated above, Moto has certainly not yet gotten fully on-board.

Cross your fingers, though .

Cheers!