What up with carriers locking bootloaders?

whmgreen · Jan 20, 2014

Are us At&t custom ROM users going to have to move on to greener pastures with this Knox bs or will someone unlock the s4, note 3, and s5 (when it comes out) bootloaders at some point? Just curious if anyone has any insight on this, cause if we can't unlock it I'm definitely moving on to another carrier, personally. Or at least I'll buy international unlocked or Google editions in the future. Thanks and f at&t and Knox!

Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

scott14719 · Jan 20, 2014

whmgreen said:
Are us At&t custom ROM users going to have to move on to greener pastures with this Knox bs or will someone unlock the s4, note 3, and s5 (when it comes out) bootloaders at some point? Just curious if anyone has any insight on this, cause if we can't unlock it I'm definitely moving on to another carrier, personally. Or at least I'll buy international unlocked or Google editions in the future. Thanks and f at&t and Knox!

Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

Bootloader being locked has nothing to do with KNOX. And AT&T has already released an official statement a while back that said they plan on locking ALL carrier branded phones in the future.

whmgreen · Jan 20, 2014

I understand that they are locked. Now can you actually answer my question on whether or not someone will figure out how to unlock it?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using xda app-developers app

GuestX0019 · Jan 20, 2014

How would someone know that? There have been Bounty threads out for awhile and no luck. If they are still active you can follow them--

hednik · Jan 20, 2014

whmgreen said:
I understand that they are locked. Now can you actually answer my question on whether or not someone will figure out how to unlock it?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using xda app-developers app

They lock them to keep people from hard bricking their devices. If it stinks...buy a Nexus or GPE device

cybershawngates · Jan 20, 2014

I think we have to wait a while till the s4 becomes old news. Then att will care less about it and there will be less updates and more time for someone to find a crack or leak for the bootloader unlock and the carriers will care less

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app

whmgreen · Jan 21, 2014

I think I'll just be done with at&t then probably. It's too bad that companies won't allow you to do whatever you want with YOUR phone. That's why I never got an iPhone! I actually don't mind running stock TW but I don't want to be stuck with it forever. Thanks everyone!

Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

hednik · Jan 21, 2014

whmgreen said:
I think I'll just be done with at&t then probably. It's too bad that companies won't allow you to do whatever you want with YOUR phone. That's why I never got an iPhone! I actually don't mind running stock TW but I don't want to be stuck with it forever. Thanks everyone!

Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

Sad part is until it's paid off it not really your phone. Since they have a warranty for a year to cover issues it only makes sense. Now if they would provide an unlock after that warranty is up and the contract is settled then it would make sense.

AxAtAx · Jan 21, 2014

Att will never have a unlocked device again, watch and see.....

toxicpaulution · Jan 21, 2014

And these are the reasons I'm going to be moving over to T-Mobile or nexus devices. Just tired of AT&T all together.

Sent from my SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

GuestX0019 · Jan 21, 2014

Another view:

I will stay with ATT as Verizon is too expensive and TMO in my area has sh**ty reception. ATT has been perfect for me in that area.

Also, I have been a heavy flasher for almost 4 years. The phones now are powerful enough that flashing roms is not that important to me as it once was. If I can get root with Xposed/Gravity Box/3Minit I am good. Plus there are fairly good backup apps now that Nandroiding isn't that critical.

I don't see much more coming my way, after this year, in improvements I am interested in. Something like a Note4 or S5 would be as far as I care to go.

All IMHO of course

:good:

~wolverine~ · Jan 22, 2014

I thought that I read somewhere on a T-Mobile thread that the latest update locked the bootloader on the S4. Was that incorrect?

toxicpaulution · Jan 22, 2014

~wolverine~ said:
I thought that I read somewhere on a T-Mobile thread that the latest update locked the bootloader on the S4. Was that incorrect?

I'd go to the note 3 if I swapped to T-Mobile. I'm honestly tired of the s4 and the features don't wow me anymore plus the note 3 would be better in spec wise as well.

Sent from my SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

GuestX0019 · Jan 22, 2014

~wolverine~ said:
I thought that I read somewhere on a T-Mobile thread that the latest update locked the bootloader on the S4. Was that incorrect?

The i337 bl was always locked but the loki-doki exploit bypassed sig check and allowed us to flash recoveries and kernels. With mf3 they closed that loophole by "blowing the Q-Fuse", whatever that is. Googled it but forgot what I read.

And now you are limited to flashing mostly TW roms <4.4. No custom recoveries/kernels.

~wolverine~ · Jan 22, 2014

rugmankc said:
The i337 bl was always locked but the loki-doki exploit bypassed sig check and allowed us to flash recoveries and kernels. With mf3 they closed that loophole by "blowing the Q-Fuse", whatever that is. Googled it but forgot what I read.

And now you are limited to flashing mostly TW roms <4.4. No custom recoveries/kernels.

I'm not talking about a I337 from AT&T. I was talking about a T-Mobile M919 or do they use the exact same firmware?

GuestX0019 · Jan 22, 2014

~wolverine~ said:
I'm not talking about a I337 from AT&T. I was talking about a T-Mobile M919 or do they use the exact same firmware?

lol ok, in that case i have no idea

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What up with carriers locking bootloaders?

whmgreen

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scott14719

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whmgreen

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GuestX0019

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hednik

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cybershawngates

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whmgreen

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hednik

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AxAtAx

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toxicpaulution

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GuestX0019

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~wolverine~

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toxicpaulution

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GuestX0019

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~wolverine~

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