Elephant-in-the-room Question: Will Verizon lock bootloader again?

[nowell29]

This is likely an obvious answer to some or many, but I have not been able to find a clear answer myself. Will VZ keep the bootloader locked, and thus no easy way for ROM development or deployment on their provided P3's? Or is there a light at the end of this tunnel?

 

[Fear_The_Fluff]

This is likely an obvious answer to some or many, but I have not been able to find a clear answer myself. Will VZ keep the bootloader locked, and thus no easy way for ROM development or deployment on their provided P3's? Or is there a light at the end of this tunnel?

I think until people start getting their phones we wont have an answer. I'm thinking the Verizon P3 may come locked. I think people said in the past the ones coming from google are unlocked until activated (I'm not fully sure on that as I am a soon to be first time pixel owner). So getting the phone rooted first maybe ideal. Once a root is made of course

 

[ryanhe30]

I just got my pixel3 today, OEM unlocking is greyed out and says unavailable to carrier-locked devices

 

[Eudeferrer]

I think until people start getting their phones we wont have an answer. I'm thinking the Verizon P3 may come locked. I think people said in the past the ones coming from google are unlocked until activated (I'm not fully sure on that as I am a soon to be first time pixel owner). So getting the phone rooted first maybe ideal. Once a root is made of course

This puppy will be locked down based on previous years experience and the addition of the new Titan M chip. I think, while not impossible, it will also be harder than other years to unlock.

---------- Post added at 05:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:28 PM ----------

I just got my pixel3 today, OEM unlocking is greyed out and says unavailable to carrier-locked devices

If you care about an unlocked bootloader and root, I would return it and get the unlocked version while you still can.

 

[Fear_The_Fluff]

This puppy will be locked down based on previous years experience and the addition of the new Titan M chip. I think, while not impossible, it will also be harder than other years to unlock.

---------- Post added at 05:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:28 PM ----------



If you care about an unlocked bootloader and root, I would return it and get the unlocked version while you still can.

Did the old Pixel's come with any kind of security chip? I've only had Samsungs in the past so I don't know too much on that.

 

[ryanhe30]

This puppy will be locked down based on previous years experience and the addition of the new Titan M chip. I think, while not impossible, it will also be harder than other years to unlock.

---------- Post added at 05:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:28 PM ----------



If you care about an unlocked bootloader and root, I would return it and get the unlocked version while you still can.

No worries... I figured it wouldn't be that easy. I was able to OEM unlock the original Pixel out of the box. Work purchased it for me so I can't do much.

 

[bobby janow]

Forget Verizon.. what do you think about this? https://www.androidpolice.com/2018/10/17/google-explains-new-titan-m-chip-makes-pixel-3-secure/

 

[Riycou]

I just got my pixel3 today, OEM unlocking is greyed out and says unavailable to carrier-locked devices

did you activate it first or remove the sim and skip all the connection prompts? what did you do when you first got it besides take out of the package?

 

[typo13]

I'm wondering the same thing, i ordered a carrier unlocked version from the google store in hopes that in the future i can root and flash roms if i choose too. I guess i'll have to wait and see what happens.

 

[netwokz]

I'm surprised nobody has posted anything about it yet. First thing I'm doing with mine tomorrow is unlocking the bootloader. Hopefully nothing has changed.

Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk

 

[chrisjennings]

I was told by a Google Support Chat Person (reliable source I know, haha) that the bootloader would be unlockable on the carrier unlocked versions purchased from the Google Store. She said that the Verizon versions would not be bootloader unlockable. I've pre-ordered an unlocked version, but I use Verizon as a carrier. There are very few developer-friendly options out there for VZW users (I'm upgrading from an Axon 7 running a custom ROM). That Android Police article makes me a bit nervous, but I'll wait until the phone gets into more developer hands to see how difficult it will be to mod. I was planning on unlocking the bootloader first thing, I can give it a try when it arrives tomorrow.

 

[vivanshah]

google store version unlocked just fine with "fastboot flashing unlock" as usual

 

[ryanhe30]

did you activate it first or remove the sim and skip all the connection prompts? what did you do when you first got it besides take out of the package?

I didn't activate at first, skipped all the prompts. But when I got into developer options, the OEM unlock is greyed out and says activate phone or connect to internet. After I activated it, it was still greyed out but gave me the carrier locked phone message instead. The only other thing I did was turn off automatic updates.

---------- Post added at 09:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:11 PM ----------

I'm wondering the same thing, i ordered a carrier unlocked version from the google store in hopes that in the future i can root and flash roms if i choose too. I guess i'll have to wait and see what happens.

You don't have to worry unless you purchase through Verizon. My job purchased mine so I didn't really have a say, I'm just happy to get a pixel3. If you buy it through any other retailer, it will be unlockable. Google phones always have been.

 

[nowell29]

I was told by a Google Support Chat Person (reliable source I know, haha) that the bootloader would be unlockable on the carrier unlocked versions purchased from the Google Store. She said that the Verizon versions would not be bootloader unlockable. I've pre-ordered an unlocked version, but I use Verizon as a carrier. There are very few developer-friendly options out there for VZW users (I'm upgrading from an Axon 7 running a custom ROM). That Android Police article makes me a bit nervous, but I'll wait until the phone gets into more developer hands to see how difficult it will be to mod. I was planning on unlocking the bootloader first thing, I can give it a try when it arrives tomorrow.

What frustrates me is how "the man" locks down open source! The whole point of Android was to be able to develop it! Frankly, most of the daily used features were developed first in the community of ROM baking. To limit them is to turn us all into iphone users. It was 'sky's the limit' at first. I had me the original Google Developer G1. I watched those custom roms turn from JesusFreak to Cyanogenmod to Cyanogen as a company. Locking down a phone should simply come with a warning. VZW and others only have to say, if you break this you buy it, and we won't support you. It's how the open source world works! Works fine for Cannonical and Redhat among others. Open source is how Amazon AWS and Google GCP stay alive! Even MS is getting on board with their linux offerings and inclusions now.

 

[bobby janow]

This is likely an obvious answer to some or many, but I have not been able to find a clear answer myself. Will VZ keep the bootloader locked, and thus no easy way for ROM development or deployment on their provided P3's? Or is there a light at the end of this tunnel?

Here we go again, same story.. same ending. VZW will lock the bootloader, why can't we just put this to bed? You want development then you know what to buy it's as simple as that. To claim they are the "man" holding you in captivity is disingenuous. They have a business model and you just don't fit into it. Leave it at that. They don't care what you think or how many posts you put up. They care that they can go to a corporate network admin and sell them 10,000 phones because they can't be rooted or bl unlocked. Attacks, viruses, and the overall ubiquitous use of cell phones is a long way from Cyanogen days. It's not about the warranty or support. It's about sales, period.

It does look like the Google version is bl unlockable but it's certainly preventing programs from running at this point. They need a kernel to bypass the check which should come pretty soon.

 

[chrisjennings]

I didn't activate at first, skipped all the prompts. But when I got into developer options, the OEM unlock is greyed out and says activate phone or connect to internet. After I activated it, it was still greyed out but gave me the carrier locked phone message instead. The only other thing I did was turn off automatic updates.


---------- Post added at 09:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:11 PM ----------



You don't have to worry unless you purchase through Verizon. My job purchased mine so I didn't really have a say, I'm just happy to get a pixel3. If you buy it through any other retailer, it will be unlockable. Google phones always have been.

I had this issue too. First I had to turn on USB debugging. Then I closed out of settings and went back in and saw that it wasn't greyed out anymore. I was concerned at first too, but then was able to unlock the bootloader no problem.

 

[bunklung]

Here we go again, same story.. same ending. VZW will lock the bootloader, why can't we just put this to bed? You want development then you know what to buy it's as simple as that. To claim they are the "man" holding you in captivity is disingenuous. They have a business model and you just don't fit into it. Leave it at that. They don't care what you think or how many posts you put up. They care that they can go to a corporate network admin and sell them 10,000 phones because they can't be rooted or bl unlocked. Attacks, viruses, and the overall ubiquitous use of cell phones is a long way from Cyanogen days. It's not about the warranty or support. It's about sales, period.

It does look like the Google version is bl unlockable but it's certainly preventing programs from running at this point. They need a kernel to bypass the check which should come pretty soon.

I side effect of the this two versions of one phone is that when you RMA these or buy used you might get the wrong version. I have RMA's right through Google with my Google purchased phone and it would not unlock because they are all one model to Google. It's pretty said.

https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/73217322

 

[bobby janow]

I side effect of the this two versions of one phone is that when you RMA these or buy used you might get the wrong version. I have RMA's right through Google with my Google purchased phone and it would not unlock because they are all one model to Google. It's pretty said.

https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/73217322

Yeah I know about that. Very frustrating for those that wish to bl unlock. I'm not in that category any longer although I'm thinking of unlocking my 5X now that I have this and a Pixel 2 as a backup. Those were the days. flashing unlock and done.