suggestion: increase LOS device wiki utility with a new bootloader_type enum;unlocked

Search This thread

Osndok

Member
Jul 29, 2017
19
6
I've always found it kind of hard to pick "the next phone" to buy... especially since my interests seem to be orthogonal to what all the review sites focus on. This time around I found success by combining (1) the lineage os stats (what everyone else is having success with), and (2) the device wiki data (because I needed a special feature: dual sim slots).

There is one thing, though, that I think the device wiki is missing... and it is hinted at in this commit:
* https://github.com/LineageOS/lineage_wiki/commit/f489e78535360e09aaa7425d894e602e25e44760

Especially for one that does not follow modern trends, or who does not have a lot of time to weed out phones that are "popular but unofficial" (like the homtom) and research possibly-stale forum info concerning the bootloader (as I have bought several phones on such ground thinking they could be unlocked!); I recommend adding another enum field to the LOS device wiki to describe the current state of the bootloader.

Why? Not only would it save huge amounts of time for those searching out their next LOS phone, but it might also gain wider visibility into the "bootloader problem", subtly pressuring companies to produce favored unlockable phones, or at least not regress (as huawei has done).

I recommend a new enum field: bootloader_type

  • already_unlocked - The device ships from the factory unlocked. You might be able
    to lock it, but why would you want to.
  • freely_unlockable - Unlockable without needing any sort of code, "phoning home",
    or secret-sauce-software to unlock it. e.g. Nexus phones, oneplus phones
  • with_permission - Unlockable only with permission and interaction with a another
    party, and that party is known to currently be issuing permission to anyone who
    asks. e.g. motorola phones
  • jail_breakable - The device is intended to be locked up tight, but they failed.
    Care must be taken as there is often a closing window of opportunity to use this
    device before a firmware update removes its utility. Often shifts to not_permitted
    (below) once the last known jail break is patched.
  • not_permitted - There may be an unlock mechanism, but it is generally infeasible
    or secret. e.g. huawei
  • confusing - Phones with the same model number come with different unlockability,
    or only special bootloader versions can be jailbroken, so extra care must be taken.
    e.g. pixel phones