-
After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.
Bootloader Info
- Thread starter aaronstrong
- Start date
-
- Tags
- motorola droid razr
BigBruDa3rd
Well-Known Member
Say whaaaaaaaaatttttttttttt!!!!!!!!!!!
Of course that wouldn't happen on verizon. Everyone will blame verizon yet every U.S. carrier's moto phones are locked down. If it would have had an unlock for verizon I would have bought it without hesitation.
FragDroidX
Android Expert
I am still holding out hope we will have a way to unlock the Droid Razr.
When asked about the locked bootloader by TechnoBuffalo Moto responded with:
When asked about the locked bootloader by TechnoBuffalo Moto responded with:
cereal killer
Android Expert
If you are dead set on buying the handset hoping that one day it will be unlocked I wouldn't hold out hope for that. It's best to just move on from the RAZR. I'm not ready to jump on the Gnex being a shoe in for an unlocked bootloader but it's one to watch if that is a requirement for you.
I dont think the bootloader being unlocked is what deters people. I mean most other manufacturers have locked bootloaders but they are easily cracked. Moto encrypts their bootloaders and to this day no dev(without a leaked sbf from moto) has found a way to crack the bootloader.
FragDroidX
Android Expert
I will not purchase the Droid Razr as a personal device unless the bootloader manages to get unlocked. I am still undecided if I will pick one up for business use as I give Moto devices to all my employees simply because the radios are by far superior to the other devices. I will also never purchase another Samsung device as they are junk. My next device will probably be the HTC Rezound or possibly the LG Rev 2 if its screen is as nice as the say it is.
Hopefully htc figured out how to get better battery life out of the rezound since the thunderbolt is awful with battery life.
trophynuts
Extreme Android User
I will probably go for the Nexus regardless, but if'n it DOES release more or less fully unlockable in the same way all previous Nexus were, I am think a "Free My Droid RAZR" campaign should be in order. I don't think policies like these should pick favorites really and Moto has put this ALL ON VZW. The free my MOTO campaign already happened and was successful, except on various carriers. Now those carriers need to hear it.
i think moto does it for the business customers. They want businesses to adopt moto phones and not blackberries and in order to do that they need to be really secure so this is one way to get them that way. Not to mention only about 1% even know what a bootloader is and are happy with how moto phones are.
huskerkate
Android Enthusiast
+1
i think Moto might be a little disingenuous by laying the BL decision all on VZW. i've been saying that the business users are a big target of the RAZR, and they can't pull them away from RIM without the added security and encryption features, and regulatory compliance. i think that an unlockable BL would undercut their claims to the RAZR being a business-secure device.
but, VZW sells RIM devices, so they already have a lot of business users. therefore, i don't see this as being completely VZW's decision to lock the BL. i'm betting it was a joint decision...
But verizon charges a higher price for lte phones and want more users on their lte network which they advertise so hard. They also probably know that RIM is slipping and android is selling like crazy and with a hot device like the razr that could get huge businesses on board with android maybe?
There is ZERO reason the RAZR sold through the corp channels couldn't be fully locked like this while consumer RAZR's were sold as unlockable. I still don't think this improves corp security in any significant way in the end anyhow, but if it does, lock the corp devices not ALL of them. I am pretty sure this is a purely VZW thing and NOTHING more.
If they can buckle for Google they can buckle on ALL devices they sell except maybe to customers that want/need them locked. This isn't an ALL or NOTHING discussion. VZW should not be getting a pass on this. I consider any LTE device that is not unlockable on VZW a flagrant abuse of some of the FCC clauses they agreed to when they won the spectrum for LTE they are using. It may technically be legal, but goes against the whole intent of some of the requirements Google got the FCC to implement.
Other carriers do the same thing it isnt only verizon.
It doesn't have to be an ALL or NOTHING sorta deal though. VZW Corp customers can have a fully locked and impossible to unlock device if that is what they want. Selling such a device to them shouldn't stop the REST OF US from getting an unlockable version. And there is no reason even an unlockable version can't be more or less JUST AS SECURE as a locked one so long as you don't unlock it. And really there should be a means for us to load our own stuff up and lock it back down if you ask me so we can have custom software loads that are then locked up by us with our own personal keys to the BL and such.
I really see this as VZW spitting on the whole agreement they made when they won the old TV spectrum and promised to make their LTE network and devices on it more open. It's all probably technically legal, but obviously soils whatever promises and agreements they made quite badly. And the only way to change it is to demand it change. Technically with LTE we are supposed to be able and go buy something like the RAZR FULLY UNLOCKED off contract without VZW having anything to do with it at all. I figure such things will happen eventually when the VZW network is ALL LTE and your device doesn't need on the CDMA network as VZW will then have less control over such things.
What other carriers have networks built out on spectrum in which they agreed not to do things like this when they won the spectrum through FCC auction?? 700mhz data networks were supposed to be fully open with open devices according to requirements Google negotiated with the FCC by helping ensure the FCC win more money from the auctions than they might have otherwise.
cereal killer
Android Expert
European version unlockable. US version locked per Verizon (supposedly). If the Nexus is allowed on their network and its unlocked. Verizon and Motorola have a lot of explaining to do.
Motorola fans in the US will cause a huge stir you can beleive that.
I could care less either way. Im very interested to see how this plays out though. There will be some splainin to do if its unlocked and if its locked there will be a mass assault on Verizon but at least they can say "hey sorry its our policy moving forward"
Motorola fans in the US will cause a huge stir you can beleive that.
I could care less either way. Im very interested to see how this plays out though. There will be some splainin to do if its unlocked and if its locked there will be a mass assault on Verizon but at least they can say "hey sorry its our policy moving forward"
Just for background on all the 700mhz auction nonsense I keep going on about I figured I should offer some links. Found a good paper written by someone at Duke on it. I'm not a Blue Devil just the first good reference I found to what I am recalling from observing these auctions. Also include a link showing how VZW won most of the C-Blocks of spectrum that the Open Platform Restriction I quote below applied too.
Read my post above. If Moto REFUSES to sell ANY unlockable version through ANY channel, I am pretty sure they are making secret agreements with VZW that should not be getting made, pure and simple. I think we need to pressure Moto and VZW as to what is going on here as we not only have our desires, but actual FCC requirements for C-Block that VZW LTE is build out on backing us up.
BTW, I am pretty sure if Galaxy Nexus hit's fully unlockable with no attempt at all to keep lock it down and transparency on how to unlock as previous Nexus devices, the ONLY explanation for that is that Google is using the requirements of the C-Block auction I pointed out above as leverage. Moto and other device manufacturers have no reason to do the same so their devices end up locked in some way or another with Moto locking theirs the best as they have traditionally preferred to lock devices anyhow I think.
Also, VZW has an open device portal and to this day there are ZERO smartphones that have been officially developed for that. The only reason I can find for this is that OEMs agree to not register for and sell open versions of their smartphones through that program in return for better advertising and other sales help for the devices from VZW. It's the only thing that makes sense. BUT, it's pretty underhanded and against the grain of the FCC requirements on C-Block spectrum if true.
Also, VZW has an open device portal and to this day there are ZERO smartphones that have been officially developed for that. The only reason I can find for this is that OEMs agree to not register for and sell open versions of their smartphones through that program in return for better advertising and other sales help for the devices from VZW. It's the only thing that makes sense. BUT, it's pretty underhanded and against the grain of the FCC requirements on C-Block spectrum if true.