Consumer Rights Wiki - User contributions [en]

Bootloader unlocking

2025-08-18T16:58:26Z

2A02:810D:548D:E500:C4B6:FBD4:2665:D4B0: Grammar

Unlocking the bootloader of a smartphone allows the user to install an alternative system on the device, also known as a custom ROM.<ref>https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/android-rom</ref>

Beyond customisation, there are several reasons why a user would want to install an alternative operating system on their phone:

*'''Superior Privacy:''' Most custom ROMs do not contain any of the components that send data to the manufacturer, Google, as well as their partner companies. In some cases, they even contain components that prevent individual apps from doing so, such as [https://doc.e.foundation/support-topics/advanced_privacy_main.html /e/'s Advanced Privacy].
*'''Expanding Device Lifespan:''' Most custom ROMs are free of bloatware and can thus be used extend the longevity of phones that have become unusable due to the default system growing larger with each manufacturer update. Especially on low-end phones, these updates usually end up exhausting the built-in storage after sometimes as little as two years. This renders the devices slow and unstable and leaves no room for user data. Custom ROMs are typically much smaller than the manufacturer software. Consequently, many old phones can run even faster with a custom ROM than they were when new, thus often more than doubling their useful lifespan.
*'''Security Updates after device is abandoned by manufacturer:''' Low-end devices usually receive only a few years or even months of security updates. Since most custom ROMs are built by the open source community, installing one of these custom ROMs allows users to receive security updates for the Android system and default components like web browser engines and PDF readers much longer than with the manufacturer's OS.

Unlocking the bootloader is only possible on some, but not all Android devices. Apple has measures in place that prevent users from installing third party operating systems on iPhones and iPads.

==Features==
On a default Android system there is the deep integration with Google Play Services. This is a system process that requires access to files, contacts, storage, call logs, SMS messages, location, camera and microphone so that basic system apps are able to function.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Aragon |first=Jonah |date=21 Jul 2024 |title=Android |url=https://www.privacyguides.org/en/android/#install-a-custom-distribution |url-status=live |access-date=17 Aug 2025 |website=Privacy Guides}}</ref> Alternative systems avoid this process entirely, or use privacy preserving workaround.<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 May 2025 |title=MicroG |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MicroG |url-status=live |access-date=18 Aug 2025 |website=Wikipedia |publisher=Wikipedia contributors}}</ref>

==Alternative Android-based Operating Systems==
These include, but are not limited to:

*[https://grapheneos.org/ GrapheneOS]
*[https://iode.tech/iodeos/ IodéOS]
*[https://e.foundation/e-os/ /e/OS]
*[https://lineageos.org/ LineageOS]
*[https://calyxos.org/ CalyxOS]

*[https://source.android.com/ AOSP (Android Open Source Project)] , also known as "stock" Android.<ref>https://eylenburg.github.io/android_comparison.htm</ref>

==References==
<references />

Bootloader unlocking

2025-08-18T16:57:03Z

2A02:810D:548D:E500:C4B6:FBD4:2665:D4B0: Added explanations what the advantages of a custom ROM are. I think this makes it clearer why this is important for someone like a journalist or a legislator.

Unlocking the bootloader of a smartphone allows the user to install an alternative system on the device, also known as a custom ROM.<ref>https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/android-rom</ref>

Beyond customisation, there are several reasons why a user would want to install an alternative operating system on their phone:

* '''Superior Privacy:''' Most custom ROMs do not contain any of the components that send data to the manufacturer, Google, and their partner companies, and in some cases, even components that prevent apps from doing so, such as [https://doc.e.foundation/support-topics/advanced_privacy_main.html /e/'s Advanced Privacy].
* '''Expanding Device Lifespan:''' Most custom ROMs are free of bloatware and can thus be used extend the longevity of phones that have become unusable due to the default system growing larger with each manufacturer update. Especially on low-end phones, these updates usually end up exhausting the built-in storage after sometimes as little as two years. This renders the devices slow and unstable and leaves no room for user data. Custom ROMs are typically much smaller than the manufacturer software. Consequently, many old phones can run even faster with a custom ROM than they were when new, thus often more than doubling their useful lifespan.
* '''Security Updates after device is abandoned by manufacturer:''' Low-end devices usually receive only a few years or even months of security updates. Since most custom ROMs are built by the open source community, installing one of these custom ROMs allows users to receive security updates for the Android system and default components like web browser engines and PDF readers much longer than with the manufacturer's OS.

Unlocking the bootloader is only possible on some, but not all Android devices. Apple has measures in place that prevent users from installing third party operating systems on iPhones and iPads.

==Features==
On a default Android system there is the deep integration with Google Play Services. This is a system process that requires access to files, contacts, storage, call logs, SMS messages, location, camera and microphone so that basic system apps are able to function.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Aragon |first=Jonah |date=21 Jul 2024 |title=Android |url=https://www.privacyguides.org/en/android/#install-a-custom-distribution |url-status=live |access-date=17 Aug 2025 |website=Privacy Guides}}</ref> Alternative systems avoid this process entirely, or use privacy preserving workaround.<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 May 2025 |title=MicroG |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MicroG |url-status=live |access-date=18 Aug 2025 |website=Wikipedia |publisher=Wikipedia contributors}}</ref>

==Alternative Android-based Operating Systems==
These include, but are not limited to:

*[https://grapheneos.org/ GrapheneOS]
*[https://iode.tech/iodeos/ IodéOS]
*[https://e.foundation/e-os/ /e/OS]
*[https://lineageos.org/ LineageOS]
*[https://calyxos.org/ CalyxOS]

*[https://source.android.com/ AOSP (Android Open Source Project)] , also known as "stock" Android.<ref>https://eylenburg.github.io/android_comparison.htm</ref>

==References==
<references />

OnePlus

2025-08-18T16:37:15Z

2A02:810D:548D:E500:C4B6:FBD4:2665:D4B0: /* Bootloader unlocking restrictions (2025) */ Added fixme because the cited EU radio security legislation banning bootloader unlocking is apparently not true, but this needs more investigation than I can spare time for right now

{{CompanyCargo
|Founded=2013-12-15
|Logo=OnePlus.svg
|Industry=Electronics
|ParentCompany=Oppo
|Type=Private
|Website=https://oneplus.com
|Description=OnePlus, is a Chinese consumer electronics manufacturer headquartered in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
}}Oneplus (一加) is a Chinese telephone manufacturer, spun off from Oppo in 2013 as a separate brand. Oneplus sells telephones in many western markets, whereas Oppo's presence outside of China is somewhat more limited. The company has generally been well regarded in terms of consumer protection, and is faily supportive of allowing bootloader unlocking and therefore third party modifications for their hardware.

==Consumer-impact summary==
{{Ph-C-CIS}}

This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].
===Bootloader unlocking restrictions (''2025'')===
{{Main|link to the main article}}
Staring from the ColorOS version 16 the company is going to make the process of unlocking bootloader more complicated.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bbs.oneplus.com/thread/1926504022886318086|title=一加深度测试公告&QA|work=OnePlus|date=2025-08-13|access-date=2025-08-18|archive-url=https://archive.ph/zYm3W|archive-date=2025-08-14|url-status=live}}</ref> While as of now it is only going to impact users in China<ref>{{Cite web|url=
https://github.com/melontini/bootloader-unlock-wall-of-shame/pull/141/commits|title=OnePlus: Chinese phones running ColorOS 16.0 and above are now not as easy to unlock|author=progzone122|work=GitHub|access-date=2025-08-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250818154040/https://github.com/melontini/bootloader-unlock-wall-of-shame/pull/141/commits|archive-date=2025-08-18|url-status=live}}</ref>, there is a chance of this modification affecting global version as well, taking into consideration that EU mandates all the Android phones sold there to remove the ability of bootloader unlocking.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blazetrends.com/eu-mandates-android-bootloader-lock-ending-custom-roms-from-august-2025/|title=EU Mandates Android Bootloader Lock, Ending Custom ROMs from August 2025|first=Lena|last=Miles|date=2025-08-07|work=BlazeTrends|access-date=2025-08-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250818153847/https://blazetrends.com/eu-mandates-android-bootloader-lock-ending-custom-roms-from-august-2025/|archive-date=2025-08-18|url-status=live}}</ref>

FIXME: The cited EU Mandate is [https://bsky.app/profile/grapheneos.org/post/3lvq6poe6kc23 apparently fake news] according to the GrapheneOS team

==Products==
{{Ph-C-P}}

==See also==
{{Ph-C-SA}}

==References==
<references />
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]