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Asus refunds Zenfone buyer for failing to provide bootloader unlock tools

androidauthority.com

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Re: Asus refunds Zenfone buyer for failing to provide bootloader unlock tools

#11

Post by as1mov »

jsheard wrote: post #8
Rinzler89 wrote: post #2

>Given that ASUS has one of the worst software support commitments in the Android world [...] It started removing posts about bootloader unlocking in its ZenTalk forums. Which is why I never understood why Asus Zenfone kept being recommended on HN all the time when people asked for good android phones to buy. I thought this community appreciated long SW support. I think the people recommending it were not dogfooding…

The Zenfones mainly carved out a following because they're the smallest flagship-tier Android phones on the market. Asus has terrible support, but if you want a small-ish device there isn't a great deal of choice nowadays.

Indeed, today if you want a phone that isn't gigantic the options are really limited. Zenfone also had benefit of being quite sturdy since the back wasn't made from glass/metal, so you can go without a protective case. I have dropped mine a couple of times, but it hasn't suffered any damage until now.

Re: Asus refunds Zenfone buyer for failing to provide bootloader unlock tools

#12

Post by DoneWithAllThat »

The article casually refers to Asus breaking “their promise” but nothing in the rest of the article suggests Asus ever promised anything of the sort. That they used to provide the tools wasn’t a promise. Did they ever advertise or up-front communicate that these tools would be made available and maintained?

Re: Asus refunds Zenfone buyer for failing to provide bootloader unlock tools

#13

Post by jMyles »

sn0wtrooper wrote: post #9

Long is gone the time where unlocking bootloaders and installing custom ROMs was the best path to follow. Even if you are able to unlock it (with difficulties such as this one, or others that involve opening the device and soldering a shortcut), you will have a device where apps check for unlocked bootloaders and rooted OS, and forbid you from use the application.

> Long is gone the time where unlocking bootloaders and installing custom ROMs was the best path to follow.

...wha? I just installed GrapheneOS on my Pixel 8 Pro and it is, by a decent margin, the best custom ROM experience on a phone I've had to date.

Re: Asus refunds Zenfone buyer for failing to provide bootloader unlock tools

#14

Post by arsome »

sn0wtrooper wrote: post #9

Long is gone the time where unlocking bootloaders and installing custom ROMs was the best path to follow. Even if you are able to unlock it (with difficulties such as this one, or others that involve opening the device and soldering a shortcut), you will have a device where apps check for unlocked bootloaders and rooted OS, and forbid you from use the application.

Largely depends on your priorities and level of effort.

You can bypass all current app checks using Magisk and Play Integrity Fix, but it's a bit of work to maintain and can break occasionally. You gain in this case full control of your device like a desktop OS, block ads, modify app behavior, disable unwanted system features, but you have to put in effort to maintain it.

However if you don't want to deal with that, you can also just not use those apps, use it like you would a Librem or PinePhone, load primarily open source software to it, optionally don't even bother with play store, etc. Might not be for everyone, but if you don't care that much for Google Wallet or multi-player games on your phone, it's not a bad option.

Re: Asus refunds Zenfone buyer for failing to provide bootloader unlock tools

#15

Post by xyst »

clementmas wrote: post #7

The refund is probably not worth the time spent building the case but it sends a valuable message. Keep your promises.

I would be surprised if Asus even sends a lawyer to defend against small claims.

Might be better to form a class action.

Re: Asus refunds Zenfone buyer for failing to provide bootloader unlock tools

#16

Post by encom »

jMyles wrote: post #13
sn0wtrooper wrote: post #9

Long is gone the time where unlocking bootloaders and installing custom ROMs was the best path to follow. Even if you are able to unlock it (with difficulties such as this one, or others that involve opening the device and soldering a shortcut), you will have a device where apps check for unlocked bootloaders and rooted OS, and forbid you from use the application.

> Long is gone the time where unlocking bootloaders and installing custom ROMs was the best path to follow. ...wha? I just installed GrapheneOS on my Pixel 8 Pro and it is, by a decent margin, the best custom ROM experience on a phone I've had to date.

>GrapheneOS

This was not a project I expected to use Discord for support. Sad.

Re: Asus refunds Zenfone buyer for failing to provide bootloader unlock tools

#17

Post by yxhuvud »

as1mov wrote: post #11
jsheard wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Zenfones mainly carved out a following because they're the smallest flagship-tier Android phones on the market. Asus has terrible support, but if you want a small-ish device there isn't a great deal of choice nowadays.

Indeed, today if you want a phone that isn't gigantic the options are really limited. Zenfone also had benefit of being quite sturdy since the back wasn't made from glass/metal, so you can go without a protective case. I have dropped mine a couple of times, but it hasn't suffered any damage until now.

You can go without protective shell, but it is so slippery you want one just to avoid airborne phones.

Re: Asus refunds Zenfone buyer for failing to provide bootloader unlock tools

#18

Post by franga2000 »

sn0wtrooper wrote: post #9

Long is gone the time where unlocking bootloaders and installing custom ROMs was the best path to follow. Even if you are able to unlock it (with difficulties such as this one, or others that involve opening the device and soldering a shortcut), you will have a device where apps check for unlocked bootloaders and rooted OS, and forbid you from use the application.

It sure isn't what it used to be, but if you buy the right phone and make a few moderate compromises, it's still a great option.

Installing crDroid on my OnePlus 9 Pro took half an hour, another half to install Magisk Delta with a few modules. The universal dark mode alone (Xposed module "DarQ") is worth the effort, but also the ability to clone apps, have proper clipboard sync, make full-system backups and customise the look and functions of my OS to a currently unparalleled degree.

The only compromise is I can't seem to be able to do NFC card payments (send or receive), one of my 4 banking apps needs a custom patch every few months to start working and a friend tells me the McDonald's app doesn't work.

Re: Asus refunds Zenfone buyer for failing to provide bootloader unlock tools

#19

Post by BizarreByte »

arsome wrote: post #14
sn0wtrooper wrote: post #9

Long is gone the time where unlocking bootloaders and installing custom ROMs was the best path to follow. Even if you are able to unlock it (with difficulties such as this one, or others that involve opening the device and soldering a shortcut), you will have a device where apps check for unlocked bootloaders and rooted OS, and forbid you from use the application.

Largely depends on your priorities and level of effort. You can bypass all current app checks using Magisk and Play Integrity Fix, but it's a bit of work to maintain and can break occasionally. You gain in this case full control of your device like a desktop OS, block ads, modify app behavior, disable unwanted system features, but you have to put in effort to maintain it. However if you don't want to deal with that,…

> but it's a bit of work to maintain and can break occasionally.

Which is a major problem because my tolerance for my bank's app not working when I open it is so low it might as well be non-existent.

I personally gave up this fight.

Re: Asus refunds Zenfone buyer for failing to provide bootloader unlock tools

#20

Post by npteljes »

jMyles wrote: post #13
sn0wtrooper wrote: post #9

Long is gone the time where unlocking bootloaders and installing custom ROMs was the best path to follow. Even if you are able to unlock it (with difficulties such as this one, or others that involve opening the device and soldering a shortcut), you will have a device where apps check for unlocked bootloaders and rooted OS, and forbid you from use the application.

> Long is gone the time where unlocking bootloaders and installing custom ROMs was the best path to follow. ...wha? I just installed GrapheneOS on my Pixel 8 Pro and it is, by a decent margin, the best custom ROM experience on a phone I've had to date.

I have it on my Pixel 7a, and it's a great experience, but I also don't need to run apps that check for phone "security" or integrity. This is the case OP is talking about.

https://grapheneos.org/usage#banking-apps

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