Samsung Removes Bootloader Unlocking with One UI 8 • Hacker News Board

Re: Samsung Removes Bootloader Unlocking with One UI 8

#221

Post by subscribed » Tue, Jul 29, 2025, 2:22 PM UTC

RealStickman_ wrote: post #35

saidinesh5 wrote: post #7

Pixel stopped providing device trees, kernel history, Samsung has been doing this for a while now. Which are the devices/vendors that still allow / encourage this? Even Graphene OS reported that they're in talks with some vendor... Have there been any updates towards that? The main reason i used to root devices are: * Get longer support/OS updates than what the vendor provided * System level adblock using adaway * Ti…

Here's an updated list of relatively popular phone manufactures and their bootloader unlocking potential. https://github.com/melontini/bootloader-unlock-wall-of-shame...

They mix up Google-vendor (pixels are absolutely the best and most unlocking-friendly hardware at this point), with Google Play Services services/limitations (ie dominant player in android ecosystem) AND Google, the dominant contributor to AOSP project.

And it's also partially false, as Gemini works just fine after unlocking/relocking, and all the advanced features (full performance of the cameras, NPU access, secure element) work even on non-Google OS. Things that do not work (mostly wallet) are valid issue, but then again, they work just fine after flashing OEM firmware And relocking The bootloader.

So I can only guess the quality of the contribution is similar with other phone brands.

Re: Samsung Removes Bootloader Unlocking with One UI 8

#222

Post by NoGravitas » Tue, Jul 29, 2025, 2:29 PM UTC

erremerre wrote: post #44

lordofgibbons wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do anyone know why GrapheneOS doesn't support fairphone?

The curious thing is that being GrapheneOS open source, I would think that somebody could potentially create a ROM for them, even if it is not as secure as GrapheneOS would like. However, absolutely nobody has done it yet...

AXP.OS (axpos.org) is LineageOS-based (formerly DivestOS-based), but includes security backports from GrapheneOS and CalyxOS. No doubt it is less secure than GrapheneOS, but surely more secure than LineageOS, and supports bootloader relocking on some devices.

Re: Samsung Removes Bootloader Unlocking with One UI 8

#223

Post by NoGravitas » Tue, Jul 29, 2025, 2:38 PM UTC

codedokode wrote: post #164

It is getting incredibly difficult to obtain a non-backdoored smartphone nowadays. I tried to find which phones support alternative OSes, without Google control and telemetry, but it turned out that alternative OSes (LineageOS, PostmarketOS, Graphenos) support mostly support outdated models and it makes no sense to buy them. There is also "Google Pixel", but the prices start at around $600 which is 3 times more than…

GrapheneOS supports the newest Pixels, and only the Pixels that are still getting updates from Google. Right now the least bad option is probably a one-generation-old NOS or Open Box Pixel with GrapheneOS.

Re: Samsung Removes Bootloader Unlocking with One UI 8

#224

Post by palata » Tue, Jul 29, 2025, 3:30 PM UTC

gmueckl wrote: post #190

fcpk wrote: post #178

Earlier quoted context omitted.

which is idiotic as you can have things like locked through adb root that only grants you root if you use adb to connect and you need to approve the request to connect on the phone first. This has nothing to do with guarantees but is just a security theater to sound like they are doing something

My argument isn't as much about the tech as it is about managing risk on the bank's side. Imagine claims like "the XYZ bank app mangled my input and now my money is gone". I'm certain that people have sued for less. How can the bank argue in court that this wasn't their fault? What if the plaintiff demonstrates some actual glaring app misbehavior in court, but the root cause is in a broken third party Android build?

Are they "managing risk" or are they just "doing stuff"? How often does it happen that an alternative Android OS causes issues to banking apps? I have personally never heard of that, and it would be very bad publicity for the OS.

In my experience, because a company does that kind of "risk management" does not mean, at all, that it is a useful thing to do.

Re: Samsung Removes Bootloader Unlocking with One UI 8

#225

Post by metadat » Tue, Jul 29, 2025, 4:25 PM UTC

t0bia_s wrote: post #198

Will this stop you from purchasing a new Samsung device? Yes. I was buying Samsung devices for years because of size (A5, A7, S10e) and ability to unlock bootloader for Lineage OS. Time to look elsewhere.

Yep, if Samsung phones are now just as closed as Apple, well.. Android phones certainly aren't superior in many dimensions. Bummer.

Re: Samsung Removes Bootloader Unlocking with One UI 8

#226

Post by subscribed » Tue, Jul 29, 2025, 6:10 PM UTC

aeblyve wrote: post #62

bestouff wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Whatever floats your boat. I'll remain with the latest vendor making custom OS possible. FYI Pixels still allow flashing custom ROMs, they've just slightly inconvenienced developers.

It's not necessarily about it being possible, but the level of support and refinement. The future I'm seeing is one in which custom ROMs still exist as hobby projects, but aren't suitable for use in "production".

You still don't get any better support than with Pixel though. I wish it was different. And I'll be using my Pixel 9 with GOS until its no longer supported (so several more years), and if then there are no viable Android options? Well, so be it, iOS (which i despise but Android with Google pervasive surveillance is unusable. I know, iOS is not much better but at lease is about as secure as gos).

Re: Samsung Removes Bootloader Unlocking with One UI 8

#227

Post by itsTyrion » Tue, Jul 29, 2025, 6:13 PM UTC

observationist wrote: post #128

ranger207 wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It is impossible to protect data on rooted phones What makes securing rooted phones different from securing rooted PCs?

Magic rock complicated. Grog say Grug too dumb to do magic rock right, so only Grog have secret magic rock key. Grug pay Grog many shiny rock for make magic rock work, or Grog use key and magic rock stop working.

???

Re: Samsung Removes Bootloader Unlocking with One UI 8

#228

Post by WXLCKNO » Tue, Jul 29, 2025, 7:54 PM UTC

phkahler wrote: post #208

WXLCKNO wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're gonna have to explain that one. Do you mean the new One UI update that made the notification pull down split into left and right swipes instead swipe down and then swipe down again? Because if that's what you mean, you can configure it to be the way it used to be again. Little pencil button, then panel settings and choose together instead of separate.

That was it!! How was i supposed to know to swipe down and then right? Grrr!

Glad I could help :)

I think they have like a one time pop up to explain which is easy to miss.

Re: Samsung Removes Bootloader Unlocking with One UI 8

#229

Post by Jotalea » Tue, Jul 29, 2025, 9:08 PM UTC

saidinesh5 wrote: post #7

Pixel stopped providing device trees, kernel history, Samsung has been doing this for a while now. Which are the devices/vendors that still allow / encourage this? Even Graphene OS reported that they're in talks with some vendor... Have there been any updates towards that? The main reason i used to root devices are: * Get longer support/OS updates than what the vendor provided * System level adblock using adaway * Ti…

You can block ads without root by using Adguard DNS.

Re: Samsung Removes Bootloader Unlocking with One UI 8

#230

Post by Jotalea » Tue, Jul 29, 2025, 9:14 PM UTC

I never had the chance to root any Android device (unknown models, locked bootloaders, no benefit on rooting, or simply bad hardware), guess I'll never have it again.