Motorola Finally Making Good on Promises to Unlock Bootloaders Starting With Photon Q

[DroidModderX]

Several months ago Motorola made a promise to begin unlocking bootloaders. They then continued to release device after device with bootloaders that were locked down tight. Today they announced via twitter that the new Photon Q will have an unlockable bootloader. This is good news for the root community. Who knows if Motorola will take the same stance that Htc took with unlocking bootloaders and actually unlock bootloaders of phones that are already on the market. They did mention in their announcement that moving forward they would be looking to offer the option to unlock bootloaders on other devices as well. However they did say that for the past several months they have been working closely with carriers to find a way to make unlockable bootloaders possible, implying that it has been the fault of the carriers that has kept the devices locked down. This explanation is disheartening for me as a Verizon subscriber especially in the wake of the Samsung Galaxy S III locked bootloader debacle. Verizon was so adamant to make the SGSIII unlockable that Samsung was forced to offer their own developer friendly device. With the release of the Motorola Razr HD seemingly around the corner one could only hope that this device may possibly be included in the upcoming list of devices with unlockable bootloaders. I guess we will have to see how Verizon plays it.

Via Motorola ​

 

[MissionImprobable]

I am intrigued. Moto was pretty much crossed off my list for future devices. That said, I am still leery of them because of the lack of updates to certain devices as far as getting the newest OS. The biggest problem with ROMs now it trying to create hardware drivers and even unlocked bootloaders won't fix that. That's still the best looking QWERTY device anyone has dropped since the D3, so I shall stay tuned.

 

[xsylus]

Would be great if they unlocked the Droid 4, I'd love to have a stock, motoblur-free, version of android on my Droid 4.

 

[MissionImprobable]

And poop, I didn't even realized it utilized softkeys. Suwheet.

 

[FoxKat]

THAT'S one SHARP looking slider - AND unlocked! Damn, might make me reconsider going to a slider again. I had the D2 but never really got to liking the keyboard as it was difficult to see, and also difficult to be selective of which key you were hitting. The newest D4 keyboard has gotten great reviews, and this keyboard looks every bit as good as, if not better than the D4. Also, the soft keys makes it that much nicer for the future OS's.

Hmmmm... :biggrin: Oh, and Jelly Bean!! (drools sloppily).

D4 versus Photon Q below:

 

[cobravnm13]

That Photon Q looks pretty nice...

Sent from my 3rd reincarnation of the ever-so-lovable Droid

 

[tjk629]

I think this has a physical camera key!

 

[pc747]

Looks like other carriers are catching up to vzw with their moto line. Any time moto and vzw would like to drop a game changer (ie og droid and even the dx) would be ok with me. Minus the razr maxx moto on vzw has been slipping.

sent from galaxy nexus running jellybean. Are you running jellybean yet?

 

[xsylus]

Still don't understand Motorola's decision to have embedded, non-removable batteries. I suppose the lack of battery terminal connectors saves space internally allowing for a thinner design but it also means once the battery degrades and doesn't hold a charge you're SOL and have to buy a new phone or ship your phone to them to replace the battery at an exorbitant price. I had my Droid 1 for several years and was able to get genuine replacement batteries new on ebay for a few bucks.

http://www.motorola.com/us/consumer...,pd.html?selectedTab=tab-2&cgid=mobile-phones

 

[94lt1]

And now with moto having the backing of Google, perhaps they don't have to play vzw's games...

Also.. I thought it was vzw that wanted the s3 locked. Not Samsung... because vzw is whose been keeping the moto devices locked down..

 

[bdsullivan76]

Damn, that is a sweet looking slider.

Sent from my DROID4

 

[MissionImprobable]

I have hopes for the Droid 5 after seeing this.

 

[pinoy_92]

what does verizon gain by locking bootloaders ?

 

[cobravnm13]

what does verizon gain by locking bootloaders ?

The knowledge that they're forever in control.

Sent from my 3rd reincarnation of the ever-so-lovable Droid

 

[skennelly]

I will believe this when I see it. There will never, ever, ever, be an unlocked Moto phone on Verizon's network.