Pre-Order For the Motorola RAZR Developer Edition Handset now Live

[prime]

I believe the bootloader SHIPPED locked, meaning it can NEVER be unlocked. Don't hold me to that, but I'm fairly certain that is the case with the RAZR

Motorola could unlock the bootloader through means of a signed update.

A locked bootloader prevents one from writing to the boot partition, no kernel updates can be made to a device with a locked bootloader...nandroid backups can be had along with 2nd init ROMs.

 

[equake]

I believe the bootloader SHIPPED locked, meaning it can NEVER be unlocked. Don't hold me to that, but I'm fairly certain that is the case with the RAZR

I am not sure that is the case. HTC phones were locked also but they had a tool that would unlock those phones. Moto like all the other handset makers are trying to walk a fine line between allowing consumers to muck around with their phones and still maintain a warranty policy. Unlike the PC business where the retailer and/or vendor supports a commodity product the handset makers still consider their h/w very proprietary. I do not necessary agree with this perspective but it is what it is.

 

[TexasRules777]

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Unfortunately I have to disagree with this. Their policy of leaving the device locked really has no real impact on them at all. Nobody really cares. HTC, Nokia, LG all suffered dismal Q4 numbers. The problem lies not in bootloaders but lack of a focused product. Samsung understands it with their Galaxy S line-up .

Just my opinion on this whole thing

That's what makes this announcement so frustrating! The razr is a sexy beast of a phone and moto had a chance to hit another home run with it but releasing a full price non warranty phone just adds to the fu from moto

 

[Dave12308]

I want a simple answer from Motorola, and as a faithful customer feel I am entitled to one. My question is very simple.

If it is okay for HTC, LG, Samsung, and any OTHER Android device manufacturer to offer unlocked bootloader capability on VZW, then what on earth makes Motorola so damn different? They act like VZW is going to do something bad to them if they offer a bootloader unlock.

 

[Raverrevolution]

Of course we are a small blip in the big picture for Moto. They don't give two craps about us. They just want to appeal to the rest buying their phones, but it's the principle of it all. Why?? What's hurting them by unlocking these phone's bootloaders?

It's all BS and trust me, somehow somewhere the reasoning just leads back to them thinking greed and ways to make more money. Sure we are a small insignificant blip, but there's no reasoning behind what they do other than them just being spiteful at this point if it's somehow not to nickel and dime us like Verizon does.

 

[Talon66721]

I want a simple answer from Motorola, and as a faithful customer feel I am entitled to one. My question is very simple.

If it is okay for HTC, LG, Samsung, and any OTHER Android device manufacturer to offer unlocked bootloader capability on VZW, then what on earth makes Motorola so damn different? They act like VZW is going to do something bad to them if they offer a bootloader unlock.

Man, you said it right there!! That's about as well put and simple as I've heard it, and I've written it many times. Just not so well!

I've often tried to figure out any logic to their madness and just can't. The OG with it's unlocked bootloader pretty much saved Moto from going under. Ever since, locked down like Fort Knox. At VZW's request. Yet, VZW will let other brands be unlocked. Why is there no consistency with the insanity? Seems like Big Red being a Big Bully. Lol.

Sent from my DROIDX using DroidForums

 

[cereal killer]

Motorola could unlock the bootloader through means of a signed update.

A locked bootloader prevents one from writing to the boot partition, no kernel updates can be made to a device with a locked bootloader...nandroid backups can be had along with 2nd init ROMs.

actually not. If it SHIPS locked it cannot ever be unlocked. It has to ship with the unlockable/lockable bootloader. As I said before I'm not 100% certain they shipped the Droid RAZR locked if they didn't then you are correct, but if not, then it will never happen.

 

[brad92]

Motorola has too many factory defects and faulty phones for me to ever buy one of their phones with no warranty.

X

 

[tgyberg]

A lot of people mention how much of a small insignificant portion of total sales us hackers are. I'd say we are a little more significant (or at least being heard) now because along with HTC, they have at least acknowledged the dev community. This first step needs some work but I do like the direction it could go.

 

[ablank]

So, in the end, if the dev. edition made it into the right hands we could end up with the bootloader unlocked?


Sent from my DROID RAZR using DroidForums

 

[loki993]

actually not. If it SHIPS locked it cannot ever be unlocked. It has to ship with the unlockable/lockable bootloader. As I said before I'm not 100% certain they shipped the Droid RAZR locked if they didn't then you are correct, but if not, then it will never happen.

So they cant flash the phone with a new bootloader at say a Verizon store or send it in the moto to have it flashed? Of course that would require V$ to be onboard with the whole thing. Obviously it would sourly wipe the phone, but still.

A lot of people mention how much of a small insignificant portion of total sales us hackers are. I'd say we are a little more significant (or at least being heard) now because along with HTC, they have at least acknowledged the dev community. This first step needs some work but I do like the direction it could go.

Oh maybe they were just like lets just unlock them to avoid the bad press.

 

[Darksthour]

OK correct me if I am wrong here. So Motorola finally comes out with a phone with an unlockable bootloader. May not be exactly what we want but it's a hell of a lot closer to them just saying something and then doing nothing. They offer the phone without a warranty. While if you buy any other phone from Verizon and root/unlock you void your warranty anyways. Also if you have an unlocked bootloader isn't it incredibly difficult and you really have to mess something up to brick it? Personally I don't give two sh*ts about a warranty if they send it unlocked. I know what I'm getting into with it and I'm pretty sure a replacement policy has to be in place if you get a defective phone out of the box. I understand that everyone may not like Motorola because of how fast they pump out phones. I own a Droid 3 and was really upset looking at the Bionic and the Droid 4 so I understand. I'm just curious to hear why everyone is complaining about something that should be seen as a positive and a step in the right direction to a company that is starting to hear that we would like. I also would like to add that I really like Motorola's phones. I think that every one is built incredibly well and look great. The problem they run into is in their software. But even with their locked down phones I still have root and I have Ice Cream Sandwich running on it (thanks to Hash) so I can just debloat and deblur it.

 

[equake]

actually not. If it SHIPS locked it cannot ever be unlocked. It has to ship with the unlockable/lockable bootloader. As I said before I'm not 100% certain they shipped the Droid RAZR locked if they didn't then you are correct, but if not, then it will never happen.

I'm with Prime on this one. Even if the bootloader is locked shipped it still can be unlocked via an update and vice-versa it can be locked if shipped unlocked. The way its locked is another story but usually its encrypted so that makes it virtually impossible to crack.

 

[anthrpicdecadnce]

OK correct me if I am wrong here. So Motorola finally comes out with a phone with an unlockable bootloader. May not be exactly what we want but it's a hell of a lot closer to them just saying something and then doing nothing. They offer the phone without a warranty. While if you buy any other phone from Verizon and root/unlock you void your warranty anyways. Also if you have an unlocked bootloader isn't it incredibly difficult and you really have to mess something up to brick it? Personally I don't give two sh*ts about a warranty if they send it unlocked. I know what I'm getting into with it and I'm pretty sure a replacement policy has to be in place if you get a defective phone out of the box. I understand that everyone may not like Motorola because of how fast they pump out phones. I own a Droid 3 and was really upset looking at the Bionic and the Droid 4 so I understand. I'm just curious to hear why everyone is complaining about something that should be seen as a positive and a step in the right direction to a company that is starting to hear that we would like. I also would like to add that I really like Motorola's phones. I think that every one is built incredibly well and look great. The problem they run into is in their software. But even with their locked down phones I still have root and I have Ice Cream Sandwich running on it (thanks to Hash) so I can just debloat and deblur it.

unfortunely, no warrenty means no warrenty. Its bs. Because like you said, when we brick our phones, we dont get the warrenty. So wat were really losing is the ability to return the product if it has a manufacterer defect. Seriously moto. You are they only company doing thi. At the very least, stand behind your product. Htc does. Samsung does. Hell, even moto used to. And most of the time when we return our phones, its due to hardware issues, aka factory defects. And on top of that, they want half a grand for this thing? Moto just lost more points in my eyes. To me, thisvis just moto's way of slapping us in the face and taking our money. I expect support for their devices to drop even more now to entice people to buy this money trap. Makes me sick.

 

[cereal killer]

I'm with Prime on this one. Even if the bootloader is locked shipped it still can be unlocked via an update and vice-versa it can be locked if shipped unlocked. The way its locked is another story but usually its encrypted so that makes it virtually impossible to crack.

From the way it was explained to me that's not the way it works. An unlockable/lockable bootloader is an option from manufacturer/Motorola. The device will ship with or without. I'm just the messenger, perhaps the info I was given is incorrect but thats what I was told.

They even elude to it on their FAQ. When asked "How do I tell if my device has an unlockable/re-lockable bootloader?"

"This depends on a few factors. First is whether the device ships with a bootloader that is capable of being unlocked or re-locked..."