Good news for all the users of HTC Android mobile phones and developers! HTC has just announced that it won’t be locking the bootloaders in its future Android mobile phone handsets anymore. Brilliant news, isn’t it?
Bootloaders basically load the operating system. Unlocked bootloaders allow the handset users to flash custom ROMs and apply some customizations to the Android OS. HTC has been locking the bootloaders (or coming with signed bootloaders) for quite some. After numerous complaints and online petitions, it looks like HTC has taken the feedback from customers and responded in a very positive manner which is very much encouraging. A note from HTC’s CEO Peter Chou has appeared on the mobile phone maker’s Facebook page:
“There has been overwhelmingly customer feedback that people want access to open bootloaders on HTC phones. I want you to know that we’ve listened. Today, I’m confirming we will no longer be locking the bootloaders on our devices. Thanks for your passion, support and patience,“
And the Facebook post obliviously attracted thousands of comments from the HTC customers. However it is still unclear whether the recently launched HTC phones like HTC Incredible S, HTC Sensation and HTC Evo 3D etc., will get the bootloader unlock through a software update. However all the future release Android handsets are going to have unlocked bootloaders.
[Source: Facebook]