Xiaomi just launched its new “HyperOS” skin for Android devices, but in a bit of a twist of the knife to enthusiasts, the company is not only disabling the option to unlock the bootloader but is also ...

I've been writing about Android since 2011, with a focus on device reviews, Samsung and Google Pixel hardware, and the latest happenings in the ecosystem. In my entire writing career, I've reviewed ...

Xiaomi has confirmed that it is blocking bootloader unlocking by default on HyperOS phones. The company says you’ll need to apply for permission to unlock your HyperOS device via its forum. MIUI and ...

Chris Thomas was a reporter at Android Police from 2022 until 2025. People generally want the ability to use purchased devices how they see fit. Xiaomi, on the other hand, wants to maintain ...

Xiaomi has introduced significant changes to its Bootloader (BL) unlocking policy, effective from January 1, 2025. These updates mark a significant shift in the company’s approach to device ...

In the UK, a Zenfone buyer sued ASUS over the company’s broken promise to provide bootloader unlocking support for its phones. The buyer won, getting a full refund for the phone and their court fees, ...

Years ago, unlocking the bootloader on Android phones was more common. While far fewer people do it now, there is still a niche that likes to test advanced software modifications and more. That said, ...

The Hisense A9 is an Android phone with a 6.1 inch, 1248 x 824 pixel greyscale E Ink display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 processor, and support for up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Unlocking the ...

Xiaomi just introduced strict restrictions to unlocking the bootloader on its HyperOS-running phones, citing security and data protection. While MIUI devices offer some amount of flexibility in this ...

OnePlus is tightening the rules around bootloader access with its latest software update. With the rollout of ColorOS 16 in China, users who want to unlock their phone’s bootloader will now need to ...

An Android security engineer challenges the need for device lockdown and says that it's possible for carriers to support bootloader unlocking without having to endanger mobile networks or compromise ...