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 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 ...

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 ...

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, ...

ASUS has apparently withdrawn the ability to unlock the bootloader on its phones. As per the company’s technical support team, Zenfone 10 and Zenfone 9 users won’t be able to root their phones. A ...

Google’s newest smartphones have better cameras, improved fingerprint sensors, more RAM, and other hardware upgrades when compared to the previous-generation. But some of the key selling points for ...

Early testers noticed that the "OEM Unlocking" option, which allows users to unlock the bootloader, is missing on both the Galaxy S25 Ultra One UI 8 beta build. It is also absent on the pre-installed ...