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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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, ...

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 ...

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 ...

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, ...

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 ...

A toggle that would let Samsung owners install custom software has disappeared on phones shipping with the new OS, and One UI 8 beta builds for the Galaxy S25. A toggle that would let Samsung owners ...

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 ...