Drastically Reduced Xiaomi Bootloader Unlock Policy Raises Questions Over Device Ownership (androidpolice.com)
(Friday January 03, 2025 @05:00AM (BeauHD)
from the freedom-limiting dept.)
- Reference: 0175820545
- News link: https://slashdot.org/story/25/01/03/0437208/drastically-reduced-xiaomi-bootloader-unlock-policy-raises-questions-over-device-ownership
- Source link: https://www.androidpolice.com/xiaomi-bootloader-unlock-restricted-to-one-device-per-user-year/
Xiaomi has [1]further restricted bootloader unlocking to [2]just one device per user per year , significantly hindering custom ROM development and reinforcing user dependence on its proprietary HyperOS ecosystem. Android Police reports:
> Roughly a year ago, Xiaomi introduced a policy limiting users to three unlocked devices per account, providing only a limited time window for unlocking, and demanding waiting periods before doing so. It's now gone even further, limiting users to unlocking the bootloader of just a single device throughout the year. Unlocking the bootloader changes the way a phone works by preventing automated software updates, among other things, and isn't a good idea for most users. Power users love it for complete customization of their devices, and unlocked bootloaders are critical to the creation and installation of privately developed operating systems, or custom ROMs.
>
> Custom ROMs usually (but not always) derive from pre-existing OSs like Android or Xiaomi's HyperOS. To write operating software that works on a certain device, you need to develop it on that specific device. Consequently, individuals and teams throughout the enthusiast phone sphere constantly add to their collections of bootloader-unlocked phones. The new unlocking restrictions could place undue hardship on resource-limited development teams, reducing the number of custom ROMs produced moving forward. Xiaomi first tightened restrictions roughly a year ago, following the enforcement of [3]a Chinese law requiring certain pre-installed software behaviors. But Xiaomi's business plan and sales models indicate a couple of other motivations for insisting users stick with its first-party HyperOS.
Some of the motives include preventing scalping, avoiding accidental bricking, and preserving advertising-driven revenue. However, these measures come at the cost of user freedom and may stifle innovation within the enthusiast developer community.
[1] https://xiaomitime.com/xiaomi-global-bootloader-unlock-policy-has-changed-20295/
[2] https://www.androidpolice.com/xiaomi-bootloader-unlock-restricted-to-one-device-per-user-year/
[3] https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/2022-12/15/content_5732079.htm
> Roughly a year ago, Xiaomi introduced a policy limiting users to three unlocked devices per account, providing only a limited time window for unlocking, and demanding waiting periods before doing so. It's now gone even further, limiting users to unlocking the bootloader of just a single device throughout the year. Unlocking the bootloader changes the way a phone works by preventing automated software updates, among other things, and isn't a good idea for most users. Power users love it for complete customization of their devices, and unlocked bootloaders are critical to the creation and installation of privately developed operating systems, or custom ROMs.
>
> Custom ROMs usually (but not always) derive from pre-existing OSs like Android or Xiaomi's HyperOS. To write operating software that works on a certain device, you need to develop it on that specific device. Consequently, individuals and teams throughout the enthusiast phone sphere constantly add to their collections of bootloader-unlocked phones. The new unlocking restrictions could place undue hardship on resource-limited development teams, reducing the number of custom ROMs produced moving forward. Xiaomi first tightened restrictions roughly a year ago, following the enforcement of [3]a Chinese law requiring certain pre-installed software behaviors. But Xiaomi's business plan and sales models indicate a couple of other motivations for insisting users stick with its first-party HyperOS.
Some of the motives include preventing scalping, avoiding accidental bricking, and preserving advertising-driven revenue. However, these measures come at the cost of user freedom and may stifle innovation within the enthusiast developer community.
[1] https://xiaomitime.com/xiaomi-global-bootloader-unlock-policy-has-changed-20295/
[2] https://www.androidpolice.com/xiaomi-bootloader-unlock-restricted-to-one-device-per-user-year/
[3] https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/2022-12/15/content_5732079.htm
Better stay away (Score:2)
by gweihir ( 88907 )
There are vendors with sensible policies.
Xiaomi == CCP (Score:1)
by greytree ( 7124971 )
You buy a phone from a company run by a communist dictatorship.
And your problem with it is that it restricts the number of times you can unlock the bootloader.
Think bigger.
I haven't seen this... (Score:2)
Admittedly I've only owned two, but both (international versions) were unlocked out of the box.
Also, there is a great java tool that lets you pull all the bloatware out of the HyperOS system.