HTC makes locked bootloaders a thing of the past
Going forward all HTC devices will have unlockable bootloaders, making them far easier to customize by "rooting" and installing new OS software.
- More than two decades experience writing about PCs and accessories, and 15 years writing about cameras of all kinds.
As promised by HTC CEO and president Peter Chou, all HTC Android devices launched after September 2011 can have their bootloaders unlocked.
The bootloader is a program that controls the startup process for a device. Unlocking the bootloader is a key step in customizing Android to make a phone do things its manufacturer (or carrier) never intended. That's something most people don't want to do, but according to HTC, its customers have been asking for it so much that it sounds like it couldn't ignore them.
Note, this is not for unlocking your SIM lock. It is just for unlocking the bootloader. HTC is working on unlocking models released before September 2011; you can check this list of currently supported devices to see if yours is on it.
Of course, this doesn't mean you're free to brick your device without consequences. The HTCdev site detailing the procedure repeatedly warns of side effects and warranty concerns. Still, if you've been itching to customize HTC devices, this is a nice step forward.
Now it's your turn, Motorola.
(Via XDA Developers)