HTC to begin unlocking Sensation and Evo 3D bootloaders in August

HTC has announced that it will begin unlocking bootloaders on its HTC Sensation and Evo 3D smartphones in August, two weeks after it first declared it would reintroduce unrestricted bootloaders following consumer pressure.

HTC revealed in late March was considering changing the bootloader restrictions on its Android handsets after it posted a message to its official Facebook page to notify its customers. The Taiwan-based vendor received so many messages it then decided it would bring bootloader unlocking to its newest phones.

HTC remained quiet on its progress after its initial announcements until it took to its Facebook page on Sunday. The smartphone maker posted that it would begin its rollout with the Sensation and Evo 3D, adding that as each phone would need a new software build and extensive testing, it would need to release updates in stages:

We wanted to provide an update on HTC’s progress with bringing bootloader unlocking to our newest phones. We know how excited some of you are for this capability, and we’ve put significant resources behind making this change as soon as possible. While we wish we could flip a simple switch and unlock all bootloaders across our device portfolio, this is actually a complex challenge that requires a new software build and extensive testing to deliver the best possible customer experience.

We’re thrilled to announce today that software updates to support bootloader unlocking will begin rolling out in August for the global HTC Sensation, followed by the HTC Sensation 4G on T-Mobile USA and the HTC EVO 3D on Sprint. We’re in the testing phase for the unlocking capability now, and we expect it to be fully operational by early September for devices that have received the software updates. We’ll continue rolling out the unlocking capability over time to other devices as part of maintenance releases and new shipments.

HTC continues its commitment to unlocking bootloaders and supporting the developer community. Because of the importance of this community to us, please expect an update on this about every few weeks as we make progress toward launch. Thank you for your patience and continued support!

The unlock capability will likely coincide with the release of official updates for the Sensation. The updates should be completed by September, after which HTC will start to update other Android handsets.