A couple of days back we brought you the news that HTC was considering changing the bootloader restrictions on its Android handsets. Today, the company’s chief executive Peter Chou has delivered the news that the Android developer wanted to hear, HTC will no longer be locking bootloaders on its devices.
The good news came via HTC’s social media presences, namely Facebook and Twitter. The short message thanked customers for their feedback and announced news of the company’s decision:
“There has been overwhelmingly customer feedback that people want access to open bootloaders on HTC phones. I want you to know that we’ve listened. Today, I’m confirming we will no longer be locking the bootloaders on our devices. Thanks for your passion, support and patience,” Peter Chou, CEO of HTC
The full details are yet to be discovered so we don’t know if the new policy will allow owners of current HTC devices to manually unlock their handsets. It is possible that HTC will choose to ship new devices with unlocked bootloaders to protect the warranty on its smartphones but also to ensure its users don’t encounter any trouble performing the steps themselves.
Its a clever move by HTC, it needs to ensure it is seen amongst the Android community as one of the more flexible vendors that allows its customers to customise their devices. In a market with stiff competition, especially from Samsung and LG, every feature counts – especially if it allows you to unlock your handset and tweak it.
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