Bootloader unlocking: Difference between revisions
Revived this "ancient" page, with a particular focus on Android bootloader unlocking, but it still needs a lot of work. |
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== Alternative Android-based Operating Systems == | Unlocking the bootloader of a smartphone allows the user to install an alternative system on the device, also known as a custom ROM.<ref>{{Cite web |date=19 Aug 2025 |title=Android ROM |url=https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/android-rom |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241223222958/https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/android-rom |archive-date=23 Dec 2024 |website=PCMag}}</ref> | ||
There are several reasons why some smartphone users install alternative operating systems on their smartphones: | |||
*'''Superior Privacy:''' Most custom ROMs do not contain any of the components that send data to the manufacturer, Google, and their partner companies.<ref name=":0" /> In some cases, they even contain components that prevent individual apps from doing so, such as [https://doc.e.foundation/support-topics/advanced_privacy_main.html /e/'s Advanced Privacy] or [https://calyxos.org/docs/tech/datura-details/ CalyxOS's Datura Firewall]. | |||
*'''Expanding Device Lifespan:''' Most custom ROMs are free of bloatware and can thus be used extend the longevity of phones that have become unusable due to the default system growing larger with each manufacturer update. Especially on low-end phones, these updates usually end up exhausting the built-in storage after sometimes as little as two years. This renders the devices slow and unstable and leaves no room for user data. Custom ROMs are typically much smaller than the manufacturer software. Consequently, many old phones can run even faster with a custom ROM than they were when new, thus often more than doubling their useful lifespan.<!-- Source? --> | |||
*'''Security Updates after device is abandoned by manufacturer:''' Low-end devices usually receive only a few years or even months of security updates.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Android Update Matrix |url=https://www.androidupdatetracker.com/update-matrix |access-date=2025-08-23 |website=Android Update Tracker}}</ref> Since most custom ROMs are built by the open source community, installing one of these custom ROMs allows users to receive security updates for the Android system and default components like web browser engines and PDF readers much longer than with the manufacturer's OS.<!-- Source? --> | |||
*'''Customisation''' Some applications cannot be removed easily with the default OS. A custom ROM can be used to only include the applications the user wants, potentially with customisation that isn't originally available by default. | |||
Unlocking the bootloader is only [[Phones that do not allow bootloader unlock|possible on some, but not all Android devices]]. Apple has measures in place to prevent users from installing third party operating systems on iPhones and iPads.<!-- Source? --> | |||
==Features== | |||
On a default Android system there is the deep integration with Google Play Services. This is a system process that requires access to files, contacts, storage, call logs, SMS messages, location, camera and microphone so that basic system apps are able to function.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Aragon |first=Jonah |date=21 Jul 2024 |title=Android |url=https://www.privacyguides.org/en/android/#install-a-custom-distribution |url-status=live |access-date=17 Aug 2025 |website=Privacy Guides}}</ref> Alternative systems avoid this process entirely, or use a privacy preserving workaround.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gordon |first=Arielle |date=7 Jun 2019 |title=The Open Source Project That Keeps Google's Hands Off Your Android Data |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-open-source-project-that-keeps-googles-hands-off-your-android-data/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250630130025/https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-open-source-project-that-keeps-googles-hands-off-your-android-data/ |archive-date=30 Jun 2025 |access-date=19 Aug 2025 |website=Vice}}</ref> | |||
==Alternative Android-based Operating Systems== | |||
These include, but are not limited to: | These include, but are not limited to: | ||
* [https://grapheneos.org/ GrapheneOS] | *[https://grapheneos.org/ GrapheneOS] | ||
* [https://iode.tech/iodeos/ IodéOS] | *[https://iode.tech/iodeos/ IodéOS] | ||
* [https://e.foundation/e-os/ /e/OS] | *[https://e.foundation/e-os/ /e/OS] | ||
* [https://lineageos.org/ LineageOS] | *[https://lineageos.org/ LineageOS] | ||
* [https://calyxos.org/ CalyxOS] | *[https://calyxos.org/ CalyxOS] | ||
* [https://source.android.com/ AOSP (Android Open Source Project)] , also known as "stock" Android<ref>https://eylenburg.github.io/android_comparison.htm</ref> | |||
*[https://source.android.com/ AOSP (Android Open Source Project)] , also known as "stock" Android.<ref>https://eylenburg.github.io/android_comparison.htm</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Patel |first=Pratham |date=20 Feb 2024 |title=5 De-Googled Android-based Operating Systems to Free Your Smartphone from Google and other Big Tech |url=https://itsfoss.com/android-distributions-roms/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250707220149/https://itsfoss.com/android-distributions-roms/ |archive-date=7 Jul 2025 |access-date=19 Aug 2025 |website=It's FOSS}}</ref> | |||
==References== | |||
<references /> | |||