latest
The Google Pixel Watch might not be as developer-friendly as you may have expected
Google has published the kernel source code for the Pixel Watch. However, the lack of an unlockable bootloader blocks the modding avenue.
Google's Wear OS has come of age in many ways, and with the introduction of the Pixel Watch, the smartwatch battleground is bound to get more interesting. Thanks to its innovative software features and deep integration with Fitbit’s core health features, Google’s first smartwatch is uniquely positioned to take this market segment by storm.
Microsoft Surface Duo will get 3 years of OS and security updates, will have an unlockable bootloader
The newly launched Microsoft Surface Duo is being promised 3 years of Android OS and security updates, along with an unlockable bootloader. Read on!
Yesterday, Microsoft officially announced the Surface Duo, their latest attempt at a mobile smartphone. It is a super cool looking dual-screen device running Android, which will also be known as the first Android device from Microsoft. With Android devices, one of the most important questions has been how many years of Android updates the device will receive, as this is crucial to the overall experience. Until recently, most Android OEMs only provided 2 years of updates. Now, Google and Samsung have promised 3 years of Android updates for their flagship devices. Microsoft is now also joining that three-years-of-update group with the Surface Duo.
Poco F1 users can now unlock the bootloader after 3 days
Poco F1 is a new sub-brand phone from Xiaomi. Owners will only have to wait 3 days until they can unlock the bootloader of the Xiaomi Pocophone F1.
You likely know the importance of unlocking the bootloader of an Android smartphone if you're here on XDA. There are some carriers in the United States who do their best to prevent this from happening, and we've even had some smartphone OEMs begin to tighten up the grip on this ability as well. Xiaomi has been a bit of a mixed bag in this department. They used to be as easy as OnePlus or Pixel phones, but then they started making people wait as long as 2 months before they were allowed to unlock their phone. Poco is a new sub-brand from Xiaomi and they have confirmed owners will only have to wait 3 days until they can unlock the bootloader of the Xiaomi Pocophone F1.
Some Amazon Prime Exclusive Moto G5 Plus owners are getting bootloader unlock codes
For the most part, Amazon Prime devices had locked down bootloaders, but we're now seeing reports from multiple Moto G5 Plus owners who are able to get an official unlock code directly from Motorola's website.
Amazon Prime subscribers get a number of benefits that are simply off-limits to those who choose to not subscribe to the service. This includes access to services like Amazon Music, free 2-day shipping on select items, and more. One such benefit is the ability to get a discount on Amazon Prime Exclusive smartphones. The program offers an assortment of devices from a number of OEMs, including Motorola, LG, Nokia, and others. For the most part, these devices have had locked down bootloaders, but we're now seeing reports from multiple Motorola Moto G5 Plus owners who are able to get an official unlock code directly from Motorola's website.