[thevagrant]

Didnt Huawei locked their bootloader when they started to get big?

I wonder if xiaomi will do that as well.

[milkytron]

I would like to hope that they wouldn't, based on their origins. Xiaomi was once only a small software shop, making a skin for android devices that was easily installable and actually quite good for the time. They had a huge community, and nearly all major devices had it, and I believe almost all of them required an unlocked bootloader.

If Xiaomi went ahead and locked bootloaders on their own will (instead of gov't requiring it), they would be crushing the same thing that allowed them to become successful.

[herbst]

I still don't understand why they thought that's a good idea. Or why any of them thinks it is.

[thevagrant]

I think locking the bootloader can prevent rogue shops installing malware (I heard this was an issue in china). But if that is the reason, manufacturer could give devs and consumers method to unlock.

I did wonder then if locking bootloader could be at request of govt (cue Huawei paranoia).

Perhaps it is a feature not used often enough to justify costs of warranty service/complaints to manufacturer (kids bricking their phone).

[sudosysgen]

What Xiaomi does is you have to login with a Mi account and use it for a week, and then a bootloader unlock can be issued.