Related
Need to take my Atrix in for warranty purpose. A few methods have been discussed and I'm looking for the safest means possible. Any opinion's on this? I leaning towards the SBF method using Moto's stock 2.3.4 via RSD Lite.
Sounds like having your cake and eating it too.. You seen all the warnings saying your void if you unlock right? Here is another thread about "relocking" (hiding "unlocked" is not relocking btw, relocking is impossible.) also there are many threads on this topic, feel free to search.
WiredPirate said:
Sounds like having your cake and eating it too.. You seen all the warnings saying your void if you unlock right? Here is another thread about "relocking" (hiding "unlocked" is not relocking btw, relocking is impossible.) also there are many threads on this topic, feel free to search.
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Click to collapse
Dude why do you have to be such a DB all the time, i'v looked around these posts for about 30 min and i have seen you respond with same kind of Jack A remarks everytime. Were here for help not to be ridiculed.
Please don't take this the wrong way but the dev community is actively trying to get all manufacturers to allow for unlocked bootloaders and one of the main things most of us are willing to forfeit is our warranties so when someone decides to voluntarily do something that is known to void the warranty and then try to trick the manufacturer into fixing their phone under said warranty it hurts our argument. We all made the choice when we unlocked our phones so it is only fair that we take responsibility for our decisions.
Hopefully, in the future we can come to an agreement with manufacturers that there is an "opt-in" option for unlocking our phones and as long as we stay within the confines of the agreement then we can still have the option to have the phone serviced for physical defects.
kyleallen5000 said:
Dude why do you have to be such a DB all the time, i'v looked around these posts for about 30 min and i have seen you respond with same kind of Jack A remarks everytime. Were here for help not to be ridiculed.
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live4nyy said:
Please don't take this the wrong way but the dev community is actively trying to get all manufacturers to allow for unlocked bootloaders and one of the main things most of us are willing to forfeit is our warranties so when someone decides to voluntarily do something that is known to void the warranty and then try to trick the manufacturer into fixing their phone under said warranty it hurts our argument. We all made the choice when we unlocked our phones so it is only fair that we take responsibility for our decisions.
Hopefully, in the future we can come to an agreement with manufacturers that there is an "opt-in" option for unlocking our phones and as long as we stay within the confines of the agreement then we can still have the option to have the phone serviced for physical defects.
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Click to collapse
I'm going to have to second this. as much as i dislike the "unlocked" at the top of my screen i made this choice. little did i know that it would actually say this when done:-( however rooting, rom, bootloader unlock, other mods done by us, unfortunately void our warranty.
however.... if you wanted a device that you could unlock bootloader or what not. you should have went with an inspire as you can turn s-on after being s-off and flash back to stock firmware. therefore in essence. not be hurting the valiant efforts of our communtiy to get the manufacturers to allow us more exploration.
I do feel your pain, yet like stated in every thread for rooting and romming and bootloader..... YOUR WARRANTY IS NOW VOID!!!
SErooted said:
I'm going to have to second this. as much as i dislike the "unlocked" at the top of my screen i made this choice. little did i know that it would actually say this when done:-( however rooting, rom, bootloader unlock, other mods done by us, unfortunately void our warranty.
however.... if you wanted a device that you could unlock bootloader or what not. you should have went with an inspire as you can turn s-on after being s-off and flash back to stock firmware. therefore in essence. not be hurting the valiant efforts of our communtiy to get the manufacturers to allow us more exploration.
I do feel your pain, yet like stated in every thread for rooting and romming and bootloader..... YOUR WARRANTY IS NOW VOID!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It actual says may void warranty. I think until there is some agreement made, we don't have any rules regarding this. I mean unlocking the bootloader doesn't make some of the defects happen. As an American with consumer rights, I will hold them responsible, but only if not directly from my mingling. Also I have read that moto has fixed phones with unlocked bootloaders.
Sent from my MB860 using xda premium
Sass86 said:
It actual says may void warranty.
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Click to collapse
+1
"May" is not synonymous with "will." People continue to misinterpret those terms.
If unlocking the BL absolutely voided your warranty, they would have indicated as such with a term that meant "will."
I stand corrected. The point is valid.... "may" and "will" are different words and meanings.
However most times when the statement made by a corporation that includes "may" or "might" means you are out of luck.
Not to argue, because I do agree with you but in legal terms the word "may" does not mean the same thing as the normal definition.
may v. a choice to act or not, or a promise of a possibility, as distinguished from "shall" which makes it imperative. 2) in statutes, and sometimes in contracts, the word "may" must be read in context to determine if it means an act is optional or mandatory, for it may be an imperative. The same careful analysis must be made of the word "shall." Non-lawyers tend to see the word "may" and think they have a choice or are excused from complying with some statutory provision or regulation.
The underlined part highlights how they would see it as it implies you are making the choice to void your warranty.
Now, this is how I see it because I tend to think most definitions regarding legal terms is in place to protect companies and not consumers so if someone could elaborate and prove me wrong, I invite it with open mind.
magecca said:
+1
"May" is not synonymous with "will." People continue to misinterpret those terms.
If unlocking the BL absolutely voided your warranty, they would have indicated as such with a term that meant "will."
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Click to collapse
kyleallen5000 said:
Dude why do you have to be such a DB all the time, i'v looked around these posts for about 30 min and i have seen you respond with same kind of Jack A remarks everytime. Were here for help not to be ridiculed.
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Click to collapse
Lol, you read all my other posts about this in the past 30 minute and still dont understand you voided your warrenty DA!? I dont care if you do or dont get service for your voided phone, and Im not gonna argue about the word may. I dont care. What i do care about is checking XDA without seeing the same GD threads over and Fing over again because DAs like you refuse to use the Fing search button. SMC.
lol funny arguments gotta love em. For one hiding the Unlock really doesn't matter considering I have returned one Atrix to where I bought it and they didn't care. Secondly Motorola has the "Choice" to deny you warranty repairs but they MAY accept the warranty repair and third they could always, if the phone was returned, reflash the bootloader to Lock it again. Plan and simple easy answer is it is ultimately up to Motorola if they want to repair it or not once it is unlocked.
I'm not talking about personal experience, it's about assuming responsibility for your actions. My whole point is accountability, there are people all the time trying to take advantage of the system and end up ruining it for everyone else. Society is fostering an entire generation of vain and spoiled derelicts.
You are right though, it could all come down to who you run into while trying to have your phone repaired.
malickie said:
lol funny arguments gotta love em. For one hiding the Unlock really doesn't matter considering I have returned one Atrix to where I bought it and they didn't care. Secondly Motorola has the "Choice" to deny you warranty repairs but they MAY accept the warranty repair and third they could always, if the phone was returned, reflash the bootloader to Lock it again. Plan and simple easy answer is it is ultimately up to Motorola if they want to repair it or not once it is unlocked.
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Click to collapse
live4nyy said:
I'm not talking about personal experience, it's about assuming responsibility for your actions. My whole point is accountability, there are people all the time trying to take advantage of the system and end up ruining it for everyone else. Society is fostering an entire generation of vain and spoiled derelicts.
You are right though, it could all come down to who you run into while trying to have your phone repaired.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True more or less. Society is propagating the problem but it really starts with the way the government is running things as a whole. Not saying it's right but until something changes in society and the government it's just all down hill. Also if you look deeper banks have a Major role as well. Anyway enough on off topic issue's there yea I do believe it is ultimately up to Motorola whether they will repair the device or not. I would assume they would probably deny the repair if it had something to do with the actual Software of the phone considering you messed with it, hardware probably different considering software usually doesn't blow up hardware.
Thread about how to return phone after voiding warranty, contents:
some name calling, discussion about morality, the meaning of the word "may", society, laws, government, companies
to TS,
try 'accidentally' sinking your Atrix in the ocean for a minute, and then claim your warranty?
or try 2 cover it with your thumb while booting?
to others,
help TS, (like me?), don't condemn everything about what he had done in the past.
maybe, he's your friend next door, a helping hand's neighbor?
SErooted said:
however rooting, rom, bootloader unlock, other mods done by us, unfortunately void our warranty.
however.... if you wanted a device that you could unlock bootloader or what not. you should have went with an inspire as you can turn s-on after being s-off and flash back to stock firmware. therefore in essence. not be hurting the valiant efforts of our communtiy to get the manufacturers to allow us more exploration.
I do feel your pain, yet like stated in every thread for rooting and romming and bootloader..... YOUR WARRANTY IS NOW VOID!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please show me where it states all these things, (rooting, ROMs', bootloader unlock, and 'other' mods), void our warranties.
Also, for the bootloader, as was already stated, it does say MAY void your warranty. The reason it says 'may' is in all probability because if your phone doesn't work/stops working for some reason they legally cannot refuse to warranty it unless they can attribute the problem to the act of unlocking the bootloader. Someone else stated in another thread that it really is not in Motorolas' best interest to start messing with people for unlocking bootloaders when they send in phones for repair. I would tend to agree with this. After reading all the threads I have seen over the last few months, I can't remember reading about anyone who has been declined warranty or been made to pay for repairs because they unlocked their bootloader. To the contrary there are many stories of people getting their phones back fully repaired and still unlocked with no issues.
malickie said:
True more or less. Society is propagating the problem but it really starts with the way the government is running things as a whole. Not saying it's right but until something changes in society and the government it's just all down hill. Also if you look deeper banks have a Major role as well. Anyway enough on off topic issue's there yea I do believe it is ultimately up to Motorola whether they will repair the device or not. I would assume they would probably deny the repair if it had something to do with the actual Software of the phone considering you messed with it, hardware probably different considering software usually doesn't blow up hardware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would love to see an agreement put in place that allows us to have "hardware" still under warranty regardless of "software".
---------- Post added at 06:57 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:56 AM ----------
palmboy5 said:
Thread about how to return phone after voiding warranty, contents:
some name calling, discussion about morality, the meaning of the word "may", society, laws, government, companies
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're right, how could we have messed up so bad? We forgot to talk about Lindsay Lohan!
---------- Post added at 07:04 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:57 AM ----------
baddiejang said:
to TS,
try 'accidentally' sinking your Atrix in the ocean for a minute, and then claim your warranty?
or try 2 cover it with your thumb while booting?
to others,
help TS, (like me?), don't condemn everything about what he had done in the past.
maybe, he's your friend next door, a helping hand's neighbor?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@WiredPirate has already provided a link but I guess I can be pro-active and actually USE the "search" feature.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1201105
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1261413
There are more discussions as well.
---------- Post added at 07:18 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:04 AM ----------
CaelanT said:
Please show me where it states all these things, (rooting, ROMs', bootloader unlock, and 'other' mods), void our warranties.
Also, for the bootloader, as was already stated, it does say MAY void your warranty. The reason it says 'may' is in all probability because if your phone doesn't work/stops working for some reason they legally cannot refuse to warranty it unless they can attribute the problem to the act of unlocking the bootloader. Someone else stated in another thread that it really is not in Motorolas' best interest to start messing with people for unlocking bootloaders when they send in phones for repair. I would tend to agree with this. After reading all the threads I have seen over the last few months, I can't remember reading about anyone who has been declined warranty or been made to pay for repairs because they unlocked their bootloader. To the contrary there are many stories of people getting their phones back fully repaired and still unlocked with no issues.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're right about Motorola should not reject people for warranty repairs, they still have a lot of work to do in rebuilding customer relations and their public image.
I would not care at all about people using their warranties if they just did it but I don't like all the threads discussing how to "dupe" Motorola because they made a conscious decision to unlock their bootloader knowing it "may" void their warranty. And don't get me wrong, I'm not siding with Motorola on the issue, I just believe people should fully understand the implications of their choices and until there is a set agreement on the issue then people should just accept the outcomes.
Also, people should continue to actively pursue getting these policies overturned by companies like Motorola and AT&T. The community has made great strides over the past year and we need to keep pushing.
I really wish people would search instead of crearing another thread on the same thing. People need to be coddled and what better way to start an argument/pity party by starting another thread without using search.
I voided my warranty and your mum.
If you're on Gingerbread, or have atleast updated to it, you can flash the stock gingerbread .sbf and it won't brick your phone. Just don't flash any other kind of .sbf , you can't go back to any other version. When you flash that with RSDlite, it'll take you back to stock and wipe the "unlocked" logo off your screen. It will still BE unlocked, it just won't say it.
CaelanT said:
Please show me where it states all these things, (rooting, ROMs', bootloader unlock, and 'other' mods), void our warranties.
Also, for the bootloader, as was already stated, it does say MAY void your warranty. The reason it says 'may' is in all probability because if your phone doesn't work/stops working for some reason they legally cannot refuse to warranty it unless they can attribute the problem to the act of unlocking the bootloader. Someone else stated in another thread that it really is not in Motorolas' best interest to start messing with people for unlocking bootloaders when they send in phones for repair. I would tend to agree with this. After reading all the threads I have seen over the last few months, I can't remember reading about anyone who has been declined warranty or been made to pay for repairs because they unlocked their bootloader. To the contrary there are many stories of people getting their phones back fully repaired and still unlocked with no issues.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok let me rephrase,
I have noticed people in the Atrix community, are not as well versed in being civil with each other, as members in my other device forums are. Point is. everywhere you read, when it comes to rooting, unlocking, there is a "chance" of the statement "may" void warranty. (don't act like you are dislexic or in a special ed class and cant read or never learned how to) Maybe go read again where these statements are at when you read the thread.
Also to install a rom, you need to be rooted, and in some cases like this device, you need to have unlocked bootloader and cwm or a recovery installed to flash the rom to your device.
Which yet again brings up the point you have to go to a forum, locate a thread, read the info, and most of them always say, there is a chance at "may void warranty" and not responsible if you brick your device, kick your cat, crash your car,pull your hair, beat the sh** out of your wife, murder your neighbor, or somehow end up having to dive to the bottom of the ocean to retrieve your dog.
Hi guys,
So with the Bootloader unlock (hopefully) coming right around the corner, I'm curious about the possible controversy behind unlocking the bootloader and trying to sell the Prime used on XDA/eBay/Craigslist.
What are everyone's opinions?
--Would it be wrong to unlock the bootloader(AKA void the warranty) and then try to sell the prime later down the road when something new and better comes out?
--Would you buy a used prime if the previous owner fully disclosed that the bootloader is unlocked and the warranty is voided if the prime still fully functions?
--(Warning: my nooby question)Would it be possible to re-lock the bootloader? (I'm assuming it wouldn't be possible due to not having Asus' actual encryption key, but on the other hand, XDA has some wickedly smart minds)
--Is this even an issue? Am I making this a bigger deal than it really is?
bscotth said:
Hi guys,
So with the Bootloader unlock (hopefully) coming right around the corner, I'm curious about the possible controversy behind unlocking the bootloader and trying to sell the Prime used on XDA/eBay/Craigslist.
What are everyone's opinions?
--Would it be wrong to unlock the bootloader(AKA void the warranty) and then try to sell the prime later down the road when something new and better comes out?
--Would you buy a used prime if the previous owner fully disclosed that the bootloader is unlocked and the warranty is voided if the prime still fully functions?
--(Warning: my nooby question)Would it be possible to re-lock the bootloader? (I'm assuming it wouldn't be possible due to not having Asus' actual encryption key, but on the other hand, XDA has some wickedly smart minds)
--Is this even an issue? Am I making this a bigger deal than it really is?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. Yes and no. Everything about unlocked bootloaders and the ROMs and such that come with them is either open source or someone else's property. Therefore directly profiting from it without permission from owner/changing source code would be illegal. But you wouldn't necessarily as you're just passing the physical tablet along.
2. Yes and no. I personally wouldn't mind as that's just one less thing I'll have to do to be prepared for my levels of customization. At the same time, I wouldn't buy it too close to full price as I'd just get it new and would scrutinize the seller's wording and overall advert very closely. I would not trust you out-right and most likely would still choose the unlocked route just as a safety precaution.
3. I do think it's possible to revert to an unrooted, locked state, but you'll be dependent on a dev here actually putting it together. Unroot is easy, putting back to complete stock with all security on is a bit tougher but doable (I could still have warranty work done to my phone)
4. Again, yes and no. Anyone who generally even knows what unlocking and rooting and ROMs are would most likely enjoy the experience of a new device that they get to do these things to themselves. But some more layman users who wish to have full control but don't know how are even willing to pay others to do this for them.
You'd definitely be able to sell it. Probably more easily locally since you could show off the customizations and pros of custom software vs. that from the manufacturer/carrier.
*EDIT: Also, I don't believe many people are going to be worried about warranty on used devices. That's usually the trade-off: Lower price, but no real support + any past damage that could have been done and gone unreported vs. Higher price, (USUALLY) complimentary service for malfunctions for a limited time, and generally a return policy to a retailer.
bscotth said:
--Would it be wrong to unlock the bootloader(AKA void the warranty) and then try to sell the prime later down the road when something new and better comes out?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, but inform they buyer that the device is unlocked and potentially without warranty.
Would you buy a used prime if the previous owner fully disclosed that the bootloader is unlocked and the warranty is voided if the prime still fully functions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Definitely. I'd prefer if it was unlocked posibbly with some neat, fast ROM installed, one less thing for me to do. I bought my phone rooted and with CM installed.
so i have been thinking of unlocking the bootloader on my prime but didnt know if it was worth it. i was reading the warranty info: http://support.asus.com/warranty.as... Pad Transformer Prime TF201&os=&hashedid=n/a and i saw that it only covers defects in materials and workmanship. theres a part that says "We apologize for not be able to provide service for individual components (such as hard disk or CPU)" so does that mean if something happens to any of those things asus wont cover it or they just wont service it and i get a new one? what problems had you guys had caused by unlocking the bootloader if any, and what problems have you had that didnt have anything to do with unlocking the bootloadefr? and did asus cover those problems?so final question is it worth unlocking or is the warranty worth more? because asus customer service pretty much sucks. it took them 1 week to replay back to me with a useless answer when i needed help recovering deleted pictures. and every time i try to contact them thru live chat no one ever connects. so who recomend unlocking and why and who doesnt and why?
i have also seen people that have the problem where their screen craked. did asus replace your screen even if you were unlocked?
these forums get more views than replies. 194 views and no replies. does that mean everyone is on locked bootloader?
I would say that if you are afraid of paying for repair then never unlock your device unless you know how to fix it or have a backup plan. I personally got a 3rd party warranty for any hardware issues that happen that aren't normal for the Prime.
Is the prime better unlocked? Yes tremendously better.
Is the Asus Warranty worth not unlocking? No IMHO
I've seen too many hardware issues posted here to take a chance on unlocking as it voids the warranty. Most people I've seen are simply rooting their device. I'm waiting to see if Asus is going to give us NVFlash which would make it safer to play and a way to recover a bricked Prime.
i am rooted but locked.
RMA'ed twice since Dec when I bought it. I'll never RMA again and wait 2 months like the past 2 times. I chose to unlock recently when I got it back and it was the best decision I've ever made.
fcortes626 said:
these forums get more views than replies. 194 views and no replies. does that mean everyone is on locked bootloader?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The reason that people aren't replying, is because this question has been asked and answered a dozen times already.
If you unlock your tablet's bootloader, you basically void your warranty.
Unless you know for certain that you never want to get an OTA update, or warranty repair again, don't unlock your Prime.
If you think you may have hardware issues in the future, and you don't want to buy a new tablet or pay to have them fixed, don't unlock your bootloader.
If all you bought the Prime for was playing around with custom ROMs, or if the only way Android has ever made you happy is through a custom ROM and you don't mind not having a warranty, then yes, go ahead and unlock your bootloader.
And yes. Asus knows when when a tablet's bootloader has been unlocked.
I've owned HTC, Samsung and Motorola Android phones and I've had negative experience with two out of 3 those vendors (more on that below). I'm now thinking of getting a newer phone quite soon (well, supposedly Google will be announcing 5 new Google-branded devices this Fall) and the warranty considerations are about the top of my list.
If you've had an experience (wherever positive or negative) with the warranty on your android phone, please post away and let me start the ball rolling. My goal here is to ideally find the manufacturer which would deal with end users directly on the warranty issues and would not shy away from the international warranty. I'll collect responses and then edit this post to reflect the actual warranty statements from the manufacturers rather than my own experiences.
[HTC] I've had a Google Ion device (given at the Google I/O conference) which was also sold known HTC MyTouch. I needed to flash Android 1.5 on it and bricked the phone. HTC spent about a month before they said they didn't have this IMEI in their database and would not offer *any* support (including paid) with that phone. What a bummer, I don't think I'd ever buy the HTC-made Google-branded phone.
[MOTOROLA] Had a problem with the phone not charging (when plugged to a computer) and I panicked and contacted Motorola. They ran the IMEI and suggested I go back to the provider (even tho I'm overseas and wouldn't be back home for a while they refused to accept the phone directly from me). Thankfully the phone charged just fine off the wall outlet, but what if I've had a genuine issue with the phone while overseas? Also, what if this had been a second-hand phone?
.
Thread moved to Q&A due to it being a question. Would advise you to read forum rules and post in correct section.
Failure to comply with forum rules will result in an infraction and/or ban depending on severity of rule break.
the best solutioin for ur problem is the following:
there are two different things
1. the warranty (it is given by the phone manufacture)
2. the service the seller gives to u
i would mention to find a seller wich has a own service station
cus if there are any problems u can bring the phone to them and let them check out whats wrong
I thankfully haven't had to make use of warranty thus far on my android phone (it's an HTC), but I'd say probably if you read some small text somewhere you'd find that the device you were given at Google I/O came without warranty or something like that. I'm sure on purchased devices, HTC will honour the warranty well.
Also, from what I've read, it's almost impossible to completely destroy an HTC phone with software (you should always be able to access bootloader via hardware button combo and from there reflash OS). So an HTC warranty is probably mainly useful for hardware problems.
Another thought worth mentioning is that many manufacturers will not honour warranties if the phone has been rooted or had the bootloader unlocked (at least, if they can tell )
SifJar said:
I thankfully haven't had to make use of warranty thus far on my android phone (it's an HTC), but I'd say probably if you read some small text somewhere you'd find that the device you were given at Google I/O came without warranty or something like that. I'm sure on purchased devices, HTC will honour the warranty well.
Also, from what I've read, it's almost impossible to completely destroy an HTC phone with software (you should always be able to access bootloader via hardware button combo and from there reflash OS). So an HTC warranty is probably mainly useful for hardware problems.
Another thought worth mentioning is that many manufacturers will not honour warranties if the phone has been rooted or had the bootloader unlocked (at least, if they can tell )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That was i was thinking too but ive been resently involved into a discussion where a guy bricked his phone in a way he couldnt even get into recovery nor the bootloader
jiffer1991 said:
That was i was thinking too but ive been resently involved into a discussion where a guy bricked his phone in a way he couldnt even get into recovery nor the bootloader
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
On an HTC? Was he trying to get S-OFF or something? (Perhaps I am misinformed about the brick-ability of HTC phones)
Guys, the thread is about the warranty, not the brickability of the HTC phones.
Regarding the warranty from the seller -- who gives a **** when I'm half a world away from the seller for 4-6 months?
stangri said:
Guys, the thread is about the warranty, not the brickability of the HTC phones.
Regarding the warranty from the seller -- who gives a **** when I'm half a world away from the seller for 4-6 months?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, sorry for going off topic there.
Anyway, I agree you should not have to rely on any warranty from the seller.
jiffer1991 said:
That was i was thinking too but ive been resently involved into a discussion where a guy bricked his phone in a way he couldnt even get into recovery nor the bootloader
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I dont know im just saying this because i want u to be careful
https://community.zteusa.com/community/blogging/blog/2016/08/10/did-somebody-say-bootloader
From Petershih:
We have heard you loud and clear. Throughout the last two months on Z-Community you have voiced the desire for an unlocked bootloader for the Axon 7, and today we are making this a reality.
In fact, an unlocked bootloader was something that has been in discussion internally at ZTE for quite awhile. But upon hearing more and more discussions on Z-Community about this topic, your mod team performed the necessary due diligence to present our case with internal stakeholders. After thoughtful debates and discussions, we are truly delighted to share the exciting news that fellow mobile developers have been waiting for: the U.S. versions of the Axon Pro and the Axon 7 will have their bootloader unlocked upon request here on Z-Community!
There are two important things to note: This procedure is reserved for those with a high level of technical expertise and have had experience flashing custom ROMs. Furthermore, unlocking the bootloader will void the device warranty that comes free with each Axon purchase.
To help streamline requests, we have created Developers Lounge sub-spaces within the Axon [Series] Forum. This is the exclusive space for mobile developers to request unlocking and share tips and tricks. Just to reiterate, unlocking the bootloader will void your device warranty.
To wrap up, we want to reinforce our mission behind Z-Community - share in each other’s passion for mobile and shape the roadmap for future products. While we may not comment on each request, suggestion or recommendation, we indeed listen to what our consumers want and make decisions based on that when possible. Lastly, if you’re a mobile developer and excited about this latest announcement, we want to hear from you in the comments section below - in other words, make some NOISE!
https://community.zteusa.com/community/forums/axon/developers-lounge-axon-7
AXON 7/Pro Bootloader Unlock Request
All fields are required. Please allow up to 72 business hours (Monday-Friday) in most instances. Longer wait times while uncommon, may occur without notice.
Once verified, a follow up email will provide instructions on unlocking the bootloader.
Terms and Conditions:
CAUTION!
This is a highly technical procedure and we strongly suggest that you do not unlock the bootloader unless you have a high level of mobile development experience and you understand the risks involved. Before you proceed, please note that unlocking the bootloader of any ZTE device will VOID ITS WARRANTY effective immediately. Please DO NOT attempt to unlock the bootloader unless you are confident that you fully understand the risks involved which may include physically damaging the device, rendering it inoperable, altering its behavior, or otherwise creating undesirable results. If you decide to move forward with unlocking the bootloader and click the Next button below, you do so with the understanding of its consequences, including the IMMEDIATE VOIDING of your device WARRANTY.
* Required
First and Last Name *
________________
Your answer
Email Address Used To Register For Z-Community *
________________
Your answer
Z-Community Username *
________________
Your answer
IMEI (Please Double Check) *
________________
Your answer
Axon Device You Wish To Unlock *
-Choose-
Do you agree to the terms and conditions above? *
-Yes
-No
NEXT
They require you to fill out the above form. So they def know your warranty is void.
Good news! Voiding warranty over a bootloader unlock does not make sense.
Great news ! Some points to clear out but overall happy to see things moving.
Loss of warranty is pretty standard, only a few company allow the bootloader to be unlocked while keeping the warranty (OP and Oppo, i don't know of any other).
US market only at the moment. Not to happy about that as i live in Europe, if nothing is made, it will kill the european market for ZTE. I personally will keep my preorder up but if there isn't any news about the european version, i certainly will not keep the device at the end of the month of free return...
Still overall a good news, to rejoice about !
djona12 said:
Great news ! Some points to clear out but overall happy to see things moving.
Loss of warranty is pretty standard, only a few company allow the bootloader to be unlocked while keeping the warranty (OP and Oppo, i don't know of any other).
US market only at the moment. Not to happy about that as i live in Europe, if nothing is made, it will kill the european market for ZTE. I personally will keep my preorder up but if there isn't any news about the european version, i certainly will not keep the device at the end of the month of free return...
Still overall a good news, to rejoice about !
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Oneplus, oppo, i think huawei, google nexus, htc all allow BL unlock without voiding warranty. And many brands say they void the warranty but as long as you return it to stock prior to sending it in your usually okay unless its samsung. the way zte is doing it is its void as soon as you ask to do it which isnt really right if theres a hardware defect not due to unlocking like say your charging port dying.
I won't copy my entire response to Peter's blog post over here, but I'll copy this:
I can honestly say this negatively impacts the chances that I'll keep the phone past the 30 days B&H will give me to return it. I will wait for an XDA dev to work their magic and possibly provide TWRP and root without a BL unlock (as in the case of the Intel-based ASUS Zenfone 2), but I'm not holding my breath.
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This is a half-ass solution. Voided warranties from bootloader unlocks are incredibly 2010. There's no reason why, if Google, OnePlus, HTC, Motorola, and Huawei all offer bootloader unlocks without voiding warranties, that ZTE can't. We still need to complain. It's a great start, but this isn't enough.
Berzerker7 said:
This is a half-ass solution. It's a great start, but this isn't enough.
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Exactly!
WHERE IS OUR FREE PONY???
I am still thinking of canceling pre order. I feel like voiding the warranty is little demanding and could limit it's adoption in developer community. Honestly without strong XDA developer support I'll go to a op3, n6 or HTC. I want custom ROMs (sultan being my favorite). I want xposed and freedom of choice for the hardware. This is step in right direction but it still concerns me that it's a half hearted gesture.
ZTE could really use this as a opportunity to burst into the market much like OPO by embracing developers openly. It definitely has helped OPO.
Nameless One said:
Exactly!
WHERE IS OUR FREE PONY???
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This is like getting a free pony, but them taking away the stable you originally bought for it, so it's just going to die.
rczrider said:
I won't copy my entire response to Peter's blog post over here, but I'll copy this:
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edit
Berzerker7 said:
This is like getting a free pony, but them taking away the stable you originally bought for it, so it's just going to die.
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Not to mention you have to ask for permission to use said pony via ZTE USA forum. Not sure how thatll work. I think want to keep a database of those who have roots there phones as you have fill out a form with name, IMEI and such. Seems excessive.
aknotts415 said:
Sup RCZrider its starkiller base from zte :highfive:
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Haha. I like it when folks use the same handle on multiple forums. Makes it easier to keep up
Unlocking the bootloader versus taking a risk on their lack of quality control.... I guess that is all I need to say, I won't be purchasing an Axon 7!
Well I have the Axon 7 and I think it is a great phone has very good specs. and I haven't had any problems with it which I guess I have to consider myself lucky based on others having issues. But I have requested the bootloader unlock because I like to use custom roms on my phones. I am also concerned about the warranty being voided if you unlock the bootloader since there could be hardware issues occur having nothing to do with unlocking the bootloader. Which I expressed this on ZTEUSA forum hopefully they will change this to cover hardware issues, and if you read the comments from others there they also agree with what I have said so lets hope ZTE does to.
Problem solved!
This is great news. I was really torn between the OP3 and Axon 7. Now it's no contest. The next time I'm in the market for a phone, I'll see if ZTE's changed their policy. The hardware is still compelling.
Hola
A follow up question to those in the know, is it at all possible to get root on a official unlocked bootloader request, and then be able to somehow replicate the root process on locked devices? The idea or hope is that with an unlocked bootloader, there are some methods that our super devs can invoke to get root on even locked phones.
While I honestly knew that ZTE would provide unlocking bootloader (due to very vocal XDA / geeky folks) I also saw the voiding of the warranty part... it's only logical for a mid-sized OEM to take the sort of easy way out. ZTE is not developer friendly (from recent history).
While I may be ok with stock MiFlavor UI, root is more important for me as it can for the most part allow me to customize the areas that I want. Plus you'll never get very stable and fully functional AOSP based ROMs without full sources from the OEM... the audio, fingerprint, camera sub-systems are very likely closed sourced.
So, you have a broken speaker or bad battery by any chance, you are SOL'ed if you unlocked.... No thanks!
Wizpop said:
Not to mention you have to ask for permission to use said pony via ZTE USA forum. Not sure how thatll work. I think want to keep a database of those who have roots there phones as you have fill out a form with name, IMEI and such. Seems excessive.
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I'll wait for someone to post their unlocking tools on the forums so I can unlock my phone without ZTE knowing.
devsk said:
So, you have a broken speaker or bad battery by any chance, you are SOL'ed if you unlocked.... No thanks!
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Pretty much. And while there isn't really that much evidence to suggest the Axon 7 is plagued with manufacturing defects, there are enough issues reported on the ZTE forum that I wouldn't want to risk unlocking the bootloader within the return period (although I ordered from B&H and I doubt they would notice or care if it was unlocked).
My gray is still on preorder, scheduled to ship next Monday or Tuesday (for delivery on the 17th, I believe). I'll give it the full 30 days - so middle of September - for an enterprising dev to discover a way to flash recovery and gain root without unlocking the bootloader. If they can't, and even if there's nothing wrong with the phone itself (except the unimpressive camera), back to B&H it goes. I'm not especially impressed by the OP3, but the 2016 Nexus devices should be available for preorder in late September and shipping in October, so I may go that route as long as Google doesn't do something stupid with their pricing. And if not the Marlin, then the Zenfone 3 Deluxe bears some consideration if it's not stupidly priced.
Sorry, ZTE, you had your chance and blew it. I really wanted you to succeed, too
WTH you get a bootloader unlock like you wanted but now you're pissed on the voided warranty!?!?!
Its called protection form the morons that bork their phones out of the gate which happens on a regular basis. WHY SHOULD THEY PAY FOR SOME ONES STUPIDITY?
I also like how the people that root think they are special snow flakes and will make or break a company if their demands aren't met. This community ( custom users) is only a small part of the total number of devices sold and is only a blip on the financial map of a company...LOL