Database Users

Sony buying out SE

Here is the article
http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE79Q19J20111027?irpc=932

All I can hope is that Sony changes their policy towards software mods. As things stand now opening the bootloader locks you out of Sony's added value. Maybe they'll fully obstruct tinkering like they did with the older Xperia phones... At any rate, these aren't great news a priori.

Logseman said:
All I can hope is that Sony changes their policy towards software mods. As things stand now opening the bootloader locks you out of Sony's added value. Maybe they'll fully obstruct tinkering like they did with the older Xperia phones... At any rate, these aren't great news a priori.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
software mods ONLY for Phones! i DONT support on consoles!

What's the difference? Now with ics you will be able to plug a gamepad to a phone, dock it if it has hdmi out and it will be a console.
Will you then applaud that Sony or anyone else locks out software modding? It is the only coherent stance you can take.

I doubt they will do that on their phones.. More restrictions will only scare people from buying a sony product. They don't have the market shares to play around with restrictive measures.
Sent from my XPlay using XDA App.

Logseman said:
What's the difference? Now with ics you will be able to plug a gamepad to a phone, dock it if it has hdmi out and it will be a console.
Will you then applaud that Sony or anyone else locks out software modding? It is the only coherent stance you can take.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ofcourse theres a diffrence, the only reason to mod a console is to steal games. Sony arnt against software mods. There against piracy.
Sent from my R800i using Tapatalk

If they're really against piracy, it's hard to understand why they would go with Android, which is the platform which makes it easiest to use cracked software on. Mind you, the thing which has locked me out of using Sony's goodies is not that I've played cracked games, which is something any Android owner can do without modifying anything. What locked me out of them was unlocking the bootloader in their sponsored way.
If they use their DRM on the PS Store as I am dreading they will do, the paradox will be greater: someone can buy the phone on subsidised contract, unlock the phone's bootloader (and the Sim lock with it, remember) with 3rd party software, play cracked games and still have access to every added value offered by Sony (TrackID, the stores, the music Like function, and probably the PS Store). Meanwhile, I, who bought the phone Sim free (and paid full value for it), unlocked the bootloader with Sony's method and don't play cracked games, am excluded of all that.
Piracy is not an issue. Control is. Unlocking the bootloader and rooting the phone makes the phone mine and not theirs... Exactly what Sony is so intent on avoiding on PS3.

[Q] Just order my Z2 Tablet, need your advice

Hi all, just off the phone from Vodafone and purchased the Sony Z2 Tablet
Comes this Monday.
Just wondering if you guys can give my advise of personal use to weather I have just purchased the best tablet on the market.
I have looked at a few reviews and heard not much bad about this device. I was also wondering if anyone knows if 4.4.4 KitKat will be available in the future for this device.
I am also waiting on the Sony Xperia Z3 mobile coming out to upgrade, best specs i've seen available for a mobile (I know the note4 is pretty awesome specs, but not a big Samsung fan and the screen size is too big for my liking, 5.2 in' is my maximum)
Thanks in advance for your advice guys

Just quickly saw this tablet at local store and it looked pretty nice.
Without any knowledge whether 4.4.4. is coming to z2, i would say that you wont even miss it.
In my opinion 4.4.3 and 4.4.4 brings mostly security updates and not end user updates. But maybe someone can bring some more light into it.
But i think you made a good choice with Z2
---------- Post added at 09:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:20 PM ----------
To addition you are already able to upgrade 4.4.4 through custom roms but that is another story

I have been using it almost every day since June, and I couldn't be happier. It works flawlessly, it is powerful, fast and smooth, it has no noticeable bugs, it is easily rooteable and customizable if you want. I don't miss anything in it. I am so glad I got the 32gb model...
Android 4.4.4 is coming, it has been already certified, I would bet in a couple of weeks it will be amongst us, first for the phone, and later for the tablet, but i don't care, as current fw works so well.
Enviado desde mi SGP512 mediante Tapatalk

Android 4.4.4 is been rolled out now for old models, apparently it will take a little longer for the z2 as Sony wants to add new features present in the new z3 to the z2 tablet
I have had a lot of phones and tablets in the past but this is my favourite, Sony's UI is great nearly stock but with handy features and looks nice. Its the first tablet where I didn't feel the need to install a custom ROM, plus the battery life is great and apparently may be better in the next update

Oh come on...nearly stock?!
Just because it's not as bloated as Touchwiz doesn't mean it's stock.
Sony also added a lot of bloatware that no one needs and that can not be deinstalled, just deactivated.
Xposed is also a must have for me.

Vaetheran2107 said:
Oh come on...nearly stock?!
Just because it's not as bloated as Touchwiz doesn't mean it's stock.
Sony also added a lot of bloatware that no one needs and that can not be deinstalled, just deactivated.
Xposed is also a must have for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ya true I do use Nova launcher so I'm probably biased, I actually don't like the Sony launcher, can't change the margins, cant change font, or icon size and it looks a bit like a cartoonist

Also nova, but I meant all of Sony's apps

Vaetheran2107 said:
Oh come on...nearly stock?!
Just because it's not as bloated as Touchwiz doesn't mean it's stock.
Sony also added a lot of bloatware that no one needs and that can not be deinstalled, just deactivated.
Xposed is also a must have for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Er... you can simply root this device and 1. remove the bloatware (via Titanium Backup or a similar app) and 2. install Xposed.
Where is the problem???

Ofc there is some bloatware in this rom.
It is kind of stupid to blame Sony or any other brand for that.
Compared to the mainstream, we at XDA are a real small group of experienceed users,
who don't need that bloat.
But for the mainstream it has to be as easy as possible. So they install all possible needed sony-apps. And to be honest, Sony has to be stupid to stop doing this, cause it's an easy way to support their services and extra hardware like the ps4 or some tvs.
The ordinary user may loose interest upon the first two steps to use a Sony service.
1. Searching and finding the correct app
2. Installing and configure this app.
The working-out-of-the-box-feeling is most important for the mainstream I guess.
And to be honest... Sonys stock rom works perfectly for me and I don't care about the bloat.
Thinking back to my galaxy tab 2 and the laggy "performance" it had with stock... I love Sony
But to get the mainquestion answered.... You made a great deal. The z2 is an awesome tablet and at the moment I don't wanna switch to an other.
But maybe u have to wait a little for a new firmware to get the touchscreen issues fixed.
Or (what I have done) you use flashtool to get the things working with an user-provided stock rom.
Sent from my SGP511 using XDA Premium HD app

Oh, come on!, bloatware in Android is something of the past. Since 4.1, if i remember well, anybody can disable unwanted system apps, which at all effects is just like deleting them. As these apps are stored in system partition you won't recover free space by disabling them, and if you uninstall them via Titanium Backup, in a rooted device, the freed up space on system partition is useless for installing apps from the store anyway.
Also, as far as i know Sony doesn't include any app which takes too much resources from the system, just their Music/video/games shops, smart connect, some nice image editors, OfficeSuite, Xperia Link, TrackID, Sony Select (the only one i have disabled)... Not a deal breaker to me, they are useful apps, not like Samsung is doing bloating their devices with 2 GB worth of useless apps, constantly poping up with ads.
Oh, and i like Sony's stock launcher more than Google's launcher, i think they are near, buy sony's one looks better and more modern. I never liked the look of pure Android (GB, JB and KK).

You cannot disable all apps unless rooted and even if you disable them, some of them still run in the background and use resources.

SANGER_A2 said:
You cannot disable all apps unless rooted and even if you disable them, some of them still run in the background and use resources.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For example?
Enviado desde mi SGP512 mediante Tapatalk

Phone

SANGER_A2 said:
Phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, I've got to give my 2 cents here because I think this last post may be the very beginning of a possibly long and unnecessary discussion.
If and only IF you have one of the WiFi-only models and if and only IF those models include the Phone app it can be called bloatware (I don't own one of those models to know if they have the Phone/SMS Messaging/Contacts apps, mine is a 4G one).
But if you own a 4G Z2 Tablet, be that a SGP521, 541 or 551, then you should know that these tablets are phone-capable tablets, i.e. you can actually make phone calls over the standard mobile network, just like a smartphone, and that is meant as a feature, not bloatware.
You can call a bloatware any other apk in Sony's firmware that is not meant to be used as a system feature and there are indeed many of those in Sony's stock ROMs. To name a few that are in the app drawer, you have OfficeSuite, Xperia Link, TrackID, Sony Select, like @RoberM mentioned, just like you have a few of Google's own bloatware, such as Play Games, Play Music, Play Movies, Google+ and Hangout, to name a few. You can even say that AR Effect, Infoeye, Face Unlock and so many others are bloatware. All of these apps have some sort of functionality but they are in no way essential for any of the tablet's features (unlike Phone). Hell, with the exception of Xperia Link, I personally delete each and every one of the apps mentioned in this paragraph with TB (it is actually one the very first things I do after rooting my device).
If you go deeper inside the system you'll also find some bloatware that are not accessible on the app drawer (in other words, you'll have to go deep with Titanium Backup or search for them in Settings -> Applications or delete them directly on system/app or /priv-app folders). To name a few, you have the Wikipedia/lyrics/karaoke extensions (don't really know which app needs them, but I've always deleted them), you have com.android.providers.partnerbookmarks and partnerbookmarks.res.overlay (which add that useless Sony folder on Chrome's Favorites tab) and so on.
The fact of the matter is that all of these apps I've just called bloatware can be disabled without any problem to the OS. But the Phone apk on a phone-capable device is not (the same goes to Contacts or SMS).
And I have to agree with both RoberM and @schurgatzi when they say that 1- arguing about bloatware is a thing of the past when we can easily disable them; 2- mainstream users don't really care or want to care about this things, so for them it is better to have the app and not need it than to need the app and not have (apps they don't need are just put in a folder labeled "useless crap" and left in the last tab of the app drawer); and 3 (and probably most important one)- we on XDA cannot, under any circumstance, think of ourselves as mainstream users - the very fact that we are here having a simple discussion over what is bloatware and what is not, or the simple fact that we spent a few minutes of our time searching on how to get rid of these bloatwares is proof that we are not mainstream users. Mainstream users (and this counts for every-single-body I know) simply don't care about these things (and I honestly think this is the main reason why iPhones are so damn popular and they'll continue to be in the future).
I'm not kidding. The look on my friends' face (some of which I know for more than 10 years) when one of them couldn't remember his WiFi password and I found it by opening the wpa_supplicant.conf file on the data/misc/wifi folder was absolutely priceless (the geek inside of me rejoiced for a while).

SANGER_A2 said:
Phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you calling "Phone app" bloatware in a calling capable device?, or are you saying that you can disable "Phone app" in settings menu but it still uses resources?. Anyway... Good for you!:good:

RoberM said:
Are you calling "Phone app" bloatware in a calling capable device?, or are you saying that you can disable "Phone app" in settings menu but it still uses resources?. Anyway... Good for you!:good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Both. For me.
I don't know why you're being such a d!ck about this. I offered some helpful, constructive information into this thread as a further explanation why some people (including me) may want to root. If you don't want to root your device, I won't attack you about it. Most users here will not have the LTE version of this tablet and will have no need for the phone module that runs (even if you root and disable it) all the time. If there is a feature that is installed on a device that I will never use: it is bloatware to me, even if it isn't bloatware to everyone. I have my own method of removing about half of the stock apps on this device because I personally don't use them.
---------- Post added at 07:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:46 PM ----------
Tiu Fiu said:
Ok, I've got to give my 2 cents here because I think this last post may be the very beginning of a possibly long and unnecessary discussion.
...
I'm not kidding. The look on my friends' face (some of which I know for more than 10 years) when one of them couldn't remember his WiFi password and I found it by opening the wpa_supplicant.conf file on the data/misc/wifi folder was absolutely priceless (the geek inside of me rejoiced for a while).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately, I didn't notice this post until I posted my rant. But I agree that it's not worth getting into a flamewar about bloatware!
But the reason I'm not replying is because WOW! I can't believe that file isn't encrypted! Considering that android is basically Linux (which I have a lot of experience of and always assumed it was totally secure) I always assumed that all OS's would encrypt this and hide it away from the user. It lead me on quite an interesting search to see how Linux and Windows hide/secure them. Basically, they don't! It's scary to see how easy it is for anyone with a bootdisk and physical access to a device can gain access to your wifi network.
Thanks for leading me to learn something new today! :good: (I know that sounded kinda sarcastic, but it honestly wasn't).

SANGER_A2 said:
Unfortunately, I didn't notice this post until I posted my rant. But I agree that it's not worth getting into a flamewar about bloatware!
But the reason I'm not replying is because WOW! I can't believe that file isn't encrypted! Considering that android is basically Linux (which I have a lot of experience of and always assumed it was totally secure) I always assumed that all OS's would encrypt this and hide it away from the user. It lead me on quite an interesting search to see how Linux and Windows hide/secure them. Basically, they don't! It's scary to see how easy it is for anyone with a bootdisk and physical access to a device can gain access to your wifi network.
Thanks for leading me to learn something new today! :good: (I know that sounded kinda sarcastic, but it honestly wasn't).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hehehehehe the very same thing I thought the first time I learned that. One would normally think this kind of data would be secure somehow (encrypted to say the least) due to its sensitive status. And this is not Android, Windows or Linux's, it's all of them... They basically don't protect WiFi passwords at all. And I'm glad I could share some knowledge today

Tiu Fiu said:
Hehehehehe the very same thing I thought the first time I learned that. One would normally think this kind of data would be secure somehow (encrypted to say the least) due to its sensitive status. And this is not Android, Windows or Linux's, it's all of them... They basically don't protect WiFi passwords at all. And I'm glad I could share some knowledge today
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL. Although, I work at a school where we have a Windows domain and all the laptops run Windows 7 and they've been set using active directory policy so you can't view the password just by clicking the "show password" button, even for me as a domain admin I can't do it. I'm gonna try one of the wifi key viewer apps tomorrow and see if the file/registry entry is encrypted or not.

New root exploit is increasingly unlikely

Quite a few of us xda lurkers are itching to get root on our devices, but the DRM-debacle of the Sony phones has made many, including myself, hold off with unlocking the bootloader. Instead, we've put our hopes to new exploits that would allow root while keeping the bootloader locked, thus making it possible to keep all DRM functions in place, and also to restore the phone to factory conditions with the bootloader intact.
However, as Chainfire explains in the post below, the chances of any such exploit surfacing are slim. He says it's more important than ever to buy phones with unlocked bootloaders if we want to keep root.
Sadly, I'm afraid he's right and that the official bootloader unlock is the only way we'll be able to get root in the foreseeable future.
What do you guys think? Worth it or not?
Check out Chainfire's post on G+:
https://plus.google.com/113517319477420052449/posts/VxjfYJnZAXP

Fruktsallad said:
Quite a few of us xda lurkers are itching to get root on our devices, but the DRM-debacle of the Sony phones has made many, including myself, hold off with unlocking the bootloader. Instead, we've put our hopes to new exploits that would allow root while keeping the bootloader locked, thus making it possible to keep all DRM functions in place, and also to restore the phone to factory conditions with the bootloader intact.
However, as Chainfire explains in the post below, the chances of any such exploit surfacing are slim. He says it's more important than ever to buy phones with unlocked bootloaders if we want to keep root.
Sadly, I'm afraid he's right and that the official bootloader unlock is the only way we'll be able to get root in the foreseeable future.
What do you guys think? Worth it or not?
Check out Chainfire's post on G+:
https://plus.google.com/113517319477420052449/posts/VxjfYJnZAXP
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well it's @Chainfire talking, who are we to doubt him? I'm only waiting for a way to backup my TA-Partition (DRM keys), I wouldn't mind losing some features. Even tho I must agree that losing some camera quality is really annoying, but Android is pretty open source so I have no doubts that people will find something to reverse the algorithm loss or create their own.
And also when the occasion occurs that I need to send my device out for repair, that they don't refuse it due to an unlocked BL

I'm sure that's true in the long run, just not sure if it's true now.
It's economics. The security bugs are going to get fewer and further between, but they will arguably never be eradicated. You should expect it to take longer and longer to find new exploits, but I wouldn't bet a wooden nickel that there are no exploits left.
More likely, we will reach a point where the cost of finding an exploit is so great that they're no longer worth looking for to a critical mass of hackers.
On the bright side, the implementations get better all the time, and I see very little about my z3c that I would like to change if only I had root.
And I do think Sony should find a way to make the early rooters whole again. I feel terrible that so many people's $500 phones have been seriously degraded by a completely reversible software change.

Dsteppa said:
Well it's @Chainfire talking, who are we to doubt him? I'm only waiting for a way to backup my TA-Partition (DRM keys), I wouldn't mind losing some features. Even tho I must agree that losing some camera quality is really annoying, but Android is pretty open source so I have no doubts that people will find something to reverse the algorithm loss or create their own.
And also when the occasion occurs that I need to send my device out for repair, that they don't refuse it due to an unlocked BL
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True, but as I'm sure you're aware, backing up the TA-partition requires said exploit to be found in order to get root. So I think it'll be a looong wait. [emoji20]

He still thinks root will be achievable in the early editions of Android L so I think it's safe to say root will arrive for this device under a locked bootloader, it will just take a bit longer than it has in the past to find an exploit.
Sent from my D5803 using XDA Free mobile app

This is really disheartening. It's kinda ironic that Sony, who in recent times has been raised in its support of the developer community of its phones, and even won XDA's OEM of the Year, has such a downer in its phones.

I know this doesn't work for everyone but I'm hopeful that the new AOSP L camera API will mean that AOSP custom roms have some native low light enhancement processing. Maybe...

Chances improve with new software so I t could happen with android L too.

pricey2009 said:
He still thinks root will be achievable in the early editions of Android L so I think it's safe to say root will arrive for this device under a locked bootloader, it will just take a bit longer than it has in the past to find an exploit.
Sent from my D5803 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, but we're still looking at about five months wait considering Sony won't ship L until Q1 2015. Even then, there's no guarantee an exploit will be found.
Maybe I'm overly pessimistic about this. I do, however, have high hopes for the new camera API's regarding camera quality and post processing.
Personally, every day without root is a little painful, so I'll never last all those months. As soon as there are custom kernels available and a ROM like CM or PA, my locked bootloader goes bye-bye.

Chainfire is talking about the su daemon and problems running it (on Android L). He does not say anything about a root exploit. It seems you misunderstood his post.

zxz0O0 said:
Chainfire is talking about the su daemon and problems running it (on Android L). He does not say anything about a root exploit. It seems you misunderstood his post.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Let's hope Sony make or have made some little security mistakes.. To quote his post:
" Of course, this is all dependent on OEMs implementing everything exactly right. If a certain OEM doesn't protect one of their services correctly, then we can leverage that to launch the daemon without kernel modifications. While I'm fairly certain this will be the case for a bunch of devices and firmwares, especially the earlier L firmwares, this is not something you should expect or base decisions on."
Here's hoping they have missed something.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using XDA Free mobile app

pricey2009 said:
Let's hope Sony make or have made some little security mistakes.. To quote his post:
" Of course, this is all dependent on OEMs implementing everything exactly right. If a certain OEM doesn't protect one of their services correctly, then we can leverage that to launch the daemon without kernel modifications. While I'm fairly certain this will be the case for a bunch of devices and firmwares, especially the earlier L firmwares, this is not something you should expect or base decisions on."
Here's hoping they have missed something.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Let's wait until January for the first android L release then :crying:

I've rooted two weeks ago and still enjoying the phone

zxz0O0 said:
Chainfire is talking about the su daemon and problems running it (on Android L). He does not say anything about a root exploit. It seems you misunderstood his post.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This.
The post was mainly aimed at Android L...

Google hired one of our very own (Towelroot) and iPhone's pioneering hacker so it's going to get tougher. I hope they hired him only for NSA purposes.

That move by sony is just stupid. if they wanted to protect their code, why not store it into the camera firmware (referring to the camera algorithms)?
Why do they have to kill Miracast?
Obviously that is the other side of the medal. investments on security = far less exploits available. we are gonna wait a while, but as a developer I really really miss Xposed. Each time I look at my G2 a little tear drops.
No way I'm gonna root loosing DRM keys. The camera is already weak (to be honest I would be used a word beginning in shi but let's be polite) so I'm not in any way gonna make it worse.

zxz0O0 said:
Chainfire is talking about the su daemon and problems running it (on Android L). He does not say anything about a root exploit. It seems you misunderstood his post.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes he does:
"As stated above, it seems for now that modifications to the kernel package are required to have root, we cannot attain it with only modifications to the system partition.
Combine that with a locked bootloader (and optionally dm-verity) and a device becomes nigh unrootable - exactly as intended by the security guys.
Exploit-based roots are already harder to do thanks to SELinux, and now because of the kernel requirements for persistent root, these exploits will need to be run at every boot. Exploits that make the system unstable (as many do) are thus out as well."
Then he goes on to say:
"Of course, this is all dependent on OEMs implementing everything exactly right. If a certain OEM doesn't protect one of their services correctly, then we can leverage that to launch the daemon without kernel modifications. While I'm fairly certain this will be the case for a bunch of devices and firmwares, especially the earlier L firmwares, this is not something you should expect or base decisions on. It is now thus more important than ever to buy unlocked devices if you want root.
It might also mean that every firmware update will require re-rooting, and OTA survival mode will be broken. For many (but far from all) devices we can probably automate patching the kernel package right in the SuperSU installer ZIP. We can try to keep it relatively easy, but updating stock firmwares while maintaining root is probably not going to work as easy and fast as it did until now."

zxz0O0 said:
Chainfire is talking about the su daemon and problems running it (on Android L). He does not say anything about a root exploit. It seems you misunderstood his post.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How can anything be a root exploit if it doesn't result in a functional su? I read Chainfire's post as Google making it impossible to elevate privileges from within Android, necessitating kernel level exploits which in turn will require unlocked bootloaders to install.
Once we get to where the bootloader has to be unlocked it's really not a root exploit anymore, is it?

michyprima said:
Why do they have to kill Miracast?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because they don't want to support Miracast without HDCP. Remember that Sony is also a content provider. While that may be as annoying for a normal user as the degradation in camera quality, their approach actually still is developer friendly. Request a code - get full control over the device, at the cost of losing some functionality (software functionality). It's as simple as that. CM and other roms work perfectly fine on Xperia devices, and if you want to implement an equivalent camera algorithm, you're free to do so.

Iruwen said:
Because they don't want to support Miracast without HDCP. Remember that Sony is also a content provider. While that may be as annoying for a normal user as the degradation in camera quality, their approach actually still is developer friendly. Request a code - get full control over the device, at the cost of losing some functionality (software functionality). It's as simple as that. CM and other roms work perfectly fine on Xperia devices, and if you want to implement an equivalent camera algorithm, you're free to do so.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can only agree to that. If you buy a Sony phone to act like a Sony phone (most people do!) then one should leave it as it has been delivered by Sony. If you can't agree to how it is, Sony gives you the option to unlock the BL and do whatever you want to do with the HW, but don't expect it to work/act as before. Personally, I have no issues with that at all.
On a different note, Linux/Android is comprised of x million lines of code. There're bugs in this code, there're bugs in the compiler, bugs in Java, bugs even in the Hardware etc. etc. There's no reason to believe (or fear) that Linux/Android would ever be perfect or non-vulnerable. Root will come, it's only a matter of effort and time...

Root possible?

I know its too early but what do you guys this about rooting/custom roms for venice?
BB ceo said (something along the lines) that they will only make an android device if it is secured enough. WOuld that mean a locked bootloader etc? Moreover, it is using a much more secure kernel (http://berryflow.com/2015/09/blackberrys-android-slider-using-hardened-linux-kernel/) and i've read that some beginner's tools (eg enabling developer's options, sideloading apps etc) are blocked.
So what do you guys think? As for me, I believe in this community and i know one way or another, we will be able to install our favourite custom roms/apps on venice. Although I dont know if it would happen 2 days after launch of 2 years after the device reaches the market!
Btw cant wait for the device! I hope blackberry becomes a force again after this phone. I'll buy it the day it's bootloader gets unlocked + root is acheived

Do you have a source on the Priv blocking sideloaded apps? That would be very unfortunate. Locked bootloader is a given but I would still like to be able to install my favorite apks.

I can't see things like developer options/USB debugging etc being outright blocked. That just seems like a great way to alienate the majority of the userbase that a device like this is targeted towards.

This is my main concern... I want this phone, badly. But after having a G4, having to wait for root and still not having any decent roms I won't get the Priv if it doesn't at least get root. It's stock-ish android so I can deal with lack of roms but no root, no sale.
Sent from my LG-H811 using Tapatalk

No idea why anyone here thinks they would do that. Even on BB10 devices installing apks is allowed - and they sure wouldn´t do otherwise on an Android device - that would be crazy.
and yes, bl will be locked and encrypted - root - well that will be something to wait for.

:good:

Bootloader WILL be locked, that's a no brainer. But locking out sideloading, developer options is not possible without TOTALLY killing interest and sales. Blackberry desperately needs Priv to succeed. This is their last chance to avoid becoming the next Nokia. So no, we will have at least sideloading available. Honestly, it doesn't matter if they lock out all these essential features, if they release at least the kernel source and device tree day-and-date with the phone. If you have these, we're better off building a CM 12 (or 13:fingers-crossed ROM for the Priv.

Zer0.exe said:
Do you have a source on the Priv blocking sideloaded apps? That would be very unfortunate. Locked bootloader is a given but I would still like to be able to install my favorite apks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sorry I cant give you a source. I read this on reditt or a blog post
MSF Jarvis said:
Bootloader WILL be locked, that's a no brainer. But locking out sideloading, developer options is not possible without TOTALLY killing interest and sales. Blackberry desperately needs Priv to succeed. This is their last chance to avoid becoming the next Nokia. So no, we will have at least sideloading available. Honestly, it doesn't matter if they lock out all these essential features, if they release at least the kernel source and device tree day-and-date with the phone. If you have these, we're better off building a CM 12 (or 13:fingers-crossed ROM for the Priv.
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hmm. So do you think it would be possible to unlock the bootloader or it can never be unlocked?
btw slightly offtopic, but is there any phone which has a completely locked bootloader (ie has never been unlocked)?

Welp a leaked pic about the security settings confirms developer options can be enabled, so sideloaded apps is probably a go to. False alarm, peeps!

Zer0.exe said:
Welp a leaked pic about the security settings confirms developer options can be enabled, so sideloaded apps is probably a go to. False alarm, peeps!
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Link?

HyperM3 said:
Link?
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http://n4bb.com/blackberry-priv-64-bit-4k-video-confirmed/
The beautiful glass weave is also shown off. I love it on my Z30.

pluto7443 said:
http://n4bb.com/blackberry-priv-64-bit-4k-video-confirmed/
The beautiful glass weave is also shown off. I love it on my Z30.
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Thanks for that! I am really looking forward to this device. Im all or nothing on this with my Nexus 6 right now.

rollerdyke44 said:
hmm. So do you think it would be possible to unlock the bootloader or it can never be unlocked?
btw slightly offtopic, but is there any phone which has a completely locked bootloader (ie has never been unlocked)?
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there must be some poor phone that didn't get a bootloader unlock, and I firmly believe the Priv is gonna join their ranks as soon as it gets released.
Sent from a Cool Phone stuck with crappy KingUser

rollerdyke44 said:
btw slightly offtopic, but is there any phone which has a completely locked bootloader (ie has never been unlocked)?
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Look at the recent crop of AT&T and Verizon Samsung phones. Their bootloader are locked up tighter then...... Well we will just say their locked down [emoji1]
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

http://i-cdn.phonearena.com/images/...aked-hands-on-photos-plus-official-images.jpg In fact, this image outright confirms that you can sideload/ use developer options.

I wouldn't count on too much. The developer options could have easily been changed and some removed. As BB main selling point is security I expect this device to be one of the harder ones to crack.
As for the bootloader questions. Yes there have been a few that were uncrackable, a dirty hack to by pass has worked on some.

I imagine root is just a matter of time. Unless they lock the system partition, which other manufacturers have done in the past (Looking at you HTC). Even so, it has been done and s-on/off has been cracked before. Alternatives to locking include e-fuses, like in legacy motorola devices.
Bootloaders on the other hand, we're probably going to have to get some concrete evidence. It is most likely locked in my personal opinion.
This is all just speculation. Hopefully Blackberry can find a good balance.

htko89 said:
I imagine root is just a matter of time. Unless they lock the system partition, which other manufacturers have done in the past (Looking at you HTC). Even so, it has been done and s-on/off has been cracked before. Alternatives to locking include e-fuses, like in legacy motorola devices.
Bootloaders on the other hand, we're probably going to have to get some concrete evidence. It is most likely locked in my personal opinion.
This is all just speculation. Hopefully Blackberry can find a good balance.
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The efuze us still used in many devices and if I know blackberry they will have it check against its servers for security. Once it detects root it will most likely disable the device. Or most of the functions that use BB servers. Remember everything is routed through Blackberrys servers in Canada so if their servers go do so does the device.

zelendel said:
Once it detects root it will most likely disable the device. Or most of the functions that use BB servers.
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I would be completely fine with them locking out the BB services when root is discovered. But locking down the hardware would be overstepping their bounds. It's our hardware, not theirs. I know that doesn't mean they couldn't still do it, I just think it would be a jerk move.
It would be like if Microsoft bricked xbox machines that have been modded. They don't, they just ban you from XBox Live if they detect it. I think it should be the same approach.

Yes but even MS has locked the bootloader on Many of their 32 bit machines now. Also I have a link that you might want to read where is passed then modding our devices at all will become illegal.
https://www.eff.org/issues/tpp

Unlock bootloader? Custom ROMs?

How hard/easy is it to unlock the bootloader on Xperia devices?
Is there a developer community with custom ROMs such as ResurrectionRemix that might develop for this phone?

It takes a few mins. You go to this site, select phone in the list and then enter IMEI, Email in which you get an email with the unlock code and then you simply enter that code into ADB and done.
Can't answer your second question as that depends on whether or not any devs will get this phone so time will tell I guess.

FartyParty said:
It takes a few mins. You go to this site, select phone in the list and then enter IMEI, Email in which you get an email with the unlock code and then you simply enter that code into ADB and done.
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That's s great site, very well presented.
Let's hope the XZ2P shows up on that unlockable list...

No we xz2 users wait also, like also on the drm fix, 1 week that sony release the source.

@temporarium
1- The unlock procedure is easy and free via official website however the consequences are pretty bad. Unlocking the boot-loader will permanently remove the TA partition on the phone which contains the drm keys files and mess up the camera and many other functions will stop working ,these issues can be temporary patched/fixed by using a custom kernel with drm fix support, if you have no idea about DRM keys, read this quote ..
If you unlocked the bootloader on a Sony Xperia device, you probably know that the potential loss of warranty is not the only disadvantage you have to accept. Another fairly hidden issue is related to various proprietary features such as the X-Reality color management, BIONZ image processor and the active noise cancelling techniques. Once you decide to unlock your bootloader, the process also removes a piece of data referred to as the DRM keys. These are tied to various services (such as streaming video and the like) offered by Sony but are also required for the features mentioned above to work properly. Put simply, once the keys are gone, you’ll face issues such as decreased low light camera image quality and the lack of the X-Reality mode.
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Note that on older devices shipped with MM or older Android versions like Xperia XZ there's a hack/exploit that was used to backup that TA partition before unlocking the bootlodaer to restore it later whener there's need to but unfortunately this is not possible since XZ Premium (shipped with Android Nougat)
2- For the developer community for Xperia Phones it really depends on the device popularity for example Z1, Z3, Z5 and XZ premium were quite popular in the last few years and were lucky to have a decent dev community, unlike for example the forgotten XZs, in my personal opinion I see that the devcommunity for Sony devices is way worse compared to other oems for example (samsung, oneplus, htc ...)

korom42 said:
@temporarium
1- The unlock procedure is easy and free via official website however the consequences are pretty bad. Unlocking the boot-loader will permanently remove the TA partition on the phone which contains the drm keys files and mess up the camera and many other functions will stop working ,these issues can be temporary patched/fixed by using a custom kernel with drm fix support, if you have no idea about DRM keys, read this quote ..
Note that on older devices shipped with MM or older Android versions like Xperia XZ there's a hack/exploit that was used to backup that TA partition before unlocking the bootlodaer to restore it later whener there's need to but unfortunately this is not possible since XZ Premium (shipped with Android Nougat)
2- For the developer community for Xperia Phones it really depends on the device popularity for example Z1, Z3, Z5 and XZ premium were quite popular in the last few years and were lucky to have a decent dev community, unlike for example the forgotten XZs, in my personal opinion I see that the devcommunity for Sony devices is way worse compared to other oems for example (samsung, oneplus, htc ...)
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Thanks, but I'm on a Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 and loving it.