Smartphone manufacturers generally believe that the custom UI they slap on top of their phones’ Android install is perfect. It’s the best possible experience you could have on a phone and you would never, ever want to change it, right? Well, not quite. Many companies recognise that devs and enthusiasts like to tweak the software, root their devices and flash custom ROMs. Though unlocking the boot loader actually voids the warranty in a lot of cases, a lot of manufacturers are happy to tell you how to do it, and Sony today announced that it would be making its Unlock Boot Loader service even easier to use.
The company’s Unlock Boot Loader page has been redesigned and now includes a simple 3-step process for unlocking the boot loader. All you need to do is select your device and provide your email and IMEI number. Then Sony will provide you with an unlock code for your device.
In addition to revising the instructions, Sony has improved the process for checking whether or not your device is supported (you no longer have to go through the entire list to find your phone). There’s now also an FAQ to help those having issues unlocking their device.
While Sony is all for helping you unlock your device, the company does still advise against it unless you know what you’re doing. In fact, the company goes as far as to say “normal consumers” don’t need to unlock their devices at all.
“The original Sony software installed on your device is rigorously tested for great functionality,” Sony said on it developer blog this morning. “If you do decide to unlock the boot loader, you should be aware that unlocking the boot loader may void your warranty of the device. Certain functions or features might cease to work, and you might even cause damage to your device.”
Proceed with caution.
[source]Sony Developer Blog[/source]
[via]Android Central[/via]
