The T-Mobile LG G5 has been confirmed to come with a locked bootloader, just like the Samsung Galaxy S7.
Product Manager of the Un-carrier Desmond Smith made it official via a broadcast on Periscope.
Now, this comes off as a little unusual because T-Mobile is known for rolling out devices with an unlocked bootloader, allowing subscribers to go all out and tinker with their devices to their hearts' content.
As mentioned earlier, this is the same situation which the Galaxy S7 is in, but in that case, the carrier is not at fault. The decision to launch a locked bootloader on the Samsung flagship lineup is the smartphone maker's.
According to T-Mobile CEO John Legere, the engineers at the company are even trying to reach out to the South Korean firm to come up with a solution that's favorable for the subscribers who are itching to modify their Galaxy S7 and S7 edge.
@MarkHibbard1 I'm aware some are upset. It's under Samsung’s control, but my engineers are asking them for a solution that they can support.
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) March 13, 2016
This time around, it's unclear whether it was LG or T-Mobile who decided to have the LG G5 packaged with a locked bootloader. Smith didn't straighten this out in the video.
As expected, the folks over at XDA-Developers expressed their sentiments regarding the news. One user fervently hopes the international variant will be unlocked, while some are just rooting for the upcoming "smoothest and fastest Android phone" that is the HTC 10 now.
Meanwhile, it's a safe bet to assume that a couple of people may have seen this coming, as Android device makers have been focusing on security. That means providing some users the capability of customizing their devices isn't at the top of their list of priorities.
A word to the wise, rooting a device can void the warranty, so those who are planning to jump into the bandwagon should be wary – well, that's not directed to T-Mobile Galaxy S7 owners and future LG G5 owners at least.
