LG Planning to Offer Bootloader Unlocking Option on Future Handsets

LG might bring bootloader unlocking support to its future smartphones, with the company saying it is working out the finer details of how to provide it.

The Korean smartphone maker, according to the official reply made via an email to XDA developers, a popular mobile developers forum, is preparing to offer a safer bootloader unlocking feature for developers - along with a specific server. The company for now is internally discussing 'target' models, and the timeline to roll-out the bootloader unlock feature.

The firm however also mentioned that the decision might take some time as everything including the 'technical restrictions, security issues, and the policy of mobile carriers' are to be taken into consideration.

Bootloader unlocking enables users to install custom ROMs on the smartphones, a process that is not simple for lay users. In several cases, these custom ROMs are made available to end-users as well, along with detailed instructions, by developer forums like XDA.

In the email, posted on the XDA forum by Wolfgart, LG apologised to the developer for the 'inconvenience and disappointment that have been caused by lack of support for bootloader unlock on the latest LG smartphones.' The firm will provide more specific details on the matter once it decides its support policy for bootloader unlock.

LG has not mentioned which upcoming models will receive the bootloader unlocking option. However, one smartphone that might come with the feature is the LG G3 Stylus, a smartphone which is tipped to be released in the Q3 of this year. Another handset under the radar is the rumoured LG D635 smartphone that was spotted by AdDuplex last month. The handset might run on Windows Phone 8.1.

Phonearena speculates that once the bootloader unlocking feature is offered, it might work with some current generation handsets, like the LG G3.

Thank you for your feedback regarding bootloader unlock and we are sorry for any inconvenience and disappointment that have been caused by lack of support for bootloader unlock on the latest LG smartphones.

We are already aware of many developers' requests and opinions on bootloader unlock.

So we have been preparing a server to provide safer bootloader unlock.

Also, we are internally discussing the target model and the time of providing bootloader unlock.

However, it will take some more time due to the technical restrictions, security issues, and the policy of mobile carriers.

We deeply apologize that we are unable to support bootloader unlock right now and would like to ask for your kind understanding.

We will let you know more specific information when the support policy for bootloader unlock is decided.

Best Regards,

LG