this post was submitted on 07 Aug 2023

514 points (96.6% liked)

Technology

59295 readers

4099 users here now

This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.

Our Rules

Follow the lemmy.world rules.
Only tech related content.
Be excellent to each another!
Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
Politics threads may be removed.
No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
Only approved bots from the list below, to ask if your bot can be added please contact us.
Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed

Approved Bots

founded 1 year ago

MODERATORS

514

ASUS is apparently killing the ability to root present and future Zenfone, Updated (www.androidauthority.com)

submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by SeaJ@lemm.ee to c/technology@lemmy.world

129 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Update from Asus

The service team reply misunderstood the situation. Unlock tool is unavailable at this moment but we are allowing the possibility to unlock, please stay tuned.

**TL;DR

ASUS has apparently withdrawn the ability to unlock the bootloader on its phones.
As per the company’s technical support team, Zenfone 10 and Zenfone 9 users won’t be able to root their phones.

(page 2) 50 comments

sorted by: hot top controversial new old

[–] dsmk@lemmy.zip 7 points 1 year ago

Some here are mixing bootloader unlocking with rooting. They're not the same thing.

Asus broke bootloader unlocking, so you can only use the original ROM in the original state. You can't install a custom ROM or flash something like Magisk to root your device.

You can unlock without rooting or without installing a custom ROM. You can install a custom ROM without rooting. You can use stock and root. And you can use a custom ROM and root. But all this is only possible if you can unlock the device's bootloader.

[–] totallynotfbi@lemm.ee 6 points 1 year ago

I used to own a ZenFone, and Asus's technical support was awful. I guess I'm glad I don't use one now

[–] GrodanBoll@feddit.nu 6 points 1 year ago

Don't these phones only have 2 years of security updates? I believe samsung S23 is a better choice as a small phone as it has 5 years of security updates.

[–] CamileBlah@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I have been thinking about getting the ZenFone 10 as well. I have seen a lot of similar posts here and on various google searches. In the XDA forum for the phone there also a topic about not being able to unlock the bootloader/root, but there is a bit more info on the reasoning.

"A moderator in the Asus ZenTalk forum posted that they are working on a new release of the unlock tool and that it should be available in Q3 2023."

https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/unlocking-the-bootloader.4607595/

[–] fubbernuckin@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

Very cool. But they removed it for now, so I'll assume it's permanent until proven otherwise. Not very cool.

[–] ryannathans@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Buy motorola edge 30

Put lineage on it

???

Profit

[–] bappity@lemm.ee 5 points 1 year ago

welp, no chance I'm ever considering their phones in future

[–] i_am_hungry@meganice.online 4 points 1 year ago (3 children)

What phone should I buy that is not complete trash and I can do what I want with? My Samsung phone is almost dying and I really don't want another Samsung, or Asus.

[–] kokesh@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago

Xiaomi flagships are easily rootable. If not anything else, you can install Xiaomi.eu roms

[–] IchNichtenLichten@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

These have got me curious: https://www.pine64.org/pinephonepro/

[–] skankhunt42@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

I have a bunch.... If you're good with Linux and like to mess with your phone daily, you can probably daily drive it with minimal frustration. That is if you just want calls, SMS, and sort of MMS. Other apps or services are still rough around the edge.

If you just want something that works and you don't have to mess with it, stay with android/IOS. I still use my pixel3 with grapheneOS. I like the Speakers too much to upgrade.

[–] Reliant1087@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

How usable is waydroid?

load more comments (2 replies)

[–] partizan@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago

Motorola Edge g52 is quite a nice phone for low price. They allow rooting, have a jack, supports lineageOS and so on.

[–] hornedfiend@sopuli.xyz 4 points 1 year ago

OK. Pixels forever it is.

[–] edgerunnergit@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

One less potential customer here then

[–] KitsuneHaiku@ttrpg.network 3 points 1 year ago

Are they going to increase their abysmal security update support time?

[–] transistor@lemdro.id 3 points 1 year ago

This is sad to see. Replying from Lineage OS on Asus.

[–] ComputerSagtNein@lemm.ee 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Tbh, it has been years since I last rooted a phone. There is hardly any reason left to do it tbh.

[–] ddkman@lemm.ee 2 points 1 year ago

Yes there is.

If you want a cfw, which you do because your phone either comes with 2 years of updates or has touchwiz.

If you run cfw you NEED safetynet. Even the witzair app crashes without it. If you cfw and need safetynet, you have to have magisk. Magisk needs root for the safetynetfix.

load more comments (1 replies)

[–] unskilledlabor@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

If I ever come across anyone in the wild who actually has one I'll be sure to warn them not to root their phone.

[–] Ervan88@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago

What the lame, user already buy they product but user can't modify it like apple did....

load more comments