14 DAY TRIAL // Google announced its latest smartphones at the start of the year and made the devices available through Google Store and Project Fi soon after. The smartphones are also offered by Verizon and many have chosen to purchase them from the US carrier, thanks to faster shipping times or various deals.
While Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones bought from Verizon will receive timely security patches and software updates from Google, they do come with a locked bootloader.
Developers of Android unlocking tool Firewater and Android security researcher Jon Sawyer have managed to unlock the bootloader on the Pixel phone sold by Verizon. The team took to Twitter to announce their achievement and said that the unlocking process was “so easy, it’s barely fun.”
However, it remains to be seen when and if the developers will make the unlock tool available to the general public.
Nevertheless, an unlocked bootloader on a Pixel smartphone means that owners can install custom or stock ROMs on their phones and start tweaking its software.
Pixel smartphones sold through Verizon do come with bloatware, which are applications that the US carrier pre-installs on the smartphone. Fortunately, it seems that Pixel owners will be able to remove the pre-loaded apps if they don’t use them.
Verizon currently sells Pixel smartphones for full retail prices starting $650 or at least $28.07 per month on a 24-month contract. Verizon is also offering free Daydream View VR headsets for each sold Pixel smartphone.