Hacking your Android smartphone started out as something people did in their basements because they thought it was cool and geeky. Now the scene includes damn near everyone and they do it because they want the latest version of Android on their handset and they also want to free themselves from the ridiculous, often terrible, software that hardware manufacturers preinstall on their devices in the name of differentiation. Several members of the XDA Developers Forum, a place where these Android hackers congregate and share tips and tricks, have contacted HTC with regards to the bootloader, the part of the phone you need to manipulate in order to throw on custom versions of Android, of the Sensation 4G due to launch on T-Mobile later this month. It’s HTC’s first dual core smartphone and packs a spec sheet that is sure to make the heart of anyone interested in high end gear beat just that much faster. Here’s HTC’s response:
“We are currently developing new bootloader unlocked software for your phone. HTC is still committed to allowing our customers to unlock the bootloaders if they wish, however we are still implementing the policy and many updates were already finalized prior to our change in policy. We apologize for the inconvenience, but be assured that we are working on a solution for our customers and our commitment has not changed. Please stay tuned to our official channels for ongoing updates on how we will be implementing this policy. Thank you for your patience.”
Several weeks ago HTC claimed that they would no longer lock their bootloaders, hence why the XDA folks wanted to triple check that they’ll be able to modify their devices. All of this wouldn’t be necessary if HTC just threw an option into their handsets to remove Sense UI, but that’s not going to happen.