this post was submitted on 28 Aug 2025
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The Browser Wasn’t Enough, Google Wants To Control All Your Software (hackaday.com)
submitted 1 day ago by mesamunefire@piefed.social to c/technology@lemmy.world
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[–] shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zip 13 points 22 hours ago (2 children)

You cannot do so on Samsung devices. They have disabled the ability to unlock the bootloader on their devices and therefore you cannot install custom operating systems on them anymore.

If you want to install custom software like that, you always have to do your research beforehand and choose a device that will allow you to do so.

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 1 points 15 hours ago

probably will be an older model that isnt sold anymore by samsung.

[–] ExtremeUnicorn@feddit.org 2 points 21 hours ago (2 children)

Since when is this the case?

[–] ColeSloth@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 13 hours ago

My Note 20 Ultra (US) came out like 5+ years ago and you can't unlock the bootloader. There was a workable hack job that was possible for a little while, but even that got patched up through a firmware update back in like 2021, and there's no way to roll back firmware anymore, either.

[–] tomalley8342@lemmy.world 5 points 21 hours ago (2 children)
[–] GriffinClaw@lemmy.zip 1 points 19 hours ago* (last edited 17 hours ago) (2 children)

Dammit :(

Further reading says its most likely because European Union law 2014/53/EU which imposes new cybersecurity requirements on device manufacturers like Samsung. They must ensure that the devices they sell in Europe block the installation of unauthorized software and only run signed and approved ROMs. . Law was enforced August 01 2025.

Luckily my old phone still works (it is starting to show its age though). Gonna stretch it as long as possible. Hopefully someone will find a hack by then.

[–] InnerScientist@lemmy.world 1 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

Yeah that's their excuse, luckily the law explicitly says that:

(19) Verification by radio equipment of the compliance of its combination with software should not be abused in order to prevent its use with software provided by independent parties.

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32014L0053

[–] ExtremeUnicorn@feddit.org 1 points 12 hours ago* (last edited 12 hours ago)

Seems like a cheap excuse, the law doesn't say specifically that.

But, of course, manufacturers like to lock down their devices as much as possible. And such laws play into their hands.