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Unfortunately there are some models of the S4 which cannot run a custom rom (AT&T model, for example).


This one? http://download.cyanogenmod.org/?device=jflteatt

Luckily I'm from Germany and we have the international version (with a Qualcomm SoC).

But it's true that you have to be careful which phone you buy if you want to run a custom ROM. For example there are several "Value Editions" of Samsung's phones which can't be rooted.


Yes, that's the one. Unfortunately around the time of the introduction of the Android 5 update on that handset, they also locked down the bootloader. As far as I'm aware (and a quick search of the XDA forums), it seems that it will probably never be unlocked. Such a shame because it is a great phone being left behind.


Ah I see :/

Btw: You can officially unlock the bootloader of some of LG's phones, see http://developer.lge.com/resource/mobile/RetrieveBootloader....


It worries me that the unlocking of many phones relies on manufacturer websites that might not be there one day. Hell, even the Xiaomi Mi4c required unlocking with "identity verification" via SMS.


What's the alternative though? We probably don't want the phones to be unlocked from the start for security reasons.


The Nexus approach - fastboot oem unlock, maybe controlled via a software switch in the OS.




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