3 years of updates…
I don’t see it listed as supported by lineage OS. That tells me the bootloader isn’t open.
In fact, when they forgot to lock the bootloader, they fixed it, and said there was a mistake and they will never make the bootloader available.
https://www.xda-developers.com/nokia-7-2-unlockable-bootloader/
So yeah, fuck these guys, oh look a consumer first repairable phone that you can’t install software on f*** you (HMD/Nokia)
I would not be angry, except they’re trying to market themselves as consumer friendly, tinker friendly, repairable. So not letting you run software, and only giving you 3 years of updates, is antithetical to that. It’s such a contradiction it’s an insult
I don’t see it listed as supported by lineage OS. That tells me the bootloader isn’t open.
It released one month ago. Even if the bootloader were unlockable, it wouldn’t be officially supported by LineageOS yet. Someone actually needs to buy the phone, build for it and then maintain that build. For a popular custom ROM series like the Pixels or something, sure they will be supported very quickly, but other models often take quite a bit longer to be supported. Most people who buy this phone will not be buying it to immediately install LineageOS.
Yeah my exact thoughts. Repairable phones are mostly useless if the vendor blobs don’t get updated anymore after x years. Until we have an open ecosystem, as we have on desktop PCs, repairable phones are only good on paper.
The bar is so low, all they have to do is leave the bootloader unlocked, which they’ve done by accident already, and everyone would be happy and give them praise.
I don’t know what they gain by keeping the bootloader locked, maybe somebody thinks it’ll force new phone sales?
Yeah I’ve never had to change phones because I’ve broken my phone they always just stop being supported. Repairability is nice but continued support or a way to a different OS that is supported is much more useful
Exactly!
I am in the same boat right now. I still use a Pixel 4a. It’s a great device, has exactly the size and performance I need, perfect condition but I don’t get updates anymore. It’s insane that in a time where resources get a real problem this is still allowed. If they can’t support it at least force them to open source the software/drivers or something.
Yeah, this is such a scummy move by HMD. Allow boot loader unlocking if you are consumer friendly.
Apart from Fairphone there are really no other options. This is like a poor man’s fairphone.
My experience with HMD ‘phones’:
- Constant disabling/breaking of Bluetooth/Mobile Data/Wifi
- Bricked after OS update
- A ‘repair software’ that can only be used once (one action per activation), needs to be authorized by CS, can only be activated - and therefore used - x times per day and y times per week/month. It’s also utterly useless, only ‘fixing’ stuff temporarily. And stuff breaks more than the software can be used. That in itself sounds absurd, doesn’t it?
- No unlockable bootloader
- Working together with Etisalat (Arabic Cell Provider), allowing them to install spyware which led to a teenager being endangered by officials and parents tracking him down after he fled due to severe abuse and death sentence
I’ve had two USB C ports fail on HMD phones. I like the hardware, love the vanilla android, like the value, but I’ve never had a USB C port fail on anything else. I know it’s just personal experience but it means I can’t trust getting another again.
I’ve had two USB C ports fail on HMD phones.
Yeah, that’s what got my HMD made, Nokia branded, 7 plus. And from a search at the time this was a common problem
I had great experiences with Moto phones - also good hardware for relatively cheap, vanilla OS with no additional apps except a few, actually useful, Moto apps.
Lockd bootloader=dead weight and useless after a couple of years, even if it let you replace CPU RAM by your self and I hate phones with locked bootloader
OS ceasing to get support is what leads to a device becoming obsolete these days rather than the hardware.
Nice to see that other companies are finally trying to make a phone that can actually compete with the fairphone. Still not as repairable as the fairphone though, and its unacceptable to have a locked bootloader.
I mean its great that it is repairable, but not so much if pretty much everything else is a compromise for the MSRP.
