Xiaomi global bootloader unlock policy has changed - XiaomiTime
Recently, Xiaomi has made a big policy change regarding bootloader unlocking; this will definitely affect every user worldwide. While earlier Xiaomi allowed
the new policy brought that number down to a single device per year
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I don't have a phone from this brand. What system in place enforces this policy?
Neither do I, but you according to this you have to apply for and request an unlock code for the device, as well that the device must be online to authorize the unlock. Pretty stupid if you ask me.
online via a mobile data connection no less, presumably to allow them to reliably associate the imei to you.
with xiaomi phones, unlocking the bootloader is not as simple as running fastboot oem unlock or such from a PC. The reason for that is that manufacturers get to decide how to implement those fastboot commands, and xiaomi decided to restrict it quite a lot.
my last experience was that to toggle on the switch on the phone that makes unlocking possible, you need
then, you need to install the xiaomi unlocker tool on a windows PC, log in with the same xiaomi account as on the phone, connect the phone over USB, start the unlock process, wait like 2 weeks, and finish the unlock process with the same tool.
the unlock tool most probably just retrieves a secret code from xiaomi and passes that to fastboot, but you can't really get around it afaik, unless you want to risk rooting it through a vulnerability, which will still leave it locked
I have their phone and you need to use their windows app to unlock it.
Thanks.
What prevents someone from creating an additional account on a different computer to unlock two phones in a year?
I can't find it on my PC anymore, but it's ringing to me that you needed to login with your Mi account.
edit: plus wait 72h(?)
Was a week when I did it some years ago.
The account is tied to your sim, you effectively confirm it by them forcing you to do the process over mobile data.
Exactly what I’m thinking.
I don’t know how this works, but my idea is: create a new Windows install in a VM, download this software and then use a burner email if it requires an email account.
I’m not really sure how they could lock something like that down except the fact this is too much for some people or the fact that it’s something they need to think up.
Yeah... Android ROM developers are really tech savvy with coming up with solutions. I am really interested in what holds them back.
They make you associate the device with a functional sim by forcing you to do the process over mobile data.
Presumably they take all the sims IDs, effectively making the limit 1 device per year per unique phone contract including data.
Going by my experiences with prepaid contracts (which got canceled due to low usage) I'd estimate that creates costs of 20€ per unlock in my region.
