The benefits of a custom kernel?

[jdbower]

I don't think the older phones matter as much, it may have been before a vulnerability was thought of, but the Xoom is an excellent point. I can only speak towards how I'd architect the kernel to protect the network, which should be VZW's primary concern, and I have little knowledge of how the Android-specific kernel is architected. I haven't checked the diff between the Google and Moto kernels (BTW, *ALL* distributed kernel changes need to be published as open source or you risk being sued by the EFF - GPL infection and all...).

Do you have any theories as to why VZW would care about locked bootloaders?

 

[Adrynalyne]

Two reasons.

• It creates a warranty issue where a user has a larger chance of damaging the device and then tries to use warranty. Hardware damage is more obvious if it was self-inflicted.
• Proprietary overlays and software (including bloat) are closed source. It is piracy to distribute the apps.

Those to me are the biggest two issues.

 

[jdbower]

Two reasons.

• It creates a warranty issue where a user has a larger chance of damaging the device and then tries to use warranty. Hardware damage is more obvious if it was self-inflicted.
• Proprietary overlays and software (including bloat) are closed source. It is piracy to distribute the apps.

Those to me are the biggest two issues.

The problem is that locking the bootloader doesn't fix either of those issues, Rooting voids the warranty and that works just fine on Moto devices and you can still overclock until your system blows up. Distributing the apps is a function of root, not kernel hacking.

 

[Adrynalyne]

Unlocking a device says for everyone to "come on right in, the water is great!"

A locked device requires exploits. Manufacturers constantly try to close those up. Hence new root methods have to be found all the time.

Kernel hacking has nothing to do with them locking or unlocking the bootloader, by the way. Motorola uses it as a method of ensuring you cannot bypass their protections without breaking the software and thus voiding your warranty. They can't account for sbfs and the like being available of course.

You make valid points. Locking bootloaders solves no issue. But unlocking them encourages for people to do it. Then they start thinking its ok to trash your phone software and then file for a warranty claim.