Bootloader of Verizon-exclusive Google Pixel has been unlocked

If you like tinkering with your Android devices, but for some reason purchased your new Pixel phone from Verizon — be it due to faster shipping times, some sort of trade-in deal, or simply because you didn't know carrier-exclusive Pixels would have their bootloaders locked — you are in for a pleasant surprise. Crafty developers have managed to unlock the bootloader of the Verizon Google Pixel, thus opening the gates to a world of possibilities.

Despite the promises that all Pixel phones, both carrier-exclusive and purchased from Google Play, will get timely updates, this is still good news for the Android community, as an unlocked bootloader could potentially allow users to install custom or stock ROMs on their Verizon-exclusive Pixels.

The breakthrough was made by developers of Android unlocking tool Firewater, and Android security researcher and self-proclaimed “hacker of phones” Joh Sawyer (a.k.a. Jcase). The Firewater developer team boasted about their achievement on Twitter, calling the unlocking process “so easy, it's barely fun”. The catch? There is no word on when/if the developers will release the unlock tool to the general public.

unlocking a verizon HTC, err "Google" Pixel is so easy its barely fun.  @therootninja@jcase  Maybe we'll release someday.  Maybe. pic.twitter.com/elnq1kx2HP

— fire water (@firewaterdevs) October 26, 2016

source: Twitter