Erencan YılmazDisturbing news has appeared for Samsung users, particularly those who like to customize their phones: the ability to unlock the bootloader is being taken away from Samsung phones with the One UI 8 updates! This feature is confirmed to be missing in both stable and beta One UI 8 releases.
This major development is further highlighted by news that internal One UI 8 firmware for the Galaxy S23 Ultra and Galaxy S22 Ultra will automatically re-lock the bootloader if the latter was unlocked beforehand. This comes as a huge hurdle for users who want to install third-party ROMs, customize kernels, or make heavy system customizations. Samsung’s action is being viewed as a serious move towards limiting users control of their phones.
Bootloader Unlocking No More: Galaxy S25 Series Also Impacted!
Based on the information available, the option to unlock the bootloader has been taken out of all One UI 8 versions on any device. The scenario not only affects current devices but also new-generation models such as the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25 Ultra, and Galaxy Z Fold series.
It points to a general policy change by Samsung that is drastically reducing the support for users who want to make deeper-level changes in the Android environment. Although the move may be intended to help strengthen device security, it also means significant restrictions for developers and power users.
Automatic Re-locking and Its Consequences
The automatic re-locking of the bootloader by One UI 8 internal firmware on models like the Galaxy S23 Ultra and Galaxy S22 Ultra, as reported, indicates that this is not just a feature removal but an active blocking.
This means that even those users who have already altered their devices could be compelled to return to factory settings or abide by software limitations when they update. This will result in drastic limitations on these devices’ software freedom and user intervention, possibly ushering in a new era for power users in the Samsung universe.
Source: Tech & Leaks Zone
