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Bootloader Unlock Wall of Shame (github.com)
submitted 11 months ago by to c/privacy@programming.dev
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This is a list of phone manufacturers that lock their bootloaders to prevent people from installing custom operating systems (LineageOS etc) to remove bloatware and spyware/tracking.

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[–] 23 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (8 children)

Yeah, I dunno how accurate, let alone comprehensive, this repo of shame is.

From: https://github.com/zenfyrdev/bootloader-unlock-wall-of-shame/blob/main/brands/cat/README.md

Cat's phones have the OEM Unlock option in the settings app, but the typical fastboot flashing unlock/fastboot oem unlock just returns an unknown command error.

They didn't bother to list what model they tested before deeming the entire brand "Terrible". I have two CAT S22 Flips (still daily driving one of them), and both of them unlocked immediately with the fastboot command and without requiring an unlock key.

Mostly moot, though. You can still get CAT phones on the secondhand market but Bullit Group (the manufacturer of their branded phones) went out of business in April 2024.

I'm honestly not sure why you'd buy a phone from a tractor company anyways.

Because their phones are rugged AF and nearly indestructible.

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  • [–] 3 points 11 months ago (5 children)

    How indestructuble do they compare to a classic Nokia, or a GameBoy?

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  • [–] 2 points 11 months ago (4 children)

    I don't say this lightly, but completely on par with a classic Nokia with the exception of the touch screen. Not that I've damaged it, but touch screens are the weak point in all modern phones.

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  • [–] 2 points 11 months ago (3 children)

    Now that's interesting to know. I like 90's-level-of-indestructibility devices.

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  • [–] 2 points 11 months ago (2 children)

    Unfortunately they don't make them anymore, and they're stuck on Android 11. I have two, and one of them is running a GSI ROM for Android 13 but it's got issues with VoLTE so it's not my daily driver.

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  • [–] 1 point 11 months ago (1 child)

    , and they’re stuck on Android 11

    From a technological perspective, wouldn't that be a win? Each Android version since then is worse (not to mention the changes to the Store). I wonder if, considering these are devices indestructible enough to last, potentially beyond industries, are they equipped with the provisions to upgrade or change the OS out-of-band. Imagine one of those thingies running LineageOS.

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  • [–] 2 points 11 months ago

    Honestly, I prefer A11 and agree it's gotten worse sense. Thinking mostly along the lines of security patches and the like.

    The GSI ROM I'm running on my secondary one is LineageOS on top of the stock system (basically how GSI images work). There's no official LineageOS support, but I'm honestly not sure what the limitation is; may just be no one willing to maintain it.

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