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Since 2008 the Sony Xperia (a name taken from the word experience) line of smart phones and tablets have been a mainstay of their mobile device line.\u00a0 Growing with the new world of hand held, mobile computing, Xperia products first began incorporating the Android operating system in 2010.\u00a0 Every new piece of technology released in the Sony Xperia line is a chance for users and techies alike to explore the possibilities offered by the continued improvement in functionality and processing capabilities.\u00a0 The announcement about the newest addition to their smart phone line, the Xperia Z3, already has tech sites buzzing about the device while carefully examining its capabilities.<\/p>\n
Bootloaders, Smart Phones and You<\/strong><\/p>\n The world of DOS, Windows and now Android has always been about allowing users the freedom to customize their experience.\u00a0 Open source code and the world of innovation allowed continuous improvements and changing.\u00a0 Savvy smart phone users figured out that by unlocking a phone’s bootloader many major pieces of software could be modified and customized.\u00a0 A bootloader is the instructions guiding a phone during start up.\u00a0 Unlocking the bootloader allows for new operating systems to be installed and loaded that have been developed specifically for Android based phones such as Ubuntu or Cyanogen.\u00a0 However, there are potential drawbacks if you decide to modify your smart phone.<\/p>\n Sony Warns Xperia Users Against Unlocking Bootloaders<\/strong><\/p>\n Smart phone manufacturers are generally against users unlocking the bootloader on their device.\u00a0 Obviously there are monetary reasons for this, as manufacturers contract with software companies to create the platform and related applications on any given device.\u00a0 Furthermore companies warn that the integrity of security may be compromised by altering the configuration of a device.\u00a0 Sony states on their website that unlocking the bootloader on their Xperia Z3 device will void the warranty due to these concerns.\u00a0 Sony additionally warns users that unlocking the bootloader may cause certain preloaded applications to fail, prevent updates to software and cause users to be unable to purchase and download anything from Sony’s digital storefronts.<\/p>\n DRM Keys and Mobile Devices<\/strong><\/p>\n The reason that unlocking the bootloader on the Sony Xperia Z3 may cause so many problems for users is the face that in doing so the device’s DRM keys will be deleted.\u00a0 DRM (digital rights management) security keys allow a smart phone to prove that it has the right to use certain applications or online purchases related to the device.\u00a0 When these keys are lost by unlocking the Xperia’s bootloader certain applications become unusable and users are unable to prove to Sony’s online storefronts that the device is compatible and secure.\u00a0 The decision by Sony to make these DRM keys linked to the system’s bootloader leaves users with a difficult decision to make if they want greater customization options.<\/p>\n