Motorola Announces RAZR XT910 Developer Edition with Unlocked Bootloader
by Brian Klug on January 30, 2012 11:36 PM EST- Posted in
- Smartphones
- Motorola
- Mobile
- bootloader
- motorola droid RAZR
- RAZR
A while ago, Motorola announced plans to start unlocking bootloaders on devices "where operator and channel partners will allow it" sometime in 2011. While it's clear now (with that deadline behind us) that operators remain opposed to subsidizing sales of devices with unlockable bootloaders, Motorola is now moving forward with what would seem like an alternative means to a similar end, starting with creation of a Developer Edition XT910 device for Europe. The Developer Edition XT910 is similar to to the normal XT910, but includes an unlockable bootloader and is sold with no warranty - the device is currently available for preorder for €499.00. This is essentially the RAZR we've reviewed already but with GSM/WCDMA air interfaces and no LTE connectivity.
Customers stateside will have to wait for a corresponding unlockable developer device which ostensibly will mirror the XT912 shipping on Verizon Wireless with CDMA2000 1x/EVDO and LTE air interfaces. Hopefully Motorola's plans to launch Developer Edition devices doesn't mean that it has failed to reach an agreement with carrier partners to enable currently shipping devices to be unlocked.
Source: Motorola Blog, Motorola Dev. Devices, XT910
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
14 Comments
View All Comments
Darknite39 - Tuesday, January 31, 2012 - link
You've got to be kidding me, MOTO. Instead of just allowing us to unlock our existing phones (Hello, HTC--I wish I had bought something from you instead of my Droid X), you're requiring the purchase of an unsubsidized phone that includes NO warranty whatsoever (not even for hardware issues that are all too common for MOTO phones)? How benevolent! I was really looking at the RAZR MAXX, but this has solidified my decision to go with the GNexus.abhaxus - Tuesday, January 31, 2012 - link
Keep in mind this is for the European market. In the US, carriers are not willing to allow phones to ship with unlocked bootloaders and be subsidized (why would a carrier want to pay the customer to rip them off by flashing a custom ROM and tethering? just playing devils advocate here, since i do that myself).My question would be what is the MSRP on the locked version in Europe? The article is missing that critical piece of information. This phone should be $50 to $100 cheaper, given that its the same hardware and has no warranty.
UpSpin - Tuesday, January 31, 2012 - link
The developer phone costs 499 Euro (http://www.visitm.de/en/razr-dev)The normal phone with warranty costs 450 Euro on Amazon.de
So officially losing warranty you have to pay 50 Euro more? They are insane. Who would buy such a crap?
It's just a very very poor move. I didn't knew that manufacturers are allowed to sell devices without warranty at all, strange.
PubFiction - Tuesday, January 31, 2012 - link
What is the MSRP for the normal razr? Not saying I know just trying to clear it up, you know amazon rarely charges MSRP. And companies rarely announce what phones will cost when they hit the internet retailers.UpSpin - Tuesday, January 31, 2012 - link
The normal razr costs 499 Euro via Motos own shop: http://www.visitm.de/de/razr (Amazon.de lists the MSRP at 549 Euro)But the interesting thing is what you pay for it at the moment, at the moment you pay more or the same for a warranty less phone with a unlocked bootloader.
chinedooo - Tuesday, January 31, 2012 - link
How is a custom rom ripping off carriers? tethering is simple even with a locked bootloader.Lucian Armasu - Thursday, February 9, 2012 - link
You make it sound as if you shouldn't be able to tether your phone. It's your data. What does it matter how you use it? Is it really that different if I use my 2 GB on my phone, or if I use them on my laptop?piroroadkill - Tuesday, January 31, 2012 - link
Just allow the damn bootloaders to be unlocked on all.Also, is this the MAXX edition? If not, total and utter failure. The RAZR MAXX has that sweet battery, which would be the only reason to consider Motorola, really...
Bateluer - Tuesday, January 31, 2012 - link
My understanding is that its NOT the MAXX version.Mumrik - Tuesday, January 31, 2012 - link
"sold with no warranty"That is impossible here in Denmark. We have laws against that.