The new One UI 8 update from Samsung has sparked widespread controversy after the company gradually started removing the Bootloader Unlock option from its smart devices, which was recently monitored in Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Galaxy Fold 7 phones that come pre -loaded with the new version, in addition to the Galaxy S25 Ultra in beta versions.
The disappearance of the “OEM Unlock” option raises questions
According to the Sammyguru website, the “OEM Unlocking” option disappeared from developers settings in the last update, which really means that the user is no longer able to open the Botaloder manually, and this was confirmed by reviewing the new system code, along with multiple reports of users who have tried the beta version.
This feature was available in some areas outside the United States, but the new update generalized restrictions that were previously applied only to the American market. While the average user is often not affected by this change, the community of developers and those interested in allocating the system see a retreat from freedom of use and control.
Control is still possible from Samsung only
According to what has been monitored, this change does not mean that the Botleuder has become completely closed. Rather, Samsung will continue to be able to open it internally in specific cases, but the user will not be able to do it himself, which represents a fundamental change in the company’s philosophy towards advanced users.
So far it has not been clear whether Samsung will apply this change to old phones that will be updated to One UI 8 later, or if this decision will be limited only to new devices that are previously shipped in the new system.
Rising trend in the smartphone market
This step is not completely surprising, as an increasing number of smart phone companies began to restrict or cancel the possibility of opening the Botaloder, and in China, for example, Xiaomi had previously prevented this, prompting some users to resort to unofficial and risky methods to break these restrictions.
