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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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...
It's possible over here across the Öresundsbron in Sweden. As well as all other countries. Remember warranty (not the EU mandated 2 years consumer guarantee) is totally voluntary and that businesses the aimed market for those devices have neither warranted by law. No manufacturer warranty isn't that strange. An additional warranty simply covers more. Is an additional protection. The mandated consumer guarantee only covers faults from manufacturing. It's the same in Denmark. In Sweden this consumer protection called reklamationsrätt is extended to three years, but as said it's only for private consumers. Businesses have to handle that in different contracts directly. So of course a private citizen buying the units can change out a DOA unit or a unit with manufacturing faults and flaws.
So your confusing it for nothing, unnecessarily: taenk.dk/gode-råd/garanti-og-reklamationsret
If I were Motorola I wouldn't want to support an unlocked device. With the ability to boot any config you want there is a high degree of potential for bricking the device, or at least causing unanticipated issues. There is not always a clear red line between a hardware and a software malfunction, and if they provide hardware support they would also be investing in a ton of troubleshooting and support for software related issues due to custom ROM's that they have no control over.
Obviously this phone is not for everyone - if you want a supported solution buy one of thousand phones on the market. IMO this, as the name suggests, is more for developers to test idea's on than for regular consumers.
But there are things which no wrong ROM can break, like chassis, buttons, USB, headphone connectors, external peripherals (power switching circuits, audio circuit, battery charger, ...), which often have issues. It's ok if they say we can't give warranty for flash, SoC, radio. But for the other parts they must give warranty. You can also overclock your PC by default, reflash the BIOS, install a different OS on it, build it together on your own, manufacturers still offer warranty for mainboard, hard drive, monitor, chassis, ... A smartphone is not different.
Actually, the opposite is true: with an unlocked bootloader, the possibility of truly hard-bricking a device is extremely slim. Keeping the bootloader locked, and making hacking much more difficult, also means the possibility of bricking the device increases significantly.
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14 Comments
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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.
Penti - Wednesday, February 1, 2012 - link
It's possible over here across the Öresundsbron in Sweden. As well as all other countries. Remember warranty (not the EU mandated 2 years consumer guarantee) is totally voluntary and that businesses the aimed market for those devices have neither warranted by law. No manufacturer warranty isn't that strange. An additional warranty simply covers more. Is an additional protection. The mandated consumer guarantee only covers faults from manufacturing. It's the same in Denmark. In Sweden this consumer protection called reklamationsrätt is extended to three years, but as said it's only for private consumers. Businesses have to handle that in different contracts directly. So of course a private citizen buying the units can change out a DOA unit or a unit with manufacturing faults and flaws.So your confusing it for nothing, unnecessarily: taenk.dk/gode-råd/garanti-og-reklamationsret
HammerStrike - Tuesday, January 31, 2012 - link
If I were Motorola I wouldn't want to support an unlocked device. With the ability to boot any config you want there is a high degree of potential for bricking the device, or at least causing unanticipated issues. There is not always a clear red line between a hardware and a software malfunction, and if they provide hardware support they would also be investing in a ton of troubleshooting and support for software related issues due to custom ROM's that they have no control over.Obviously this phone is not for everyone - if you want a supported solution buy one of thousand phones on the market. IMO this, as the name suggests, is more for developers to test idea's on than for regular consumers.
UpSpin - Tuesday, January 31, 2012 - link
But there are things which no wrong ROM can break, like chassis, buttons, USB, headphone connectors, external peripherals (power switching circuits, audio circuit, battery charger, ...), which often have issues. It's ok if they say we can't give warranty for flash, SoC, radio. But for the other parts they must give warranty.You can also overclock your PC by default, reflash the BIOS, install a different OS on it, build it together on your own, manufacturers still offer warranty for mainboard, hard drive, monitor, chassis, ... A smartphone is not different.
bplewis24 - Tuesday, January 31, 2012 - link
Actually, the opposite is true: with an unlocked bootloader, the possibility of truly hard-bricking a device is extremely slim. Keeping the bootloader locked, and making hacking much more difficult, also means the possibility of bricking the device increases significantly.