Verizon Google Pixel And Pixel XL Bootloaders Now Unlockable For Your Rooting Pleasure

by Brandon Hill — Monday, October 31, 2016, 11:01 AM EDT

Google has impressed both the media and the smartphone enthusiast community with its new Pixel and Pixel XL flagship Android 7.0 Nougat flagships. The phones features blazing fast processors and are backed by excellent cameras which rival images produced by flagship Samsung and Apple smartphones.

Today, we’re learning that people that have purchased the Verizon versions of the Pixel and Pixel XL can now unlock the bootloader on their smartphones. Using a tool called dePixel8, the process to unlock the bootloader on Verizon Pixels has been automated. With an unlocked bootloader, you are then free to root the device and install your own custom ROMs on it.

The developer explains:

Our software works by forcefully enabling bootloader unlocking, it does not automatically unlock the bootloader. After using dePixel8, your device will reboot into bootloader mode. You then need to run the "fastboot oem unlock" command. This action will unlock the bootloader and wipe your user data.

While the dePixel8 tool is aimed at making the bootloader unlocking process as easy as possible, any mistakes that are made during the process could potentially brick your device — so proceed with caution. Also keep in mind that unlocking the bootloader will void your warranty and prevent your device from receiving pertinent security updates in the future.

For those that need a refresher, the Pixel and Pixel XL both feature Snapdragon 821 processors, 4GB RAM, 32GB or 128GB of storage, and a 12.3MP camera with unlimited storage space for full-resolution images and videos to Google Photos. The Pixel has a 5-inch 1080p display and a 2770 mAh battery, while the Pixel XL has a 5.5-inch QHD display and a 3450 mAh battery.

Pricing for the Pixel and Pixel XL starts at $649 and $769 respectively for 32GB storage capacities.

Tags: Google, Verizon, pixel, (NYSE:VZ), (nasdaq:goog), pixel xl

Brandon Hill

Brandon received his first PC, an IBM Aptiva 310, in 1994 and hasn’t looked back since. He cut his teeth on computer building/repair working at a mom and pop computer shop as a plucky teen in the mid 90s and went on to join AnandTech as the Senior News Editor in 1999. Brandon would later help to form DailyTech where he served as Editor-in-Chief from 2008 until 2014. Brandon is a tech geek at heart, and family members always know where to turn when they need free tech support. When he isn’t writing about the tech hardware or studying up on the latest in mobile gadgets, you’ll find him browsing forums that cater to his long-running passion: automobiles.

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