So Verizon made its Galaxy S III inferior by locking its bootloader. This made it harder for users to load custom ROMs—the main reason you’d root your phone. People were upset by this, understandably. Verizon’s answer to the mess? Offer up a $600 Developer Edition. Ugh.
https://gizmodo.com/verizon-makes-its-best-android-phone-worse-again-5924535
Whether this an actual response to backlash or not, Verizon’s call to offer a non-contract phone is a bad decision. This is a great phone that people want. The carrier is mad to make its own version worse than its competitors. Verizon’s paper-thin argument—an unlocked bootloader would imperil user experience on a Verizon device—is clearly bunk. The company just wants to make it as hard as possible for you to remove its crap apps and all references to them. Which, job well done.
There is one silver lining to the $600, 32GB Developer Edition, though. If you’re buying a new phone, but want to keep your unlimited data plan by buying an unsubsidized handset, you’ll actually make out on the price—the 32GB phone is the same price as the 16GB edition. For everyone else, hold onto your ankles. [Droid Life via Phandroid via Verge]
https://gizmodo.com/verizon-unlimited-data-not-quite-dead-but-theres-no-po-5911254
