I got the One M8 yesterday and so far I'm really liking it. A bit of an upgrade from my Galaxy Nexus.
The only major gripe I have is the pre-installed apps that you cannot uninstall. As far as I can see the only way to get rid of them is to root the phone and either use Titanium backup to delete them or put another rom on there.
I have no problem with rooting the phone as all my previous phones were rooted, but I'm hesitant with this one as I don't fancy having an invalidated warranty due to both HTC and Vodafone making so there are apps taking up space on the phone that you can't get rid of.
So, if I root my phone will I lose the 24 month warranty that comes with it?
Thank you for this comprehensive overview of the EU warranty rules. I always thought it was NONSENSE for manufacturers and network operators and load devices with unnecessary apps that cannot be removed without modifying the handset. I think there IS a case for the various telecommunications authorities to stop the menace of pre-installed apps and to give the consumer true power over the way we use the phone. I am not 'social' and don't want facepoop/twatter or any of the other rubbish pre-loaded. Give us the 'vanilla' operating system and we will decide what we want to add.
Hi That is what Android is supposed to be. Open source software. Again common sense tells you if you overclock CPU you may have warranty problems but again they have to prove you had it rooted and that is what caused the failure.
I think i'll have a go at answering this one as well, seems everyone else has. :smileywink:
First of all I will put where I stand on the who preinstalled apps situation. Whilst I can understand the thought process behind is from a manufacturer/network point of view I am firmly on the believe that it should be the users choice to install the apps they want, not have any forced upon them (RCS being the example in mind). With regards to HTC specifically they are in the process of moving all their apps to the Play Store with the aim of making it the users choice however essential Sense apps would still exist on the devices. They do offer the M8 as a Google Play edition thus running Vanilla Android, exactly the same as the Nexus devices. For me personally I prefer the untouched Android that comes with Nexus devices, so much so that my last three phones have been from the Nexus range. This is the only way you are going to get a truely untouched version of the system.
Just whilst I remember, @Wossi the reason Vodafone stopped selling the Nexus line was because Google, quite rightly, slashed the price and sold directly so there was no longer money to be made by third parties like Vodafone.
On the subject of rooting and warranties; It has always been my understanding that rooting the phone and subsequently changing the operating system would be classed as a modification of the device and therefore void the warranty. I have no idea how the EU law works and i'm not even going to try to begin to understand it (99% rubbish in my opinon anyways as we have more than suitable laws in this country already) so whether or not that applies would need to be confirmed by a qualified lawyer with full understanding of the issue, I suspect a level of interpretation would be required. (I am of course open to being proved wrong by means of a link to the EU documentation stating that modifying the device is indeed allowed, if anyone has that i'd like to see it)
I think the official line would be that the warranty would be void if you modify the device however in reality I think a reasonably level of disgression would be applied by HTC should an issue occur with the device, I wouldn't bother going to Vodafone for a repair if you have rooted.
An interesting point, if you did want to install a custom firmware chances are you will unlock the bootloader. The official HTC advice "We strongly suggest that you do not unlock the bootloader unless you are confident that you understand the risks involved"
HTC is committed to listening to users and delivering customer satisfaction. We have heard your voice and starting now, we will allow our bootloader to be unlocked for 2011 models going forward.Please keep an eye on this website for more details on which devices will be adding this feature. We are extremely pleased to see the energy and enthusiasm from our fans and loyal customers, and we are excited to see what you are capable of. HTC eagerly anticipates your innovations.
It is our responsibility to caution you that not all claims resulting or caused by or from the unlocking of the bootloader may be covered under warranty. Please note that unlocking your bootloader does not mean that you will be able to unlock the SIM lock. Unlocking your SIM lock is at the discretion of your operator/carrier and is not part of the bootloader unlocking scope.
Our devices have been designed with our hardware and software specifications in mind and unlocking the bootloader will change the software and may cause unexpected side effects. It is impossible for HTC to ensure the proper functioning of your device after this. In the worst case scenario, it is possible that your device may be physically damaged due to overheating or the behavior of your device might be altered including, but not limited to, hearing aid compatibility (HAC) and specific absorption rate (SAR) values.
Some content on your device may also be invalidated and cannot be accessed any more because of invalid DRM security keys. This includes content that you may have purchased through a 3rd party vendor and through HTC. Furthermore, although you will still be able to receive updates to your device via FOTA (“firmware over the air”), we do not guarantee that updating your device via FOTA will not render your device unusable. Please understand that you will not be able to return your device to the original state and going forward your device may not be held covered under the warranty for all claims resulting from the unlocking of the bootloader. HTC bears no responsibility if your device is no longer usable afterwards.
HTC is committed to assisting customers in unlocking bootloaders for HTC devices. However, due to some of our carrier customers concerns, certain models with specific restrictions may not be able to be unlocked. Please refer to our list of supported devices to see if your device is eligible for unlocking the bootloader.
We strongly suggest that you do not unlock the bootloader unless you are confident that you understand the risks involved. This is a technical procedure and the side effects could possibly necessitate repairs to your device not covered under warranty. If you are still interested in unlocking the bootloader, and you understand the consequences both to your device and to your warranty, then you may refer to the following pages where we have provided the unlocking instructions.
To me it sounds as though HTC are open to the device being messed with as long as you understand that you break it and your on your own. If you feel confident doing it then fire on ahead, if you'd rather play it safe then you'll need to learn to love the device as is.
Manufacturers try to make handsets that just work out of the box. In this case, it means that things like Facebook are preinstalled as most people actually use it. I'm afraid that it means that people like yourself end up with apps that you don't need or use.
I'll never just understand why people feel the need to insult services they don't use by calling them silly names. If you want a vanilla phone get a nexus. Otherwise accept that all other phones will have software on them you don't want and won't use. As long as it doesn't interfere with the operation of the phone so what?
I'm afraid not playing your game. The practical situation is that networks consider rooting to be a warranty violation. If you were right and the case law relevant they would have a changed their tune.
No game to play as you can not backup your statement. I can never understand people making statements they are unable to backup. At least you have given some lawyers a laugh. They have certainly pulled the wool over your eyes. Any further comment please provide evidence and not simply your view. Even HTC say they will look at each case individual and rooting a phone does not invalidate the whole warranty. You seem quick to criticise others. As per a few posts up. Please again try and be constructive for all concerned. We all have views some are correct some are not. Some can back it up some can not. Have a good afternoon
