Samsung apparently has decided to block access to Unlock Bootloader for Galaxy S25 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold7, and Galaxy Z Flip7, in addition to trimming down features like assistants, widgets, and music controls. This discovery was made by XDA developers team during an inspection, revealing that the “OEM Unlocking” option has been locked, showing a series of authoritative code “firmware—androidboot.other.locked=1”. It seems that Samsung has hidden the Unlock Bootloader option that had always been present by default. Reports suggest that this restriction applies to certain regions with permission for OEM Unlocking feature access previously, such as the United States and East Africa. The impact of this access permission change on future Samsung smartphone lineups remains uncertain for now. The implementation of this ban is believed to strengthen security systems to minimize data leaks due to unofficial ROM customizations. Despite disrupting community innovation, Samsung has confirmed the launch of stable version One UI 8 in mid-late September 2025, responding to the blocking policy. Therefore, the community can still hope for the return of OEM Unlocking option in the stable version of One UI 8.
