Sony Ericsson will unlock boot loader on Xperia smartphones

PHONE MAKER Sony Ericsson is unlocking its boot loader for developers on its latest range of Xperia smartphones.

Sony Ericsson has previously been reluctant to add such a feature, despite constant demand by developers. It always refused the request on the basis that there was no secure way of offering this, not to mention the potential legal considerations with regard to business agreements that such a feature might implicate.

Fortunately for developers these issues have been resolved and Sony Ericsson's 2011 Xperia range should come with an unlocked boot loader.

Initially the unlocked boot loader will be present on certain versions of the Xperia Arc, Neo, Pro and Play, but a number of requirements need to be met, such as not being SIM locked. Older phones cannot employ this feature, Sony Ericsson said, for security and legal reasons.

Sony Ericsson warned that this is an advanced feature that could damage or destroy a user's phone, or even overheat and cause personal injury. It said that only the most advanced developers should attempt this, as it could void the warranty.

This feature will be enabled some time in late spring. µ