Is it worth unlocking the bootloader on my phone? It’s a Samsung with One UI 7.0 (I’ve been avoiding upgrading to 8.0 since they don’t let you unlock it after that). I just want to avoid having Google Services and AI installed. I use my phone to take photos of my art / send it to friends on signal and hate the idea of it being scanned by AI. I use a camera and gallery from fdroid but somehow the default photos app still has access (I know because it makes GIFs of pictures I took even though I marked permissions as “not allowed”). I also would love to get rid of the default apps I don’t use. While I can unlock the bootloader (for now), I can’t install a custom ROM because there are none compatible with my phone, so will I just be forced into using 8.0 at some point anyway? :( ATP I’m pretty much ready to give up smartphones and get a digital camera for anything I don’t feel comfortable feeding to tech companies.
100% worth it even without a custom OS.
I have been using my rooted S23 since it came out. Rooting it made it possible to edit the hosts file (to block malicious ads and domains), run a firewall (to block internet connectivity for certain system apps that I will not remove in order to retain certain functions) and use a VPN, all at the same time.
More specifically, I rooted my S23 following this guide: https://topjohnwu.github.io/Magisk/install.html
I created a custom hosts file using AdAway: https://github.com/AdAway/AdAway
I block internet connectivity for certain apps whose removal would break certain functionality with AFWall+ https://github.com/ukanth/afwall
These are the apps that I block: https://pastebin.com/SViEKXXd
I only unblock Google Play once every month to update system apps. The rest of my apps I install with Obtainium: https://github.com/ImranR98/Obtainium and I manage them with App Manager, with which I also disable internal trackers, dangerous operations and permissions: https://github.com/MuntashirAkon/AppManager
The above App Manager also has integrated UAD, which works if your device is rooted, otherwise you have to use it with a computer and ADB: https://github.com/Universal-Debloater-Alliance/universal-android-debloater-next-generation/
Sorry for all the unsolicited advice. Finally, rooting your device/unlocking the boatloader introduces the technical risk of anybody with the skills being able to manipulate your device if they physically get their hands on it. Which is just fear mongering and doesn’t say much, since you hopefully wouldn’t trust your device even if the bootloader is locked if it has been in an unauthorized person’s hands.
Good luck! 🫡