[6.2 too!] Nokia 7.2 gets unofficial TWRP support, custom ROMs on the way

New updates are being added at the bottom of this story…….

Smartphone users probably store more personal data on their phones than any other device. Notably, this also means that there are more chances of attackers targeting mobile phones.

Moreover, for this, pushing timely security updates for smartphones is one of the key factors, any smartphone brand can have to sustain in the market. In fact, users have also become educated about the importance of security updates.

And in this department, Nokia has not left any stones unturned and is positioned number 1, when it comes to pushing of security patches for its devices, in a report by Counterpoint Research.

And Nokia is not known for committing mistakes when it comes to user security. However, the company recently committed a ‘blunder’. The bootloader of Nokia 7.2 can be surprisingly unlocked just like the Google Pixel or OnePlus phones.

With the help of a single fastboot command i.e. fastboot flashing unlock_critical, users can unlock the bootloader of the Nokia 7.2. However, the smartphone maker doesn’t allow bootloader unlocking (except Nokia 8), even after repetitive requests.

Note that, those running the factory-installed software version on their Nokia 7.2 can still unlock the bootloader for which the guide can be found here.

For naive, unlocking the bootloader allows for running unsigned code on the device which in turn means that you can install custom ROMs, third party kernels etc. However, the major downside is that the warranty of the device gets voided.

But, Nokia was quick to address this issue and responded that it was a ‘mistake‘ that will be patched soon via an update. They also commented that:

There is no change to our policy of allowing unlocking bootloader on Nokia phones. This was an inadvertent miss in the case of Nokia 7.2 and we will be issuing a maintenance release to remove the option. We regret the inconvenience and would like to remind our consumers that unlocking the bootloader will lead to the warranty on their Nokia phone becoming void.

And as the tech-world is always up on its feet, developer Raghu Varma has already developed the Unofficial TWRP v3.3.1-0 for Nokia 7.2 You can download the unofficial TWRP APK file from below and follow the guide here for installation:

• TWRP-3.3.1-0 for Nokia 7.2: Download

Moreover, according to the developer, custom ROMs are on its way for the Nokia 7.2!

If you are a power user and know how to carefully unlock the bootloader of any smartphone then you can go ahead and follow the guide for unlocking the bootloader of the Nokia 7.2 and enjoy the freedom.

On the other hand, if you do not know anything about it, then it is better to leave the device as it is to avoid any permanent damage or bricking of the device. 🤪

Update (November 11)

Nokia 7.2 and Nokia 6.2 users can install unofficial versions of both LineageOS 17.0 based on Android 10 and LOS 16.0 based on Pie using official TWRP. Details here.

Note: You can check out our dedicated Nokia section for reading more similar stories surrounding Nokia smartphones.

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