OnePlus 7 Pro 5G is like that member of the family, who had immense potential but faced failure everywhere. Unlike the ‘T’ model, the phone is still stuck with Android Pie. Sprint recently delivered January 2020 patch to the carrier locked variant, but the future of this device is quite gloomy.

op 7 pro 5g sprint update
Update notification on Sprint OnePlus 7 Pro 5G

There was some rumors about delivering the Android 10 update to this phone via FUT (Friendly User Testing) program, but it has not been materialized yet. The Sprint variant is further locked down, as the US carrier uses a separate update channel, paired with a permanently locked bootloader.

Well, the T-Mobile branded OnePlus 7 Pro also comes with a locked bootloader. However, they do allow end-users to request for unlocking. The community eventually found a way to cross-flash regular OnePlus 7 Pro firmware on this model without going through all the trouble.

oneplus_7_pro_tmobile_gm1915_oos_global_about
T-Mobile OnePlus 7 Pro (GM1915) running global OxygenOS build

In comparison, Sprint does not offer any kind of unlocking mechanism for OnePlus 7 Pro 5G (GM1925 variant). No need to worry though, as the aftermarket development community once again found a way to circumvent the barrier.

The details of the exploit, or even the name of the developers(s) are not known yet. Perhaps they want to be anonymous so that OnePlus/Sprint can’t patch the method. Nevertheless, we have sufficient evidence behind the claim.

Thanks to XDA member Whoareyou, regular owners of the phone can now apply for bootloader unlock. As the method apparently demands physical access, you need to send the target device to the original mastermind.

Request will be processed on an individual basis, once we receive your request we will ask you for your:
* Full Name
* IMEI
* Address for return shipping
* Phone Number to contact you if necessary.

After receiving the device, we will flash the latest firmware and unlock the bootloader, requests will be shipped back out at the end of the week we receive the phone, or potentially sooner depending on the volume of requests.

TO MAKE A REQUEST, PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT ON THIS THREAD AND SEND AN EMAIL TO:
[email protected]

Source

There is always a risk involved in such mail-in services, so take extra care before applying. Unlocking the bootloader reportedly affects the ability of installing future incremental OTA updates – just like T-Mobile OnePlus 7T Pro 5G McLaren Edition.

Regarding custom roms, Whoareyou was able to flash non-5G OxygenOS firmware as well several GSIs and LineageOS builds with varied degree of success. You can find the relavant discussion in this thread.

oneplus_7_pro_5g_sprint_blue_front_back_side
Sprint OnePlus 7 Pro 5G

Are you ready to enjoy the freedom from Sprint and going to unlock the bootloader of your phone? Comment below.

Thanks Some_Random_Username for the tip!

PiunikaWeb started as purely an investigative tech journalism website with main focus on ‘breaking’ or ‘exclusive’ news. In no time, our stories got picked up by the likes of Forbes, Foxnews, Gizmodo, TechCrunch, Engadget, The Verge, Macrumors, and many others. Want to know more about us? Head here.

Kingshuk De
896 Posts

I came from a mixed background of Statistics and Computer Science. My research domains included embedded computer systems, mobile computing and delay tolerant networks in post-disaster scenarios. Apart from tinkering with gadgets or building hackintosh, I like to hop on various subreddits and forums like MyDigitalLife and XDA.

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