Comment by Y-bar
1 month ago
The linked article says:
> As of August 2025, manufacturers selling devices in the EU need to:
> Block the installation of unauthorized software
> Use Secure Boot (or similar) to verify firmware authenticity
> Ensure only signed and approved ROMs can run
But the text at https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2022/30/oj/eng mentions no word such as "authorized"/"unauthorized" or "authent(icity)" or "signed" or "approved" so how can we know that this is the EU which does this when it seems like the removal was global, as seen in this article: https://xiaomitime.com/android-makers-remove-bootloader-unlo... ?
The means be which restriction of user choice of software would occur appears to be Article 3(3) point (i) of Directive 2014/53/EU.[1] But as you point out, Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 referred to in the source article makes no reference to point (i), only points (d), (e) and (f):[2]
(d) radio equipment does not harm the network or its functioning nor misuse network resources, thereby causing an unacceptable degradation of service;
(e) radio equipment incorporates safeguards to ensure that the personal data and privacy of the user and of the subscriber are protected;
(f) radio equipment supports certain features ensuring protection from fraud;
These so-called "requirements" are so vague that if there was a regulatory body gatekeeping radio devices, I could easily see how the regulatory body could interpret those "requirements" however they wish, including just stonewalling any manufacturer who wishes to argue about the vagueness and interpretation of these so-called "requirements". But the fact that point (i) of Article 3(3) of Directive 2014/53/EU is separated from points (d) through (f) seemingly could be used to argue that "requirements" (d) through (f) were not intended to restrict user choice of software, else point (i) would have also been referenced by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30?
[1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2014/53/oj/eng
[2] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2022/30/oj/eng
That's a good point, I have nothing to add. However, another commenter highlighted this interesting section: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44766342
I feel like these articles are just AI slop. There isn't anything in those regulations that would necessitate locking the bootloader.
It's trendy to blame everything on AI, but this looks like good old-fashioned journo clickbait. The site has been around since 2017 and appears to be a Turkish content mill focusing on Chinese phones.