[Verizon Motorola Droid Turbo General] ChazzMatt:
1) It's your fault for buying a bootloader locked phone if you don't want a bootloader locked phone. Even if you are on Verizon there is another Quark (the Moto XT1250 sold by other U.S. CDMA/LTE carriers) that has the exact same radio bands, same FCC ID as the Droid Turbo XT1254 -- and runs on Verizon with a Verizon LTE SIM card. If you are not on Verizon there's also the the Moto XT1225 which doesn't have CDMA bands, but has more LTE bands and more HSPA bands. Both the other Quarks (XT1250, XT1225) are easily unlocked for FREE with code from Motorola website.

Just like many carriers sell the LG G4, many carriers sell/sold the Quark. And just like Verizon's version of the LG G4 has specific model number to differentiate it from AT&T, Sprint, T-mobile's versions, the model numbers of the Quark are XT1254, XT1250, XT1225. Where Verizon is different -- to falsely claim "exclusive" -- Verizon called their Quark a "Droid Turbo" while for other carriers it was called the Moto Maxx/Moto Turbo. But a Quark is a Quark, just like an LG G4 is an LG G4 (except for radio bands).

The only "exclusive" Verizon had was really the locked down bootloader. :rolleyes:

However if you check prices on eBay/Swappa for good condition used phones, you will find for some strange reason the XT1254 (Verizon model) is much less (sometimes half) the price of the XT1250/XT1225. Why? :confused: Well, on the XT1225 it comes with 64GB internal storage, and more LTE/HSPA bands. But the XT1250 (identical in every aspect to the 32GB XT254) is also worth more money. WHY? I suspect due to their (XT1250/XT1225) easily unlocked bootloader vs the locked down bootloader of the XT1254.

BUT, you can now UNLOCK the XT1254 bootloader! :good: In fact if you factor in $25 for Sunshine when buying an XT1254 , you still come out ahead -- even if you buy a 64GB XT1254. Even with Sushine $25 unlock for some reason Droid Turbo prices are lower than other Quark prices (which have free bootloader unlock from Motorola), even allowing for the 64GB XT1225 internal memory.

32GB XT1254 are recently going for $130 on eBay.

64GB XT1254 are recently going for $150 on eBay.

Add in $25 Sunshine and it's still much less expensive than the 32GB XT1250 or the 64GB XT1225, for some reason. You are getting a good deal -- even with Sunshine.

Here's recent Swappa prices for Moto XT1225:

https://swappa.com/buy/moto-maxx-unlocked

Most Verizon phones are NOT easy to modify.

By the way, the Verizon version of the Galaxy S5 (a 2014 phone) was bootloader locked until March 2016. Whereas the T-mobile version of the Galaxy S5 came unlocked from the factory.

Verizon is to blame. It's their policy to lock down bootloaders even if the manufacturer does not want to.

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2) "Amateurs" could not find exploits to unlock the bootloader. It took a full year to find the first bootloader unlock exploit (November 2015). Verizon blocked that in May 2016 and Sunshine team found another in July 2016.

Believe me, a lot of people were looking and one person even pledge a "bounty" of $500. But bounties never work. People "forget" to pay. A model like Sunshine works because if you really care about it, you will pay, and it helps recoup costs. I know they bricked at least one phone (maybe more) during this process and had to buy another. Plus LOTS of time.

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Conclusion: You are blaming the wrong people.

First, blame yourself for buying a bootloader locked phone. Research before you buy.

Second, blame Verizon for locking their bootloaders when other carriers don't.

Thankfully we have devs like Sunshine team to overcome Verizon stupidity.