HTC Incredible S has signed bootloader and recovery image

Bad news for anyone hoping to run custom ROMs on HTC's new Incredible S anytime soon. A recently-discovered RUU for the device seems to indicate that like its distant cousin the Thunderbolt 4G, the Incredible S has a signed bootloader and recovery image. This means any custom recovery image without a valid HTC signature (the kind you'd need to load a custom ROM on your device) would be detected by the phone, which would then deny you access to it.

This is a potentially major setback for any Incredible S owners hoping to ditch the stock ROM in favor of something a little more exotic, as it adds an extra hurdle to the usual rooting/flashing process. All is not lost, though, as recent progress in hacking the Thunderbolt may prove useful in eventually cracking the Incredible S's security. If you're thinking of picking up an Incredible S, let us know whether this will affect your choice in the comments. [AndroidPolice]

Alex Dobie
Executive Editor

Alex was with Android Central for over a decade, producing written and video content for the site, and served as global Executive Editor from 2016 to 2022.