It was essential to fix problems, add new features, and improve battery life.
But Android is now a lot better than it used to be.
So do you still need to root your rig?
These days, Android is very polished, and most stock ROMs are far less offensive than they were.
Take Control of Your Phone
Taking control is one of the biggest benefits of rooting.
This is another area where Android has made big strides over the last few versions.
But if you want full control, rooting is still the way to go.
Rooting opens up your phone to a whole host of additional apps.
It’s perfect for managing both your privacy and security.
you could get a firewall app, likeNetGuard, that works without root.
However, this requires a permanent local VPN connection, which is not convenient for everyone.
The root option is far more powerful.
The process opens up access to parts of the system that are normally blocked for security reasons.
As a result, a badly-coded app can brick your phone.
A maliciously coded app can do even worse.
you better know what you’re doing, and be sure to trust any apps you give root access.
There’s a trend for U.S. carriers to ship their devices with bootloaders that cannot be unlocked.
It all depends on what gear you have.
Pixels and OnePlus phones are among the most root-friendly.
You’ll Have App Problems
Equally, you might lose app compatibility.
Android has a feature called SafetyNet that determines whether a equipment has been rooted or had its bootloader unlocked.
Developers can use SafetyNet and decide whether to prevent their apps from working on devices they deem insecure.
This can even apply to apps that need to protect the content that they serve, like Netflix.
You could reach a point where the inconveniences of rooting start to outweigh the benefits.
And you even risk a greater chance of bricking your phone.
Warranty Issues
How does rooting affect your warranty?
The simple answer is that unrelated problems shouldn’t affect the warranty at all.
But the warranty won’t cover software problems.
And remember that mods can also cause hardware problems.
If your phone reboots every time you launch the camera, it may be your custom kernel to blame.
Either way, it’s always a good idea to return to stock before making a warranty claim.
Is Android Good Enough Without Rooting?
We’ve looked at some of the pros and cons, and there are good reasons on both sides.
But perhaps the best reason to not root is that Android is now good enough without it.
Android used to be very rough around the edges, and rooting felt like a necessity.
But over the last decade, the operating system has been refined in every way.
Rooting used to be a good way of extending the life of your phone.
You No Longer Need to Root
So do it’s crucial that you root your Android phone?
But for most users, Android is now good enough right out of the box.
