The cameras of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 stop working as soon as the bootloader is unlocked. Samsung’s camera app no longer starts. Other camera apps also stop ‘after a while’, several users report. Unlocking with the face is therefore no longer possible.
According to XDA Developers users, when users try to unlock the bootloader, they will be notified that the foldable smartphone’s cameras will be disabled. If users still continue to unlock the smartphone, the cameras no longer work properly, the users report.
Samsung’s default camera app shows a ‘camera failed’ message on startup and apps that want to use the camera block ‘after a while’. It’s not clear how long it takes for these apps to stop working. It also happens that such camera apps give notifications to the user or do not show anything at all. This concerns both Samsung’s own apps, as well as apps from third-party companies and developers.
This is not the first time that a smartphone manufacturer has restricted the operation of cameras after unlocking the bootloader. Previously, Sony did something similar by removing the algorithms for noise reduction and taking better pictures in lower light. As a result, these smartphones would take worse pictures after unlocking the bootloader.
It is not new that Samsung wants to prevent unlocking the bootloader. For example, unlocking the bootloader on all current Samsung smartphones ensures that the Knox security system no longer works and Samsung Pay is disabled. In addition, it goes against Samsung’s warranty conditions.
Whether the Galaxy Z Flip3 has the same camera limitations is not clear. The XDA readers report that locking the bootloader makes the cameras work again.