On: Why has WhatsApp accessed my contacts 23,709 times?

[privacy101]

Google should be required to give root to any user that request it for their own device... (anyone should be able to get better control of their own device). It would be easier to control crazy permissions.

[bitmapbrother → privacy101]

They do. It's called the Nexus.

[stavros → bitmapbrother]

Don't most other phones too? I could unlock the bootloader on my HTC One and my Z3 with just one command.

[viewer5 → bitmapbrother]

Is my Nexus 5 pre-rooted?

edit: I don't really know a lot about this stuff, I was just trying to understand the comment I was responding to. I think I maybe misunderstand something fundamentally.

[simoncion → viewer5]

> Is my Nexus 5 pre-rooted?

No, but Google has made sure that doing so is pretty trivial: https://wiki.cyanogenmod.org/w/Install_CM_for_hammerhead

[izacus → viewer5]

Why would it have to be? It allows you to enable root access without exploits or trying to prevent you from doing the process.

[bitmapbrother → viewer5]

Why would Google pre-root their phones?

[privacy101 → bitmapbrother]

I didn't know that they are now letting users root Nexus devices without having to use exploits and such, but I was refering to all devices that use the Android OS.

[morganvachon → privacy101]

> I didn't know that they are now letting users root Nexus devices without having to use exploits and such...

If by "letting users root" you mean providing instructions on using ADB to unlock the bootloader, install a custom recovery, sideload SuperSU, and reboot into a fully rooted device, then no. Google doesn't provide these instructions, but they also don't lock the phone down to the point that you have to find an exploit and pray you don't brick the phone. No exploits necessary on a Nexus, just standard tools and instructions available on any reputable Android dev site.