Do you need to root your android phone today?

Rooting your new smartphone was one of the most popular tasks a "wanted" user had to do in the early years of the Android operating system. But is it just as necessary nowadays? What are the benefits of current versions of the operating system?

First of all, let's explain that rooting your Android phone means bypassing the phone's factory security and getting full access to the root of the Android operating system. By rooting a phone, you can control basic system management functions, allowing you more advanced customization of devices.

Why do people root their phones? To answer this, let's take a look at why users have root their phones and then see if these reasons still exist today.

Removing Bloatware

"Bloatware" is the term for software that is pre-installed on a device or computer. Usually you can not choose whether it will be installed or not, as it comes as part of the default package. Some devices allow you to uninstall these applications, while some have bits (files) at the root of the system and cannot be cleaned without increased permissions. Root access allows you to control bloatware so you can delete even the most stubborn applications.

Does this still apply to 2018?
Yes! Most phones still come with bloatware today, some of which can not be uninstalled without first accessing the root. Root is a good way to get into controllers and clean the unwanted software from your phone.

Install applications with root access only

Some apps (such as tethering, backup, and advanced video recording applications) require full control of the hardware to work. Therefore, this means that they need access to root to fulfill their intended use. If you are thinking of installing such applications, you should root your phone so that you can take full advantage of them.

Does this still apply to Android 2018?
Yes! There are still apps on the Play Store that require root permissions for the full range of them capabilities their. For example, the Google has denied the ability to record the screen with audio. Screen recording apps with root access can bypass this ban and allow audio to be recorded along with the video. Another example is usually backup apps that if they have access to the root of your phone, they can copy all the high scores and credits of a game and you can copy it to another phone without losing your achievement so far.

Better performance and Android functionality

In the early days of Android it wasn't easy to perform certain tasks or ensure your phone was working optimally. For example, back in Android 3.0, you couldn't take a screenshot without first downloading the Android SDK. You also needed root access if you wanted to better optimize your apps to save battery life battery.

Does this still apply to Android 2018?
Not really! Some features are now inside the Android OS. Screenshots, for example, have been included in the core software since version 4.0. Or the ability to be able to share the password of a wireless Wifi has now been included via QR. It's also much better optimized than in its early days, and while a rooted phone could probably be optimized even more, the OS is now at a level where you don't need root access for proper operation.

It's easy - why not?

Android was pretty easy to become root. Old there were some easy exploits and tricks that you could use on specific models that you'll get accessed in minutes by yourself without the help of someone special. Therefore, root was something that consisted simply because it was simple to do and brought some nice benefits as a result.

Does this still apply to 2018?
No! Android devices are now much more difficult to become root than in the past. Some phones are not designed to have roots, making the process much more difficult for the common user. In addition, when the phone has become root, there are apps that can detect that you have root access and refuse to boot. Recent examples are Pokémon Go and Super Mario Run.

Do you need to root?

Let us return to the original question. Need to fix something on your newly acquired android device? In the past, Android devices were not streamlined, they did not have basic features, which required root, which was often very easy to do in minutes. Nowadays, however, root is just a "need" for users who want to do everything to get the 100% that a root device can offer them. Even so, owning one is still beyond the reach of the average person.

If you want to have full control over your phone, you want to install root-based applications, clean up bloatware, and generally hate the idea that a programmer has more control over your phone than you can, nothing can convince you to change opinion. You need to root your phone to get the benefits you want. However, since it has become much more difficult in recent years, make sure you have chosen a phone that is friendly to becoming root.

However, if you just want a phone that comes with all the basic features that you can have with the latest version of android, then you do not have to root your phone and so you can enjoy the experience of the phone without you are worried about whether an application will lock you out or if another one steals your data.

And while there is definitely still a "need" to root a 2018 phone, it is not as prominent as it was in the early days of android. The common user can use a non-root phone quite easily and without problems, while someone who has realized that he wants to have his phone entirely his own, will not find any consolation in modern versions of the Android operating system.