T-Mobile releases an app in the Google Play Store that lets you easily unlock your phone

Update 9:52 AM PST: T-Mobile's Device Unlock app is live and ready to use for those of you with compatible devices. Annoyingly, it's only compatible with Galaxy Avant smartphones for now. We tried it on an T-mobile variant of the LG G3 and while it installed just fine, it wouldn't unlock the phone. It's also getting some nasty reviews in the Google Play Store because of that limitation. 
According to TmoNews.com, the US’s fourth biggest carrier is working on an app that lets its users easily unlock their phones with the literal touch of a button. It’s a really smart idea, and it's probably how the carrier plans to appeal to all the novice smartphone users out there.
Now that we’ve all had time to celebrate the fact that unlocking our phones is legal, the next task is to figure out how to actually that.
For many of you Android enthusiasts out there, you probably know what you’re doing, but there are many out there with tied-down phones who have no idea where to start. And since unlocked phones are basically a civil liberty for the time being, T-Mobile plans to help them. 

 

The app will apparently provide two unlock options: one that permanently unlocks a device, for those who want complete freedom from the carrier, and a temporary unlock, which frees the phone for 30 days so you an use it overseas. The permanent unlocking option will check to see if your device is actually eligible for it before it completes the process. A screenshot by TmoNews shows the alert that pops up when unlocking is unsuccessful.
It’s possible that this leak is entirely made-up by well-wishers out there, but this is certainly an app that all the big four carriers should consider preloading over all the other bloatware they pack on new phones.
We've reached out to T-Mobile for a comment on the matter.

Posted in: Android