Not only does it not require third-party software, Google actually documents how to do it officially: https://source.android.com/setup/build/running#unlocking-

Not only does it not require third-party software, Google actually documents how to do it officially: https://source.android.com/setup/build/running#unlocking-recent-devices https://source.android.com/setup/build/running#unlocking-rec... You're correct it's not trivial for the average user, but the average user should also not have a rooted device (nor does the average user even want a rooted device). Is the learning curve perfect for the semi-advanced user? Probably not. But third-party software also fills this gap just fine. I don't think Google should be a required party here. They do provide officially supported tools & documentation for the process itself (and those tools work on all major platforms at that), just not a shiny GUI to do it. I think that's a reasonable point to be at.