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That is probably correct. There is no kosher way to replace a lock screen if you are not the OEM (or have rooted).

Home is more than another launcher, though. In some ways it defines a new class of application software for Android - a cooperating suite of apps, with a coordinated set of interfaces.

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I would not say rooting your phone is not kosher. A little inconvinient maybe but nowadays you don't have to be a hacker to unlock your phone. Every tech literate person should be able to do this (as annectodatly wittnessed by me, a couple of my friends flash CW when purchasing a non Nexus Android and they aren't software devs)

I should be more specific since there are plenty of apps, even on Google Play, that outright require you to root your phone.

There is no way for an app that expects to be installed normally, using the normal system of permissions, to change out the lock screen. In practical terms, Facebook could not insist their users root their phones. For some debugging tools, that's much less of a problem.

There are "pseudo lock screens" but those are very hacky.

I believe Facebook has OEM support from both Samsung and HTC. That's why they're launch partners.

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