I’m currently catching up on the latest instructions for /e/OS installation/upgrade because over the holidays (or later, if a stable /e/OS based on Android R is only released later) I want to install this on a few existing FP3s in my family. They are currently on /e/OS based on Android P and Q. In the official /e/OS upgrade guide for the FP3 there is a red box saying I should install the stock version of Android (e.g. Android R/11) related to the /e/OS version (e.g. based on Android R/11) before installing the latter.
I would like to know if and why that is necessary. One reason why I ask is because this would add an extra step to the installation, so time and potential for problems. Another reason is that /e/OS will likely soon be available in a stable version based on R/11, while the official stock Android for the FP3 is still only available in version Q/10 (see link in manual Android installation instructions for FP3). If this step was really necessary, then I’d have to wait for Fairphone to release stock Android 11 before being able to install the newest version of /e/OS, which would be unfortunate.
I think you need a simplified answer as you are planning to install on a number of devices. I am sure that the relevant advice box is the safest option for each device.
Why; because each /e/ ROM is built assuming that it is going on top of the manufacturer’s stock for that device.
Thanks for this input! The devices are from the /e/ store (so preinstalled by /e/) and from the Fairphone shop (so used to have stock Android). All of them are currently running versions of /e/.
Does anyone else have anything to share about this?
Note, that the advice does not say you have to wait for the manufacturer; if some manufacturer version was not available, /e/ was still built on the latest available!
So it would be better if I flashed the latest version before installing, but not really necessary? I still don’t get it. In IT there’s usually wrong and right, 0 and 1, but not “maybe it would be better if…” I bet I wouldn’t understand the full details, but maybe a semi-complicated answer?
Okay, so that would be two binary questions then, because I think all devices fall into one of these two categories:
FP3 with /e/OS based on Android 9
FP3+ with /e/OS based on Android 10
For both the question would be: Can I just install /e/OS based on Android 11 from here as it becomes available without having to install stock Android 10 from here?
I assume yes for the 2., but no for the 1. If so, then the follow-up question for 1. would be whether I should install Android 10 from Fairphone or Android-10-based /e/OS (see links above).
Very wise to consider when you are installing for family members!
You point to stable, as came with the /e/ shop devices. Judgement good for people who need you to flash for them; they do not want Beta (as R today) perhaps not dev either.
So group 1 get IMG-e-0.20-q-20211215151799-stable-FP3.zip with the Fairphone OS (Android 10) first.
Group 2 Do you feel that they want to upgrade to R Beta? If not you can update their /e/ version (if found necessary) to 0.20 as it now appears to be advertised as Stable in Q.
Sorry if there was any misunderstanding: I want to upgrade every single device to stable R. I don’t see a point in installing Q in 2021/22. I am aware that simply updating is not an option and I have to backup the user data for every single device (phew!). As stable R is not out yet, I will have to wait for it. But asking the questions in this thread I want prepare myself for when it is finally released. Also, I hope that after installing stable R I can use the /e/asy installer for any future updates to avoid some of this hassle.
Btw, group 1 should mostly be on dev channel right now (Fairphone shop devices manually flashed with /e/OS) and group 2 should mostly be on stable (sold by /e/), but some might be vice-versa.