Samsung S9+ and Android 9 or 10

/e/OS Devices Request a Device
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1

Is there already a build of Android 9 or 10 for the S9 + and will never exist?

2

Hi @Ackimko the S9+ build we have for /e/ is on Oreo. You can check the details here.
As yet we do not have a Pie build for Samsung devices but are planning on starting them.
We do not have any Android Q builds as yet for any device.

3

Hey @Manoj, can you give a broad timeline for the development of Pie for Samsung devices?
I want to use /e/ on my Samsung S9, but it has Android 10/Q installed, which can only be downgraded to Android 9/pie but not to Android 8/oreo (see here). Therefore, with /e/ being on Android 8/oreo, one cannot install /e/.
For the S8 you seem to have a beta version of /e/ with Android 9/pie, so I am really looking forward to seeing it for the S9. Thanks in advance :slightly_smiling_face:

4

Hi @janggster with ref to the upgrade of device to Pie or Oreo I had set an aggressive timeline of March end for all the devices . Unfortunately as we started the upgrade testing we ran into trouble with some of the devices and the timelines had got pushed forward.
Surprisingly support for the S9 and S9+ has been dropped by LineageOS…maybe as their device maintainers moved on to other devices. This means we will have to get members of our porting team to help with the upgrade. This upgrade to Pie will definitely happen as the S9 and S9+ are on the list of refurbished phones we sell. What the time line would be is something I cannot comment as of now.

5

Hej @janggster, a stockROM downgrade from Android 10 with Security Update February or January 2020 to Android 9-Pie until Security Update should still be possible.

If it is possible to change the operating system to /e/ OS e-0.7-oero 8.1.0 on the basis of StockROM 9-Pie, should be tested. However, one should be aware of possible risks and side effects.

6

Hey @archje, the downgrade from stock android 10 to any other stock android seems to be only possible if it uses the same/newest version of the bootloader (see here). There seems to be one guy who has seen a way to do it with an older boot loader version, but the majority thinks that it is not possible at all (see here the post from LioN.eXe).
Therefore, it only works with the newest versions of stock android 9 and not at all with any stock android 8. I doubt that it will work with /e/ OS e-0.7-oreo 8.1.0 if the version of the bootloader is too old. Is there any way to check the bootloader version of /e/ oreo?

7

Yes, I can confirm that from personal experience.

This thesis has been refuted several times. For example Samsung Galaxy S5 LTE International - “klte”

The last available version is StockROM Android 6.0.1, but /e/ phone S5 “klte” works great with /e/ for klte dev (9-Pie)

Another example: Galaxy S4 GT-I9505 “jfltexx”- latest stockROM Android 5.0.1 works fine with /e/ for jfltexx dev (7-nougat). Also with LineageOS 16.0 (Android 9) and recently even with LineageOS 17.1 (Android 10).

Yes. For the Galaxy S9 SM-G960F the last stockROM version is Android Oreo 8.0.0 with December 2018 Security Update. The bootloader version is “S2” is shown in the designation “G960FXXS2BRL3”.

8

Hey, thanks for your answer. Okay, to sum up:

  • my phone has a bootloader version “S7” and that is not going to be downgraded
  • my phone can only be downgraded to stock Android versions that support this bootloader (therefore only stock Android 9)
  • noone knows whether /e/ Oreo can be installed on this bootloader, but I could try
  • there will be an update to pie for the S9 coming at some point in the future

Let’s say I would want to try to change to /e/ now:

  • do we know why the stockROM oreo does not work with the “S7” bootloader and why should /e/ oreo work? Or are they so very different that the Android number does not really matter?
  • would you follow the installation procedure as described here or are there other great guides that you know of?
  • should I downgrade from Android 10 to Android 9 first?
  • how likely do you think it is that I end up with an /e/ phone or a brick? Are there other “possible risks” as you put it?
9

Hej @janggster, every flash process involves risks and surprises. Especially the change from stockROM to customROM.

My experiences are based on operating system changes from Samsung S8 /S8+ downwards, i.e. S7/S7 Edge, S6/S6 Edge, S5, A5, A3 etc…

The much more expensive “toy” Galaxy S9 / S9+ I didn’t yet have in my hands for flashing. It will not differ much from the S8/s8+ with its stockROM versions Android 9, 8.0.0 and 7.0.

Android 10 as well as LineageOS 17.1 is a new era. See also here oder here.