Week 02 2024: Development and Testing Updates

Manoj · January 7, 2024, 10:38pm

Next Release

v1.19

Status: Testing in progress

ETA : 15 Jan
Issues under testing

Upcoming milestones information

Tentative release dates of builds that will come in future

Upcoming Development information

Previous 5 releases & user feedback

Links to the last 5 releases

Posting information on test builds

- Please do not post information or links to /e/OS test builds on the forum. 
- These builds are as yet untested and under development and may in some cases cause user devices to soft brick.
- Such information can confuse other users who do not see these builds in the updater. 
- Remember not all users who come to this forum are experts in installing and formatting custom ROMs and can end up seriously damaging their devices by trying out these test builds
- If you are genuinely interested in helping with the testing activities and also understand how to fix and do some minor level of testing on custom ROMS, you are welcome to [join the testing team](https://doc.e.foundation/testers) 
- As part of the testing team you can share your comments on the dedicated testing telegram channel.

Murena Cloud updates

Current Murena cloud version

Updated to NC 26.0.8.12

Status : Released

We have upgraded Murena.io nextcloud backend to NC26, which includes performance improvements, bug fixes and security patches.
The release notes are available here

Self hosting Murena cloud v 25.0.8.19

Release notes
Check this guide for help with the upgrade

How to check the NextCloud version

🤓 You can find the complete documentation and current NC version under https://murena.io/settings/help >> NextCloud xx user documentation. The xx should show the latest version. - Another way to check the current version is to check the [NextCloud scan link](https://scan.nextcloud.com) and input https://murena.io this should display the current version number as well as the security level. > Please note if MurenaCloud patch number is not the same as the NC patch number, the rating would show up as bad 😐 This is not exactly a problem. We do not immediately jump to the next NC patch as soon as it is released. We first test it and then set out with the deployment.

GSI

Current GSI version

v1.17

Download available here
- Sources available here
- version is /e/OS Q (A10)
The Q v1.17 GSI build is the last build in /e/OS Q
GSI OS version will next move to T or A13 skipping the R and S versions. Dates for development will be shared

OS OTA Related information

What OS OTA upgrade means

Usually for /e/OS ROMs to upgrade the OS you have to do the following

If available download the correct OS build from the supported device list
For some devices you also need to download the stock ROM from the vendor site.
Take a back up of your data
First install the Stock ROM
Next install the /e/OS ROM. Here you can take help of the install guides available on our documentation site.
If required apply the backups you downloaded before starting the whole process

An alternate to this tedious process is where we offer the user the option to upgrade the OS OTA. This option is available for stable device builds only.
This process is easy for the user but requires a lot of development and testing effort.

Different /e/OS build types

Completed

Gigaset: GS290 : Q (A10)→ Android 11 (R)
Oneplus: avicii : A12
OnePlus : avicii : Q ( A10) → R (A11)
Fairphone: FP4 : R ( A11) → S (A12)
Fairphone:FP3 : R (A11) → S (A12)
Fairphone:FP3 : Q (A10) → R (A11)
Samsung: s7 / s7+ : Nougat (A7) → Q (A10)
Samsung: s9 / s9+ : Oreo (A8) → Q (A10)
Samsung: Galaxy S9/9+ : Q (A10)→ R(A11)
Samsung: s8 / s8+ : Pie (A9) → R (A11)
Teracube: 2e / zirconia: Q (A10) to R (A11)
Teracube: emerald & zirconia : R (A11) to S (A12)
- All OTA OS upgrades are on stable builds

Under Testing

Google Pixel ‘redfin’: S(A12) → T(A13)
Gigaset: GS290: R(A11) → S (A12)
Samsung: S7 ‘herolte’ ‘hero2lte’: Q ( A10) → R (A11)
- All OTA OS upgrades are on stable builds

To be planned

Fairphone: FP3 : S (A12) → T (A13)

Support Dropped

Only one OS version per device

Support for /e/OS Q is being dropped for most of the devices.
Exception would be Samsung S7 / edge herolte and hero2lte which will be upgraded to /e/OS R or Android 11
Support of multiple OS versions on the same device has been stopped.
If you see multiple OS version builds on the download page, switch to the latest /e/OS version.
In most devices it would require a manual download and installation. Take a backup before proceeding.
We will add a text on the images server mentioning that older OS versions are no longer supported.
No longer supported will mean that build would not be made in the older OS.
It is always advised to switch to the newer OS versions as some of applications may not work correctly on older OS as application developer stop supporting older OS.

Nokia Devices

All Nokia devices
- It is not possible to officially unlock Nokia bootloaders + lack of dedicated maintainer
Google
- Google Nexus 7 2013 flox
- Device has partition size issues. Not able to build /e/OS ROMs for this device even with minimal build
Minimal build is a setting in /e/OS build which removes the following default applications (LibreOffice viewer, PDFViewer, Maps and Weather)from the source code and builds a smaller version of the ROM.

Murena Two now available for purchase

Where to buy the Murena Two and Murena One from?

A phone from Murena with /e/OS installed has been launched and is available for purchase. Check here. Select a country and check availablility and device specs

Expect more device releases from Murena in future

Murena is the brand name and /e/OS is the operating system.

Vendor specific information

Bootloader unlockable devices

As you may be aware the bootloader needs to be unlocked to flash a custom ROM like /e/OS.
The vendors of the following devices are preventing the unlocking of the bootloader

Huawei
ASUS - unlocking tool reported as not working for last couple of months.

We have added a warning on the install pages for these devices to warn our users before they try to attempt to flash /e/OS.

Misc information

Check real time availability of /e/OS and related services websites

OS upgrade info specific to the FP3

The FP3 OTA OS update from Pie to Q/R is not possible as encryption method changed on FP3 between Pie and Q/R. It is not possible to change the method while updating.
The team spent a great deal of time on this, but has not been able to resolve this problem. For now, the manual process is the only way to upgrade the FP3 from pie to other OS versions.

End of official support for Nougat, Oreo and Pie

😞 Pie, Oreo and Nougat the official /e/OS support has ended.

Reasons for dropping official support are:

newly released applications like App Lounge, Advanced privacy code has not been customized for these OS versions.
lack of dedicated ROM Maintainers
no support upstream (Lineage dropped support for Pie sometime back)
device trees will continue to exist in the Gitlab and users with build skills can create custom ROMs on these builds
Security patches and vendor patches for the Pie, Oreo and Nougat code will be updated based on availability.

Google stops security patches for OS after some time. Similarly, Vendors drop support for older models when they release newer models in the market. Then it depends on developers from various communities to backport the patches.

Device and Vendor specific Announcements

Gigaset GS290

We have stopped the sales of the Gigaset GS290 on the eSolutionsShop as the vendor has stopped production of the device. We will continue support for existing users.

Message being shared on the request of our vendor partners

Vendors whose phones we sell on our eSolutions Store do not directly sell /e/OS flashed devices.
The vendors only sell their devices with their own stock ROM.
To get pre flashed /e/OS phones, you have to purchase them from the eSolutions Shop.

/e/OS Pre flashed device sales

We sell directly in EU, US, Canada and Australia
Find details of what devices are available in which countries here Murena Shop.

Different /e/OS build types

Check out this guide to understand differences between build types on /e/OS

/e/OS website and social media Links and Support

Support

Facing issues with devices you purchased from us ? For issues you would want support on from the /e/OS support team, send in the details using the contact form

Websites

Telegram Channel

Link to all the available Telegram channels

Social Media

Newsletters

Regain your privacy! Adopt /e/ the unGoogled mobile OS and online services phone

smu44 · January 12, 2024, 6:38am

Hi @Manoj,
Please note that Nextcloud 26 is on it’s way for selfhosted: https://gitlab.e.foundation/e/infra/ecloud-selfhosting/-/merge_requests/95.
Still a lot to do, no ETA yet…