Week 07 2024: Development and Testing Updates

A summary of the weekly development and testing activities by /e/OS developers and volunteers. Efforts mentioned here are continuation of tasks in progress or new development activities. Updated content will have the :new: emoji.

Release :new:

v1.20

Status: :yellow_circle: Testing in progress

  • ETA : 20 Feb - 27 Feb :crossed_fingers:
    Update 16 Feb: Date moved forward as testing is in progress.

  • Issues being fixed in this release

  • The next set of new devices along with existing ones that will be upgraded ( all builds on /e/OS T) should come as part of this release.

User raised issues being worked upon :new:

  • Spam filter updates. Some users mentioned about important emails getting marked as spam. We are working on a solution to this problem.

    • A resolution to allow user to create a whitelist of safe domains is being considered. Will be implemented if found technically possible.
  • Modifications to the documentation. We will have two new categories for all devices : Official and Community. Devices we sell and maintain internally will be Official and the rest will be Community devices. Both sets will get OTA updates.

  • Option to print 3D protective case provided to Murena two users.

  • EasyInstaller updated to v0.20

    • Includes support for FP5
    • Download available here
  • Nextcloud Forms 23 beta app v3.4.5 added to Murena Cloud. Please share your feedback in this thread
    NCForms

  • FP4 /e/OS T stable release is planned with v1.20 (tentative ETA Feb 15, 2024)

More development tasks

Status : :green_circle: Development and internal testing

  • Updated version of the Bliss Launcher or Bliss launcher 3
  • Currently undergoing testing and code cleanup. Launch planned early 2024.
  • /e/OS browser will be updated to the latest chromium version. Team is working on adding some features to the interface
  • A tablet with /e/OS T. Tablet name will be shared once we have the go ahead from build team. The release is tied with the launch of the updated Bliss launcher. Launch planned early 2024 :crossed_fingers:
  • Easy Installer to be updated to flash /e/OS T builds. ETA to be planned
  • GSI builds to be made to run on /e/OS T. As users may be aware the current GSI is on /e/OS Q.We will skip (Android 11) R and (Android 12) S and directly update the GSI to (Android 13) T. ETA to be planned

:nerd_face: ETA: Estimated time of arrival - term used in software development to denote the estimated time when a product can be expected to be released.

Upcoming milestones information

Previous 5 releases & user feedback

Links to the last 5 releases

 

:warning: 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 :new:

Murena cloud and Self-hosting version details

Updated to NC 26.0.8.12

Status : :green_circle: 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 26.0.8 :new:

 

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)
  • :point_right: The Q v1.17 GSI build is the last build in /e/OS Q
  • :point_right: 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

Multiple OS versions
  • 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 :new:

  • 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

    :nerd_face: 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 :grinning:

:nerd_face: 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.

:point_right: 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

Upgrade guides removed

We have removed the upgrade guides from our Documentation site. Users who are planning to upgrade the /e/OS installation on their device are now advised to

  • Follow the instructions given in the command line install guide
  • If suggested in the guide, first install the stock ROM
  • Next if required flash additional partitions
  • Finally a fresh install of the latest /e/OS build
  • Follow the instructions for your devices. The instructions would be different across devices.
  • This advice is specific for OS upgrades ie. from a lower OS version to a higher version for e.g. /e/OS R to /e/OS S or Android 11 to Android 12.
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.

:nerd_face: 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

:loudspeaker: 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.

:loudspeaker: 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.

:loudspeaker: /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

Social Media

Newsletters

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

15 Likes

@Manoj

Now that Lineage21 (Android 14 (U)) was released today, do expect to move to Android 14 (U) soon and support all of the new devices that Lineage21 added with all of the updates that comes along with 21?

https://lineageos.org/Changelog-28/

After seeing the press articles about the Lineage 21 release, I was waiting for this question to come up. :slight_smile:

As you may be aware we are still in the process of releasing the next set of A13 upgrades.

While /e/OS has been forked from LOS it does not mean that we just copy the code and add our logo. There are changes in the code base which come with /e/OS. We will need to upgrade our code base, make the modifications and test it.
This process can take a couple of months at the least. I shall share the plans for A14 upgrade once the team gets down to it.

15 Likes

Hi all,

That’s a good news.

FP3/3+ sold on Murena with stable eOS is still on Android 12 (S). I would expect Murena teams to focus on moving those phones forward on Android 13 (T) (or even Android 14 (U)) before doing so for Dev builds…

Hello Manoj

Will the topic Feedback for 1.20 be available after the launch has actually started?

v1.20 has been delayed.

2 Likes

I’ve seen this after posting, yet you have not answered my question. :slight_smile:

I would expect them to just keep calm and carry on.
Android 12 is still well within Android security update support.

See the post above yours.

Are you referring to /e/OS devices where only dev builds are available?
Dev builds are done on /e/OS devices with stable builds, too, I’m on the dev release channel on a Fairphone 3 (and on Android 13 now), and I’m not alone.

Stable builds usually are just dev builds becoming stable builds after a few days of use out in the wild by dev build users. With upgrades to new Android versions it might be handled a bit differently and might take more time, but I highly doubt stable build users really want to have their builds before dev build users had a chance to have a look :wink: .

3 Likes

The feedback post is an official post created by me to get feedback on a specific build. It only makes sense to me to create it when the builds start going out else users will get confused.

2 Likes

Correct, but before they were “available” before the releases have started (or so I remember). It’s better that it makes more sense now as it would be better to check for presence of these topics instead of checking continuously for updates on the phone.
Sorry if I sound very impatient… I’m not. It’s just that because I go in a holiday soon I need to make a decision for which phone to take with me… the update will be performed after I get back…

The build has been delayed. Irrespective of which phone you take, if it is on /e/OS there is no v1.20 before 20th of Feb. For now that is the date. By 20th morning if I get an update from the team that they would be going ahead with the release I will be creating the feedback post. Sharing a post earlier has created confusion in the past and needs to be avoided.

2 Likes

The information for the holiday was just an explanation. For sure I won’t make the update to 1.20 before I get back regardless of which phone I take with me or when the 1.20 will be released next week… Sorry for the off topic… feel free to delete my posts…
The take-away is that the topic with the feedback will come after the release has started and this is a good thing.

Take your time to have it right.

5 Likes

@Lobster

And most stable builds get OTA OS Upgrade, meaning no manual upgrade from S to T (Android 12 to 13) like with dev.

Hello,
What happens to herolte (galaxy S7) ?
Herol2lte can update to 18 but not herolte ?

Hello. Is star2lte planned for a13 stable update?

1 Like

From first post in thread. Need to click on the triangles in that post to see more detail for sub-headings.

1 Like