Week 11. 2023: Development and Testing Updates

Release Information

v1.9

Status : :green_circle: Released :new:

Checkout previous releases & user feedback

 

Release Notes

 

Device builds that failed

  • Issue created to track devices which did not receive the last build - 1027

Issue may not be visible to all users as it has been moved under a project specific for build team members

  • If your device did not receive the last couple of builds please do let us know in this thread and will have it added to the issue.

 

Important Updates (services & devices ):new:

Completed

  • Snappymail replaces Rainloop
  • OS OTA upgrade for
    • FP 3 /e/OS R to /e/OS S
    • Oneplus Nord avicii to /e/OS S

Coming Soon

  • /e/OS T or Android 13
  • Next version of the Bliss Launcher
    • Development activity on both are in progress and the results so far are very positive.
    • No ETAs for now.

New Devices added and existing upgraded in our supported list :new:

Device dropped from support list

Google Nexus 7 2013 (Wi-Fi, Repartitioned) flox has been dropped from the list of supported devices. The reason is builds for the device have been failing due to lack of space on the partitions to host the OS files.

Device files would be available on the /e/Gitlab in case users are interested in building unofficial builds for this device.

 

Testers required

:point_right: Are you on the verizon network in the US? Interested in testing some new devices which we plan to release in the US? Do let us know. You might be able to help us test the devices better.
 

Murena cloud update / upgrade :new:

  • Nextcloud 24.0.10 upgrade and a bunch of other fixes have been implemented
  • Check out the details of what has been updated or upgraded here

 

Self-hosted eCloud upgrade

 

Upcoming Releases

  • Milestones
    • The list may have multiple entries for a build
    • Check for the RC (release candidate) build for that version
    • The tentative ETA for the public release of a build would be usually a week after the final rc build

 

GSI

v1.9 :new:

Status: :green_circle: Released

  • Download here
    • Sources available here
    • version is /e/OS Q (A10)
    • S (A12) and R (A11) version of GSI yet to be planned. Awaiting developer availability

 

OS OTA upgrades

Status: :green_circle: Ongoing

Completed

  • FP4 >> R ( A11) to S (A12)
  • FP3 >> Q (A10) to R (A11) stable
  • OnePlus Nord >> Q ( A10) to R (A11) (stable build)
  • Samsung s7 / s7+ >> Nougat (A7) to Q (A10)
  • Samsung s9 / s9+ >> Oreo (A8) to Q (A10)
  • Samsung s8 /s8+ >> Pie (A9) to R (A11) OTA upgrade ::new:

User Testing started :new:

Upcoming / under development

  • Galaxy S9/S9+ Q (A10)→ Android 11 (R)

 

Important information : Plans to drop support for multiple OS versions on the same device

:warning: Users are informed that we plan to drop support for multiple operating systems on the same device. To explain further, let us take an example. If a device has Pie or Android 9, Q ( A10) and R (A11) /e/OS versions showing up for download, we will be building and supporting the latest version only - in this case R (A11).

:point_right: Users are advised to upgrade to the latest version of the OS for their device to avoid being stuck on unmaintained OS versions. In most cases, this would be a manual upgrade which would require you to take a backup.

:nerd_face: Supporting multiple OS versions can causes issues of compatibility with applications as most only work correctly on the latest OS. Multiple OS builds also require storage space and consumes time and resources for maintenance.

:calendar: As yet we do not have a date for this activity and will update once we have a plan in place.

 


Check realtime availability of /e/OS and related services websites

eCloud related websites

/e/OS related

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.
What we mean by OS OTA upgrade - Click to expand or close

:nerd_face: OTA OS upgrade means the upgrade to a higher OS level. Updates will be delivered Over the Air (OTA). The OTA upgrades are available on official builds only. Users who have unofficial or custom-builds will not get the notification to install the upgrade build. They will have to manually download and flash the Q builds once they are released, which may result in data loss.

  • Difference between /e/OS build types
  • Unofficial ROM build refer the section ROM Builders - Unofficial and Custom
Recent Documentation updates
ROM Builders - Unofficial and Custom
  • Pleas update your Docker image to tne latest image we released
  • Those building using traditional repo sync method refer android_prebuilts_prebuiltapks_lfs
  • You will have to install git-lfs (sudo apt-get install git-lfs)
  • After completing a repo sync, you will have to run repo forall -c ‘git lfs pull’

:nerd_face: Reason behind these changes:

Due to the large size of the android_prebuilts_prebuiltapks we have switched to using LFS, and now you will need to refer to android_prebuilts_prebuiltapks_lfs

End of official support for Nougat, Oreo and Pie 😞 For Pie, Oreo and Nougat the official /e/OS support draws to a close.

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.
  • Find details of what devices are available in which countries here eSolutions Shop.
  • In Australia we do not sell directly. You can purchase preflashed /e/OS devices from this site

:loudspeaker: Murena One released
A phone from Murena with /e/OS installed has been launched and is available for purchase. Check the device specs here

Expect more device releases from Murena in future :grinning:

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

/e/OS Links

Support

  • Facing issues with devices you purchased from us ? Send a mail with details to helpdesk@e.email

Websites

Telegram Channel

Social Media

Newsletters


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

16 Likes

Hi @Manoj,

You said Coming soon for /e/OS T (Android 13) but you have a date in mind : this month, in 3 months, this year ?

Thanks again for all you work :slight_smile:

It should take 1–2 months more of development and testing.

9 Likes

Hi. I’d like to reach out and offer myself as potential developer for the GSI series of /e/OS, R/S/T, preferably S/T as those are the ones I have the most experience with.

If you’re interested in this offer please contact me directly.

2 Likes

@18yt8zhg: There was an answer to your question already.
About half a day later …

@Manoj: Thanks for being kind enough to answer again.
@18yt8zhg: How quickly you got an improvement on “No ETAs” should tell you something about how much wiser you can consider yourself now :wink: .

1 Like

https://doc.e.foundation/jobs

1 Like

@Lynix - was thinking, GSIs get more relevant with aftermarket phones getting to be 2020-era / all GSI-enabled phones, so good on taking this up for current Android versions 13+

In which topic ? Sorry to not read all topics. If you mean in this one, “No ETAs for now” is with “Next version of the Bliss Launcher” so isn’t about /e/OS T.

At what point was I disrespectful ? Because I ask the question ? Wahh man, keep calm and down one floor (I don’t know if I can translate that from French but but I clearly mean it).

1 Like

Thanks @Manoj for your quick reply.

@AnotherElk, I saw 4 likes with mine, so I guess I wasn’t the only one wondering.

both … and ETAs is plural :wink: .
But the formatting might be a bit unlucky, so I can see now what you mean.

I didn’t say you were.

Of course we want an ETA (I do too … and a pony). And if we persist, we’ll get an ETA. We got one now. What it’s worth we’ll just see.

2 Likes

I understand what you mean, but it was just for information, to have an idea when /e/OS T will be release.

1 Like

Talking about ETA’s … I try to avoid giving ETAs until I have a clear indication on a date. This is an approximation, as shared above. It may come earlier or a bit late.
That being said, the first cut of both the T build and next version of the Bliss Launcher looked promising. Hope to share the releases with all users ASAP.

6 Likes

Will this new version of BlissLauncher also be ported to F-Droid? In order to make /e/OS and Murena shine a bit more?

Not sure we as in /e/OS developers ported it to FDroid earlier.

1 Like

Thumbs up! Degoogled Q is good too, but it would be great to also have GSI higher versions.
Thumbs up again!

Hi @Manoj,

It might be a mismatch in the post regarding FP3 OTA upgrade. See below :

vs

It would just be rewriting, or I might have misunderstood the comments as well :man_shrugging:

There were 2 OS Upgrades for the FP3. One which was from Q to R and the present one from R to S. Both were completed.

1 Like

Does this mean that R-stable users on FP3 can upgrade to S or is it just the dev version that gets upgraded for now?

OTA upgrades are only on stable builds. Dev users can do the upgrade manually or via the Easy Installer where available.

2 Likes

Twelve days ago:

1 Like