Week 31 2024: Development and Testing Updates

Summary of weekly development and testing activities by /e/OS developers and volunteers. Updated content has the :new: emoji.

Release

v2.2 :new:

Status: Release from Monday 22 July to 29 July

:loudspeaker: Releasing with 2.2

:star: Parental controls. Read more

:star: OTA OS upgrade for s7

:star: Ability to see last couple of updates in updater

Not coming in v2.2

  • S8/ 8+ OTA OS upgrade build release likely with v 2.3 in August ( date to be confirmed later)

Upcoming releases

Ongoing development tasks
  • A web based version of Easy Installer to be released replacing the existing desktop version. At present the team is working on the development and testing of this tool.
  • /e/OS GSI on T or Android 13
  • Development work in progress on /e/OS U or Android 14. List of devices to get the U build will be shared.
    • ETAs for all activities will be shared.
Murena 2 specific information
  • The camera out of focus issue reported by some users, has been identified as a hardware issue. We do not have spare parts for replacements. Request you to send in your invoice details to the helpdesk@e.email ID and the team will offer a refund with discount vouchers for future purchases.
  • Back covers are available for purchase on the website for those who want to order.
  • The Murena 2 is now sold out. We are working on plans to create a new and even better model in our Murena line for our users.
 

Previous 5 releases & user feedback

Device Support specific information

  • /e/OS R to be marked as legacy

:point_right: legacy means : No further official / stable / community / dev builds. Users with ROM building skills can build on their own.

:point_right: Legacy /e/OS versions:

  • R - or Android 11
  • Q - or Android 10
  • P - or Android 9
  • O - or Android 8
  • N - or Android 7
  • ASUS devices will have a warning in the Smartphone Selector mentioning non-availability of official unlock methods.
Devices which will lose support

X00P , X01AD , X01BD , YTX703F , YTX703L , a5y17lte , a7y17lte , addison , ahannah , albus ,cedric , d800 ,d801 ,d802 , d803, d850 , d851, d852 , d855, ether , f400 , ginkgo , hannah , hlte , hltechn , hltekor , hltetmo , jactivelte , jasmine_sprout , jason ,jflteatt, jfltespr , jfltevzw , jfltexx , jfvelte , klte ,klteactivexx , klteaio, kltechn , kltechnduo , klteduos, kltedv , kltekdi , kltekor , lavender ,lithium , ls990 , montana , obiwan ,oneplus3, platina , rhannah , s3ve3gds , s3ve3gjv , s3ve3gxx ,scorpio ,shamu, sirius ,suzuran ,twolip ,victara ,vs985 , wayne ,whyred ,x2, z3, z3c , zl1

:point_right: Decision on continued support for FP2 pending.

Why /e/OS stops support for an OS Google has stopped security patches. LineageOS has also dropping support. For most of the older devices vendors would also have stopped vendor patches.We would not be able to continue support as it would require backporting security patches which will require dedicated resources and is not a viable long term solution. Users are advised to upgrade to newer OS and builds where available.

**Update 1 Aug **

  • For now the decision is to continue support for /e/OS R :new:
  • v2.2 has been released for devices still on /e/OS R. :new:
  • Will update users prior to dropping support for /e/OS R.

 

:warning: Do not post test build details on the forum :warning:

 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 and Self hosting

:star: Murena cloud current version : 27.1.8.3

:star: Self Hosting current version v 26.0.8.23

:point_right: Team working on the next version upgrades. Will share more information when we are ready.

How to check the NextCloud version click here

You can find the complete documentation and current NC version under Login ā€“ Murena >> 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 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 \U0001f610 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 is on /e/OS Q and v1.17

  • Download available here

  • Sources available here

:point_right: GSI OS version will next move to T or A13 skipping the R and S . Team is working on /e/OS T GSI. Will share release dates once available
 

OS OTA Related information

Completed
  • Fairphone: FP4 : S (A12) T (A13)

  • Samsung: S9/9+ : R(A11) S(A12)

  • 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)

  • Samsung: S7 ā€˜herolteā€™ ā€˜hero2lteā€™: Q ( A10) R (A11)

  • Google Pixel ā€˜redfinā€™: S(A12) T(A13)

  • Gigaset: GS290: R(A11) S (A12)

  • Fairphone: FP3 : S (A12) T (A13)

  • Samsung: S7/7+ : R(A11) S(A12) :new:

    :information_source: All OTA OS upgrades are on stable or official builds

Testing
  • Samsung: S8/8+ : R(A11) S(A12)
    • ETA v2.3 :crossed_fingers:
Our definition of an OS OTA upgrade

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

 

Documentation updates

:point_right: A guide to understand how to setup Parental Controls

Misc information

Read Gael 's roadmap for 2024

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.

: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.

/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.
/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 deGoogled mobile OS and online servicesphone

10 Likes

Thanks for your weekly updates :+1:

Fairphone today announced they regard themselves unable to upgrade Fairphone OS for the Fairphone 3 to Android 14. @Manoj Perhaps you can add the FP3 here with regard to /e/OS U:

Iā€™m not exactly optimistic that Murena can outdevelop Fairphone here, but you never know. :wink:

4 Likes

Sounds like a challengeā€¦ :wink:

1 Like

Will wait on the final word from the build team before moving the FP3 out :crossed_fingers:

4 Likes

In the meantime I learned that Lineage has already brought A14 to the FP3, and so did IodĆ© as far as I can see ā€“ so perhaps thereā€™s more reason to be optimistic :slight_smile:

6 Likes

Hello, is there a place where you can list the phones that are going to receive Android 13 and later upgrades ?
I have a OnePlus Nord bought on your store, I see that it is compatible but I donā€™t know if you will switch it to Android 13.
Is it possible to choose the community version with easy installation ?

Thank you, have a good day

If you have offical/stable it will be announced here when OS OTA Upgrade comes to T.

If you have community/dev then T exist for you but you might need to do it manually.

I suppose you mean A14 or /e/OS U. I will publish a list when we have the device list ready. For A13 and previous versions, the list of devices to get the upgrade are shared here.
The Easy installer flashes the official version on devices it supports. For a few devices it pushes the community or dev builds. You can see the list here. Take a backup as the installation wipes the user data.
Pl note the Easy Installer will be replaced by a web based version in the near future, which should cover more devices.

3 Likes

/e/OS R support

  • For now the decision is to continue support for /e/OS R.
  • v2.2 has been released for devices still on /e/OS R. :new:
  • Will update users prior to dropping support for /e/OS R.
8 Likes

wonderful update, thank you :grinning: one question: my pixel 5 redfin is on e 1.18 stable, can i install the newest version e 2.2 stable with adb (because i only see the 1.19 update in the smartphone updater) or should i go from 1.19 to 1.20 to 1.21 and so onā€¦

1 Like

You can jump to latestā€¦

1 Like

I also am in a similar situation. Iā€™m not sure how to proceed in installing the newest update directly, skipping several versions. I know thereā€™s directions on how to do this somewhere Iā€™m just unsure where to find it. I would need detailed directions, Iā€™m not very experienced in doing complicated techie stuff

Hi, you would need to quote your device details to get a detailed answer. All (maybe some exception which I forgot) /e/OS updates include the whole ā€˜systemā€™ so in these cases the update is not incremental, it is a replacement, so jumping an update is no issue at all.

It is generally a good idea to keep your e-Recovery updated to match your ROM.

In the case of an Upgrade of Android version, these may be device specific advice but in general we are advised to take a backup.

The need to return to a Stock ROM is maybe less essential in the case of an Android T ROM where a payload-dumper indicates that the ROM includes ā€˜vendorā€™. This general tip would only work where one had correctly installed latest Android S. Android S comes in 2 versions, so one needs to know that the device had at some time received the latest firmware.

The latest manufacturer firmware required as the foundation for all ROMs so it is necessary to research your device carefully to see whether it currently receives ā€œManufacturer software revisionsā€.

1 Like

Hi, Thanks for your reply. I have Teracube 2e current e/OS ver 1.20

There are 4 variants of Teracube 2e so you can find the published ROMs from one of

/e/OS dev zirconia download
/e/OS stable zirconia download
/e/OS dev emerald download
/e/OS stable emerald download

No Android version upgrade is involved, so presumably your updater is showing the updates?

Just choose the latest available. It might be quite prudent to search the feedback threads, in case anyone reported errors with Teracube on upgrade to v2.0

Some cautious users donā€™t upgrade for 7 to 10 days after the ROM is published, in case any bugs need ironed out, stable updates are often published several after community, dev, builds.

1 Like

Thanks for these links. I have Emerald, updater is showing only 1.21.1 as whatā€™s available. When i tap refresh curly arrow it just says no new updates found.

I have been cautious with upgrading after 1.20. Iā€™ve downloaded 2.2 from link in your post Iā€™m going to wait for a few days before I decide whether to install it. I guess all I need now is directions how to installā€¦

Simply download, reboot to recovery, and applyā€¦

It is possible that your System Updater has got stuck a bit like reported here, Issues with the Updater and a solution. You might try that before anything. Should that not liberate the following updates, you could just take that one. Maybe that update will liberate following updates. Release notes for 1.21.1 v1.21.1-s Ā· e / os / šŸš€ Releases Ā· GitLab mention work being done on Recovery.

Check if the updater can do a Local update, top right menu. Then you can put the ROM on the phone or SD card, navigate to it after tapping Local Update and you are away.

Be sure to check whether your emerald is running stable or dev Different Build Types so that you avoid accidentally ā€œchangingā€.