Week 43, 2022 : Development and Testing Updates

/e/OS Smartphone Operating System Development Updates
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Builds and Releases

v1.5

Status : :green_circle: Testing Started

Fixes and Updates being tested

:boom: /e/OS ‘S’ builds are also being tested

ETA : Expect testing to complete and v1.5 to be released in 1-2 weeks.

Cleaning up the bugs !!!

For the next two months - till end of this year, the development team will be focusing on closing out the bugs in Gitlab. What this means is after v1.5 is released, the next builds will be coming out in 2023, post this bug fixing exercise. Will keep you posted on the progress.

v1.4

Status: :green_circle: Released

Release Notes

Feedback on v1.4

  • Share your feedback and vote on v1.4 here

GSI

v1.4

Status: :green_circle: Released

S and R version of GSI to be planned based on developer bandwidth

OS OTA upgrades

Status: :yellow_circle: Ongoing - October release

Completed

  • Samsung s9 / s9+
  • Samsung s7/ s7+
  • OnePlus Nord Q to R (stable build)

Upcomings

  • Samsung s8 /s8+
    • Pie to S OTA upgrade
    • ETA October with v1.5 :crossed_fingers:
  • FP3
    • Pie to Q OTA upgrade
    • Q to R OTA upgrade
    • To confirm if we can have a Pie to R upgrade
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.

/e/OS S

Status: :green_circle: _circle: Testing started

  • 80+ devices planned for /e/OS S or Android 12 upgrade. List updated :new:

  • Release will be in monthly batches of 20 devices.

  • For device details, check this list for the device names

  • More devices will be added for upgrade

  • /e/OS S code is now accessible to all

  • ETA : October with v1.5

Unofficial ROM build refer the section ROM Builders - Unofficial and Custom

below Recent Documentation updates
ROM Builders - Unofficial and Custom
  • A new Docker image has been 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

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@Manoj please allow me to ask again: will 1.5 include the new update in MicroG 0.2.25? That whould be great because it adds support for FIDO devices.

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I just installed the Android 10 Tablet Blackview Tab 9 UNISOC T610 Octa Core 4GB RAM 64GB with /e/OS-Q V1.4 GSI. Almost everything works, including wired LAN via USB-C to LAN RJ45 adapter. I’m highly satisfied with /e/OS ‘Q’. Nevertheless, I’m already looking forward to the upcoming ‘S’ and ‘R’ GSI versions, because they also open up new possibilitie :boom:Thank you e-Team for the continued /e/OS GSI development

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I have asked the team for a response on this during the weekend. Should have a response today.

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Thank you so much for this weekly updates. :+1:

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Yes. microG 0.2.25 will be a part of v1.5 release

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That’s really good. Thank you @Manoj and Dev Team! :clap:

About the “Cleaning up the bugs”

I think that’s something necessary, to focus for some time on fixing things, but please don’t forget the security updates. They just can’t wait.

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So no security updates for several months?

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Ohhh… The same thought. :smiley:

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Hi @Manoj, any chance for the default Browser and Webview to be updated with 1.5?

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Unfortunately I’ve lost my hope for that. At least no target version mentioned at gitlab issue…

Wish they could at least add org.bromite.webview with bromite official signature to webviewpackages list at:

My understanding this would allow user to add bromite f-droid repository and install bromite webview, set it as default and get updates via f-droid. Sure they could even set this repository to App Lounge and even use bromite webview as default and user could get updates to it separately from /e/ OS uodates. Suggested these at gitlab too.

After this I could just uninstall/ disable default briwser and use bromite. currently webview is even bigger issue, after all user can select to use different browser…

But lets all hope positive surprise and update for both.

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It would be at least nice to know that it’s a priority for the staff and that it’s planned for a specific version, 1.5 or 1.12 I don’t care. But at least that it’s taken into account.

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The plan is to drop them and move to a different one entirely. This is under development and testing. Will announce what will be the replacement once I have more inputs.

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hi @Manoj , is the current S v1-s defaulting to eOS 1.4 or 1.5?
thanks

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/e/OS S would be a part of v1.5

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Drop them? Bromite is the only Android fork of Chromium that removes the proprietary Google dependencies.

Why doesn’t /e/ instead fund them directly? Has /e/ team reached out to Carl in any manner at all?
(Why is Bromite falling behind in updates · Discussion #1745 · bromite/bromite · GitHub)

Also on this note, a new zero day was announced today and the known security vulnerability count for /e/OS browser & WebView is at 234: Chrome Releases: Stable Channel Update for Desktop

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Gaël had discussed with Carl on collaborating. Carl refused and had his own moral justifications. They had an email exchange discussing this.

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I appreciate the response, and am happy there was some communication.
Thank you @Manoj.

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Please, is there any news about GSI v1.5 R or (better) S?
There are a lot of smartphones not on the devices list that could use the GSI.
Thank you.

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As mentioned in the initial post

1 Like