Week 44, 2024: Development and Testing Updates

[Manoj]

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

Server outage

Current status:

As you may be aware Murena Workspace and associated services have been impacted by an outage since Oct 6 19:50 CET. We have been working with experts to resoolve the issue.
This is the current status.

• Email: fully working, accessible through desktop clients like Thunderbird and webmail. To configure a desktop client you can use this guide Create a free Murena Workspace account
• Murena cloud: a subset of services calendar, contact, password, webmail, task restored at murena.io
• App Lounge: Downloads are working now.
• OTA device build download: Downloads are working now
• File /drive access - Work is in progress. We will share an ETA as to when services can be restored.

Read Gaël’s explanation for the outage

Release

v2.5

Status: Testing

Issues being fixed in 2.5

Upcoming releases

• Tentative release dates of builds that will come in the future

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. The team is working to see if GSI can be made available OTA. An app to detect what works and what does not work with the GSI

• 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.

 

Previous 5 releases & user feedback

• 2.4.1
• 2.4
• 2.3
• 2.2
• 2.1

/e/OS U or Android 14

The first list of devices getting an upgrade to /e/OS U is available here
The builds will in most cases require to be manually flashed. Will share the list of new devices being added to the supported list.

Do not post test build information on the forum

• 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

• As part of the testing team you can share your comments on the dedicated testing telegram channel.

 

Helpdesk services - Exclusively for paying Murena customers

Murena helpdesk services will be exclusively for

• Customers who purchased Murena devices
• Paid for a Murena cloud account
• Active donors from past year

Paying customers can write in here with issue details

Users who use the /e/OS or Murena cloud for free will have the following modes for issue resolution:

• This Forum
• Gitlab
• Telegram channels

Free services users will also get assistance on this forum for issues such as:

• Gitlab Account opening related issues
• Murena Workflow / cloud account issues

Murena Cloud and Self hosting

Murena cloud current version : 28.0.9.6

• The deployment to Nextcloud 28 was successful, bringing better performance, numerous fixes, and exciting upgrades.

• You can view the full changelog here: 28.0.9.6 · e / infra / ecloud / nextcloud · GitLab

• Issues raised by users are being looked at by the team.

Self Hosting current version v 26.0.8.23

• Release notes

• Check this guide for help with the upgrade
  Next release - team to plan this development activity. ETA’s will be shared.

How to check the NextCloud version click here

You can find the complete documentation and current NC version under Login – 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

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 ‘herolte’ ‘hero2lte’: Q ( A10) R (A11)

• Google Pixel ‘redfin’: S(A12) T(A13)

• Gigaset: GS290: R(A11) S (A12)

• Fairphone: FP3 : S (A12) T (A13)

• Samsung: S7/7+ : R(A11) S(A12)

All OTA OS upgrades are on stable or official builds

Testing

• Samsung: S8/8+ : R(A11) S(A12)

• ETA v2.5

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

A guide to understand how to setup Parental Controls

Misc information

Read Gael 's roadmap for 2024

• eCloud real time availability status

• /e/OS real time availability status

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.

/e/OS website and social media Links and Support

Murena helpdesk services will be exclusively for

• Customers who purchased Murena devices
• Paid for a Murena cloud account
• Active donors from past year

Paying customers can write in here with issue details

Users who use the /e/OS or Murena cloud for free will have the following modes for issue resolution:

• This Forum
• Gitlab
• Telegram channels

Free services users will also get assistance on this forum for issues such as:

• Gitlab Account opening related issues
• Murena Workflow / cloud account issues

Websites

• Murena

• /e/OS website

• Documentation

• Report Bugs

• How to report Bugs

Telegram Channel

• Link to all the available Telegram channels

Social Media

• On XDA

• Twitter

• Mastodon

• LinkedIn

• Medium

Newsletters

• eFoundation news

• Murena products and promotions

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

[Cooler]

@Manoj

The first list of devices getting an upgrade to /e/OS U is available here

Hi. Is there an approximative target for release?

[AnotherElk]

@Manoj

We will share the ETA for the /e/OS U release.

[bro4k20]

No A14 for the POCO X3 PRO?

What will Happen to the Galaxy S7?

[Cooler]

My question was a legitimate one. The fact that they will share ETA someday (no idea when) is not really useful.
So let me rephrase my question: is this going to be released (at least for a few select devices) in 3 months/6 months/ a year? I don’t need a date but rather some sort of estimation. Murena should have some sort of planning, no?
I guess 6 months should be worst case… more than a year after Lineage OS released Android U builds is late enough ?!

[AnotherElk]

@Cooler

My question was a legitimate one. The fact that they will share ETA someday (no idea when) is not really useful.

Both things are true, of course, but …

@Cooler

I don’t need a date but rather some sort of estimation.

The E in ETA stands for “estimated”, the T stands for “time”. An ETA is an estimation, and it isn’t necessarily a date.
They said they will share exactly what you want to have.

@Cooler

more than a year after Lineage OS released Android U builds is late enough ?!

Android 13 will get security updates until early 2026, if prior Android versions are any indication, so arguably there’s still time.

If LineageOS is to be taken as the role model, by the way, I’m totally in favour of /e/OS adopting their “No ETAs. On anything. Ever.” policy .

[olli0371]

Hi,

to be honest - before e/o/s i was on A14 (Fairphone OS) and i dont see a difference between A13 and A14.

Best regards
Oliver

[hlubach]

There are several custom rom that are already, on Android 15 even an unofficial Lineage
And a complete degoogled Gsi .

[AnotherElk]

Everybody’s free to use those.

[Cooler]

Hi AnotherElk
It seems to me that you dislike me, as you’re constantly picking on me for silly reasons ; I’m not sure why. Yes I’m sometimes a critic, but I’m usually a critic to things I like and care for. I might have contradicted (?!) you in the past, but if that happened (I’m not sure… I don’t have such a good memory) for sure it was not personal.
Being a project manager I know very well what an ETA is; ETA is a “semi-precise” estimation and it’s usually quantified in days not months.
My question was in relation to my main phone running now Lineage /OS 14 (Android U). Under /e OS Android T both back cameras have not worked; under Lineage OS 14 they do. It’s not 100% sure they will under /e OS U, but there are some chances. I prefer /e OS to microg Lineage.
I was trying to asses if it’s worth waiting for the /e OS U build or should i try an unofficial Iode build. I should actually try the Iode when I’ll have enough time to do it.
I know that Android U version of /e is in development for quite some time; I thought that by now Murena should have a vague idea when they’ll be able to release it.
Yeah it’s not that important if it’s Android T or Andoid U or even older… if things I need work… in my case they don’t. I don’t care about or need the latest.
I will be totally fine for Manoj saying that Murena has no idea when they’ll be able to release Android U but then don’t put it like this: /e/OS U or Android 14
Sorry if my post has disturbed someone… I’ll refrain from writing in this category.

[AnotherElk]

@Cooler

It seems to me that you dislike me, as you’re constantly picking on me for silly reasons

I’m sorry, I’m certainly not trying to make that impression, and rest assured I have other hobbies, so it’s nothing personal from my side either.

@Cooler

I’ll refrain from writing in this category.

Surely we can let our opinions on things be seen, even if they differ or are not on the same page somehow.

[Manoj]

If there is an ETA for release of /e/OS U I would be sharing it. Should have a better idea of the ETA by next week.

[Ritch]

Bonjour
le S9 ne bénéficiera pas non plus de /e/ OS U?

[Harrier]

The s9 was sold in the murena shop, so according to this post, from @Manoj, it’s likely to get a U upgrade.

[obacht]

@Ritch

S9

That phone was sold in the shop from what I recall…

[LIST] Devices to get a /e/OS U or Android 14 build

Devices that we sell in our shop are always given priority when it comes to OS upgrades. We will try to update the devices to latest OS version as long as it is technically possible. This would include the Teracube, Gigaset, Samsung, Fairphone, Google and of course Murena devices that were sold. I hope I did not miss out any. They are not specifically mentioned in this list because this is a list of the devices we do not sell.

edit: @Harrier was a bit quicker

[Didou]

I’ve been wondering where to find the info if a device was ever been sold from murena : one can find it out from the smartphone selector, link given in OP as supported list

[obacht]

@Didou

if a device was ever been sold from murena

Yes, I think the availability of a stable (now: official) rom-version in the smartphone selector list is a good hint.

I might be wrong but from what I remember S9 once was available in the shop but is neither marked as murena smartphones nor buy from murena .

[xancudo]

One difference I can see is you cannot seem to use apps that support Passkeys.

[SalmonSnake]

@Ritch

Bonjour
le S9 ne bénéficiera pas non plus de /e/ OS U?

I would be happy to get Android T for my S9, so that I could use Android Auto.

[obacht]

@SalmonSnake

Android T for my S9

T is available as community build
https://doc.e.foundation/devices/starlte

as said in previous posts stable will get U at some point; I presume T will be skipped for stable