Week 45, Development and Testing Updates

Release Information

v1.17

Status: Testing in progress

ETA: Mid November :crossed_fingers:

  • Issues expected to be resolved in v1.17
  • Some devices require additional partitions to be installed while flashing /e/OS R (Android 12)or /e/OS T (Android 13). The v1.17 builds will include these partitions in the recovery zip files for those devices.

v1.16

Status: :green_circle: 24 Oct Released

 

FP5

Sales and delivery started

Read more
  • FP5 customers have started receiving the devices with /e/OS T starting from October 16, 2023
  • Sales in France started from October 16, 2023 mid day. Customers who are in the waitlist should get email notifications regarding this.
  • Usually it takes about 2 weeks to restock the phones we sell on the Murena Store. In case of FP5 which is a new device, it might take slightly longer based on availability from vendor and quantity we are restocking. More information would be available through out newsletter.

 

Upcoming milestones / Releases

Upcoming development :new:

Status : :green_circle: Testing and development

Read more
  • Updated version of the Bliss Launcher
    • Currently undergoing testing and code cleanup.
  • /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. Release will be delayed and may not be in 2023
  • Easy Installer to be updated to flash /e/OS T builds.
  • 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 announced

: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.

 

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

 

Murena cloud

Updated to NC 26.0.8.12 :new:

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 25.0.8.19

 

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

v1.16 :new:

Status: :green_circle: Released

 

Roadmap for 2023 and beyond

Read all about it

Subscribe to our newsletter to get the news first hand. All links available below.

 

OS OTA upgrades

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) :new:
  • Gigaset: GS290: R(A11) → S (A12)
    • All OTA OS upgrades are on stable builds
Under development
  • Samsung: S7 ‘herolte’ ‘hero2lte’: Q ( A10) → R (A11) :new:

 

Support dropped

Only one OS version per device

  • Support of multiple OS versions on the same device has been stopped. You would see older OS version builds stuck at
  • Upgrade your device to the latest OS version available.
    • For example, if /e/OS R (Android 11) builds are available for your /e/OS Q (Android 10) build, upgrade to the latest version which in this case would be A11.

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.

 

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.
  • 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.

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/ the unGoogled mobile OS and online servicesphone

11 Likes

How many years does it take to update Bliss Launcher?

4 Likes

My S9 (starlte) got an OTA upgrade to R on the stable channel when going from 1.14 to 1.15. Latest OTA update then brought it to e-1.16-r-20231018342509-stable-starlte. Should the S9 be under the “Completed” sub-heading ?

Thanks. Missed out updating it in the completed section.

Thank you for the good news! :clap:
Just one question: I’m expecting the upgrade for my FP3 will require additional partitions. Will they be “added” by the recovery files without data loss?
I love your stable builds for the preservation of data and apps during flawless OTA updates (especially banking apps make a lot of trouble with each new installation).
I really would appreciate this trouble-free modus for the next update (v1.16 stable → v1.17 stable) too!

1 Like

Hi,
I do not understand about the “missing partitions”. Would this lead to the device not being workable? I’m hesitant to installt 1.16 on my S9+. Could someone elaborate on what the consequences are of the missing partitions?
Best,
YeOldHinnerk

Some of the devices require installation of additional partitions while flashing S or T builds. Not all devices require this additional installation.
This is the list of devices which require additional partitions to be flashed.

alioth, avicii, barbet, berlin, berlna, bluejay, bramble, cheetah, coral, dubai, flame, guacamoleb, guacamole haydn, hotdogb, hotdog, instantnoodlep, instantnoodle, kane, kebab, lemonadep, lemonade, lisa, Mi439, nio, oriole, panther pro1x, pstar, raven, redfin, renoir, sunfish, troika, dre, sake

These partitions will be available in the recovery zip file when we release v1.17 which should come out by mid of November :crossed_fingers:

4 Likes

S9+ should not be concerned as it don’t receive any vendor updates since 2022 august…

You mean next week? That would be a nice birthday present to have 1.17 by Monday…

2 Likes

Same here ! Love to all the developers :slight_smile: