Week 48 2023: Development and Testing Updates

Release Information

v1.18

Status: :green_circle: Undergoing Testing

v1.17

Status: :green_circle: Release complete

:point_right: Recovery zip files for the devices mentioned in the list given below contain additional partitions were released as part of v1.17.

List of devices
  • This is the list of devices which require additional partitions to be flashed before flashing Android 12 - /e/OS S or Android 13 - /e/OS T
  • Refer their install guides for more details on the installation process.

These are the device codenames. To find the device code name for your smartphone check this list

- 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

 

Upcoming milestones / Releases

  • Tentative release dates of builds that will come in future
  • FP4 /e/OS T stable release is planned with v1.19 (tentative ETA Jan 2024) :fire:

Development in Progress

Status : :green_circle: Development abd internal testing

Read more
  • Updated version of the Bliss Launcher or Bliss launcher 3
    • Currently undergoing testing and code cleanup. Launch may be early next year 2024.
  • /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

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

v1.17

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)
  • Gigaset: GS290: R(A11) → S (A12)
    • All OTA OS upgrades are on stable builds
Under development
  • Samsung: S7 ‘herolte’ ‘hero2lte’: Q ( A10) → R (A11)
To be planned
  • Fairphone: FP3 : S (A12) → T (A13)

 

Support Dropped :information_source:

Only one OS version per device
  • Support of multiple OS versions on the same device has been stopped.
  • If you see multiple OS version builds on the download page, switch to the latest /e/OS version.
  • In most devices it would require a manual download and installation. Take a backup before proceeding.
  • We will add a text on the images server mentioning that older OS versions are no longer supported.
  • No longer supported will mean that build would not be made in the older OS.
  • It is always advised to switch to the newer OS versions as some of applications may not work correctly on older OS as application developer stop supporting older OS.
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.

 

Vendor specific information :information_source:

Bootloader unlockable devices

As you may be aware the bootloader needs to be unlocked to flash a custom ROM like /e/OS.
The vendors of the following devices are preventing the unlocking of the bootloader

  • Huawei
  • ASUS - unlocking tool reported as not working for last couple of months.

:point_right: We have added a warning on the install pages for these devices to warn our users before they try to attempt to flash /e/OS.

 

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 sell directly now.

: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

18 Likes

it seems that the website changed name + they don’t sell Murena phones anymore as I can’t find in their shop.

1 Like

Hello,

There is still a partition file missing (vbmeta.img) with the recovery for the device a52q - (Samsung A52), is there a chance that we can find it with the upcoming v1.18 ?

Paco

Let me check with the sales team and get back.

Was comparing the installation guide with the LOS guide, and it looks different - maybe not updated. Pl can you check if the commands on the LOS guide for the a52q work.

The link needs to be removed. We sell in Australia directly now.

3 Likes

Thanks Manoj.

Actually I am ok with the instructions in the installation guide, my question is regarding the missing partition file vbmeta.img.

In the developement notes of week 44 it was mentionned for the v1.16:

Issues with the /e/OS T releases

  • Some of the devices for which /e/OS T builds are released require additional partitions to be flashed before the recovery can be flashed.
  • The additional partitions will be added to the /e/OS recovery zip files which will come along with the builds
  • These partitions will show up when v1.17 build is released.

It seems that the missing partitions were provided in v1.17 for a long list of devices given above, but unfortunately it does not include (yet) the device a52q. So I was hoping this will be fixed with v1.18.

Paco

https://mirrorbits.lineageos.org/full/a52q/20231127/vbmeta.img

Yes I have seen that the image is avaiable for LOS, I read in the post Samsung - Galaxy A52 4G - a52q - Documentation Suggestions - #9 by luca102 that it is possible to use it by installing LOS and then /e/OS (not sure if it is possible to install /e/OS directly with this LOS vbmeta.img). The preferred way would have been to get it from the /e/OS team but if it is not available I will try one of the proposed work around. Still it would be nice to have with the next release.
Paco

You can try with the LOS vbmeta and let me know what happens. Ideally it should work if the OS is the same on both LOS and /e/OS.

hello @Manoj could we have some news about the development of “Memories” that will replace OpenCamera gallery, and if it will be installed through an OTA update (that’s my main questioning)?

edit : didn’t know memories was already installed. feel dumb…

Hi @loki Memories is a photo gallery implementation which allows displaying pictures from the cloud and is available only on the Murena Cloud. On mobile, we already have the default Gallery app. Are you looking for a similar implementation on both the Cloud and the /e/OS ROM?

Since this thread is closed, you can respond on the current Development Update thread which is open and add a link to this post.

2 Likes