Week 49 2023: Development and Testing Updates

Release Information

v1.18

Status: :green_circle: Undergoing Testing
Issues Fixes and Optimization

ETA: 14 Dec :crossed_fingers:

Issues and fixes coming in this build

 

Upcoming milestones / Releases

Development in Progress

Status : :green_circle: Development and internal testing

Read more
  • FP4 /e/OS T stable release is planned with v1.19 (tentative ETA Jan 2024) :fire:

  • 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</summ

 

: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

 

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)
List of devices that require additional paritions to be installed for /e/OS S or /e/OS T
  • 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

 

Support Dropped :information_source:

Update 7 Dec Support for /e/OS Q is being dropped for most of the devices. Exception would be Samsung S7 / edge herolte and hero2lte which will be upgraded to /e/OS R or Android 11 :new:

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 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

12 Likes

Is Q already part of this?

If there is R or higher then I think it applies for that device.

I meant development of Q in general. Because the latest release notes said this :

/!\ This is the last version we will be publishing for Android Q, please consider upgrading!

Development of Q is still going on for devices where it is the latest OS. For example, Asus ROG Phone 2 (ZS660KL) I001D received the v1.17 build and should get the next v1.18 builds as well in Q.

Update: Sorry for giving the wrong inputs. The latest update is that Q builds are being stopped for most devices with v1.17. There will be exceptions, like the Galaxy S7 or herolte / hero2lte which will be upgraded to R. For now, only the S7 is getting this update.

3 Likes

Hello @Manoj. In the last Week’s Development and Testing Updates thread, I was talking about Memories. I though it would be implemented in Gallery, but saw it was only in Cloud and already implemented.

But I think it could be a good thing to have it in Gallery on the phone too, as an alternative view we could choose.

1 Like

Will share that feedback with the developers.

I am looking forward and hope it soon moves on to testing and beyond! :+1:

1 Like

Will there be T for the FP3 or is S the last Android version?

3 Likes

There will be a T build for the FP3

6 Likes

Sorry. The latest update is that Q builds are being stopped for most devices with v1.17. There will be exceptions, like the Galaxy S7 or herolte / hero2lte which will be upgraded to R. For now, only the S7 is getting this update.

4 Likes

You already told that the team is aware of the following problem, but I wasn’t able to find an answer on how the team will handle it.
Sorry if it had been answered before.
Anyway it would be useful to stick it to the weekly updates.

Will the “security fix” for the fingerprint sensor be applied like in the A13-ROM from LOS or will the FP3 fingerprint sensor gain a lower security level and you can’t unlock banking apps with it anymore like in the stock A13-ROM by Fairphone?

The fix for the fingerprint issue on the FP3 is in an internal issue on GitLab and would not be accessible to all users. The solution the team has implemented as per the fix upstream will be available with /e/OS T build for the FP3. Do not have the exact ETA for the T release but assume it would be in Jan 2024. Will share details on the ETA once I have more inputs.

3 Likes

Because /e/OS is based on LineageOS and not identical with LineageOS.
/e/OS developers can make their own decisions about things.
It’s better to be sure :wink: .

1 Like

So you can’t tell if we will be able to use the fingerprint sensor on A13/T until it is released?
What a bummer.

How do you figure?

I read it as … The upstream solution from LineageOS was implemented in /e/OS and will come with Android 13.