Week 50, 2024: Development and Testing Updates

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

:warning: Server outage :warning:

Current status:

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

  • Email: Working. Also accessible through desktop clients like Thunderbird and webmail. (To configure a desktop client you can use this guide)

  • Murena cloud: a subset of services : Contacts,Calendar,Tasks,Email,Deck,Bookmarks,Gitlab,Spot,Murena website link, Donate, Passwords, News are available for users at present.

  • OTA device build download: Downloads are working now.

    • Devices which got the last build on Pie, Q or R may be missing builds. We will try to add these builds at a date to be shared later. Device like the s8/s8+ builds are missing as there are bugs the team has still not resolved in the device code.
  • File /drive access

    • Hardware received, installation done, restoration in progress
    • File storage cluster consolidation complete
    • Backup restoration in progress
    • Plan to open up storage to users starting on 16th Dec. Individual download links will be sent out to users whose backup start showing up. The process will be done in batches.
  • At present activities like new account creation, existing account deletion are impacted due to the outage. As of now, we do not have an exact date for the resumption of account creation to share.

  • We are working on a plan to compensate paying users whose cloud services were impacted by the outage. We will share more details through our newsletter, this forum and channels. Those who received any notification about recharges can fill up the form for the helpdesk team here with issue details

Read GaĆ«lā€™s explanation and updates for the outage

Release

2.6

Status: Testing in progress
ETA: Mid December :crossed_fingers:

Issues and fixes expected in 2.6
:point_right: /e/OS U builds to be released with v2.6

:point_right: s8/s8+ OS OTA build has not been released with v2.5 as there is an issue with NFC payments feature not working.
:point_right: OnePlus Nord avicii stable / official build not released with v2.5 as it has 2 blocking issues.

  • Will share ETA for the release of these two device builds later

Upcoming releases

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

:loudspeaker: /e/OS U or Android 14 :loudspeaker:

  • List of existing devices getting the /e/OS U build
  • New devices being added on /e/OS U
  • The builds will in most cases require to be manually flashed.

:point_right: ETA for release of /e/OS U : v2.6 likely dates around mid Dec 2024

:warning: Do not post test build information on the forum :warning:

  • 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

:point_right: 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

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

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

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

:warning: Please note, the old helpdesk emails IDā€™s are not monitored any more :warning:

Murena Cloud and Self hosting

:star: Murena cloud current version : 28.0.9.6

:star: Self Hosting current version v 26.0.8.23

  • Release notes

  • Check this guide for help with the upgrade
    :point_right: Next release - team to plan this development activity. ETAā€™s will be shared. :new:

How to check the NextCloud version click here

You can find the complete documentation and current NC version under Login ā€“ 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.

:information_source: 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

:point_right: 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 ā€˜herolteā€™ ā€˜hero2lteā€™: Q ( A10) R (A11)

  • Google Pixel ā€˜redfinā€™: S(A12) T(A13)

  • Gigaset: GS290: R(A11) S (A12)

  • Fairphone: FP3 : S (A12) T (A13)

  • Samsung: S7/7+ : R(A11) S(A12) :new:

:information_source: All OTA OS upgrades are on stable or official builds

Testing
  • Samsung: S8/8+ : R(A11) S(A12)

  • FP4: T (A13) to U (A14) :new:

  • ETA to be decided

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

:point_right: A guide to understand how to setup Parental Controls

Misc information

Read Gael 's roadmap for 2024

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.

: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.

/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

:point_right: 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

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

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

Telegram Channel

Social Media

Newsletters

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

15 Likes

As of now, we do not have an exact date for resumption of account opening services. Will check with the development team in case they have an update.

4 Likes

With the new Murena Tablet on the horizon, how long (approximately) will it be supported by software and security updates ?

@Dremor this is answered here : New Murena Pixel Tablet - #4 by tcecyk

1 Like

@Manoj: do you have information about which version of microG is used in /e/OS 2.6? See here for releases: Releases Ā· microg/GmsCore Ā· GitHub

Thx :slightly_smiling_face:

1 Like

The microG version coming with v2.6 would be v0.3.2.240913-102

3 Likes

Thatā€™s pretty outdatedā€¦ :face_with_diagonal_mouth:

3 Likes

Why there are using a version of microg from May since there are newer versions?

1 Like

Alpha version of the Web Installer is available for all users.

4 Likes

Sorry, but what do you expect? I mean, /e/OS 2.6 is is the first version using Android 14, i.e. a new major version of the underlying system. Usually those major upgrades are a lot of work for both developmentdevelopmentm and testing. The mentioned microG version has been released by the end of September due to a regressing - two months for testing a new version with major release is really not flamboyant

2 Likes

Not sorry, but what are you talking about? A May version should have been added to /e/ in June or July not December. And having three months of time to add a version and testing is definitely enough. Iā€™m with when talking about the November update but not the older ones.

It is the well-known permanent delay of updating /e/ and itā€™s components. You may not mind but please do not whitewash it.

Whatā€™s so important to you that missing from the newer version of microG? Or is something not working for you? So far it seems like a pointless version chase to me.

1 Like

Just to clarify: MicroG v0.3.2.240913 has been present in /e/OS since version 2.2 ( mid-July)

From what I read here, I assume that discussing with certain people will end up in an endless and vain discussion. This elegy of complaining about that everything is too slow and could be done so much better leadstto nothing, especially when combined with mixing different aspects and stating wrong dates - be it said explicitly or by the tone stated between the lines.

Iā€™m more than happy that there is this wonderful /e/project which strives for giving me the chance to live at least somehow in a privacy-oriented environment way. So /e/ guys, please do not get discouraged by some seldom voices - the good of your doing is way greater than waiting 2 or 3 months more.

@joelp: Iā€™m deliberately waiting to see partial passkey support. With the now embedded version of microG, it will support passkey PINs which is a must have for FIDO sticks.
Furthermore, the underlying Android 14 adds support for third-party passkey managers, e.g. Bitwarden.

9 Likes

Just to understand this point, could you please give a source for

?

Otherwise itā€™s not immediately obvious, because ā€¦

ā€¦ clearly lists 0.3.2.240913 as a May release, and ā€¦

ā€¦ is correct according to Releases Ā· e / os / šŸš€ Releases Ā· GitLab.

(Iā€™m not complaining about the microG version in /e/OS personally, I just donā€™t find or see where this end of September claim is coming from.)

I wasnā€™t expecting a whole discussion. I just wanted to know from @Manoj when MicroG in /e/OS would get an update. Maybe I should have asked specificallyā€¦
Other than that, Iā€™m still super happy with the whole project and have every respect for the developers and the time they need to improve /e/OS.

4 Likes

And Android 14 was released in October 2023. As paying customer, we have a right to ask why both the underlying operating system and microG are months and months behind, while acknowledging the necessary work and the limited resources of the project.

1 Like

Personnaly, I was prefering the times when users were beta-testers, i feel insane with those ā€œcustomersā€ considerations.

Even if devices and cloud storage could be paying, the OS stay freeā€¦

11 Likes

I donā€™t think there is any paying customer of e/os/.
Customers pay for the cloud service.
os and microg might be months behind, thatā€™s still better than most other manufacturer. I wasnā€™t even expecting to get U on my phone.

6 Likes

Hello, where are the previous releases for Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 ā€“ Ā«X00TDĀ»