Week 51 2023: Development and Testing Updates

Release Information

v1.18

Status: :green_circle: Released

Update: The FP3 /e/OS T dev v1.18 build will not be released on the image servers.
There was an error in the build, and the team decided not to publish it. The next build, v1.19 for FP3 will be a /e/OS T build. Tentative release dates are in Jan of 2024
 

Upcoming milestones / Releases

Android 10 or /e/OS Q support dropped

Read more
  • We have ended support for Android 10 or /e/OS Q as of v1.17
  • As you may be aware security patches and updates for Q have been stopped by Google from Feb 2023.
  • Exception to this are the following devices, both currently on Q will get updates to R or Android 11
    • Samsung Galaxy s7 herolte
    • Samsung Galaxy s7 edge hero2lte
    • ETA to be shared

Upcoming Development in Progress

Read more

Status : :green_circle: Development and internal testing

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

  • 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 Updates

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

  • Download available here
    • Sources available here
    • version is /e/OS Q (A10)
    • GSI OS version will next move to T or A13 skipping the R and S versions. Dates for development will be shared :new:

 

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:

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

14 Likes

There is a problem with the Mail app, I can’t open any mail, here is logcat from K9:

12-19 06:12:16.943 23787 23810 I MessagingController: Running command 'clearNotifications', seq = 9 (foreground priority)
12-19 06:12:16.943 23787 23810 V NotificationController: Removing some notifications for account d1f0fbd9-515f-438f-8b25-5a8674ce9880
12-19 06:12:16.943 23787 23810 I MessagingController:  Command 'clearNotifications' completed
12-19 06:12:22.001 23787 23811 W Parcel  : Expecting binder but got null!
12-19 06:12:22.016 23787 23811 E OpenGLRenderer: Unable to match the desired swap behavior.
12-19 06:12:25.613 23787 23811 W Parcel  : Expecting binder but got null!
12-19 06:12:25.622 23787 23811 E OpenGLRenderer: Unable to match the desired swap behavior.
12-19 06:12:29.254 23787 23811 W Parcel  : Expecting binder but got null!
12-19 06:12:29.263 23787 23811 E OpenGLRenderer: Unable to match the desired swap behavior.
12-19 06:12:29.781 23787 23811 D OpenGLRenderer: endAllActiveAnimators on 0xb4000072734404e0 (FrameLayout) with handle 0xb4000071833f8ec0
12-19 06:12:30.671 23787 23787 W OnBackInvokedCallback: OnBackInvokedCallback is not enabled for the application.
12-19 06:12:30.671 23787 23787 W OnBackInvokedCallback: Set 'android:enableOnBackInvokedCallback="true"' in the application manifest.
12-19 06:12:32.227 23787 23811 W Parcel  : Expecting binder but got null!
12-19 06:12:32.243 23787 23811 E OpenGLRenderer: Unable to match the desired swap behavior.
12-19 06:12:33.341 23787 23811 D OpenGLRenderer: endAllActiveAnimators on 0xb40000727348d270 (MenuPopupWindow$MenuDropDownListView) with handle 0xb40000718346f7b0
12-19 06:12:36.514 23787 23787 D CompatibilityChangeReporter: Compat change id reported: 78294732; UID 10131; state: DISABLED
12-19 06:12:36.515 23787 23787 W OnBackInvokedCallback: OnBackInvokedCallback is not enabled for the application.
12-19 06:12:36.515 23787 23787 W OnBackInvokedCallback: Set 'android:enableOnBackInvokedCallback="true"' in the application manifest.

Any news regarding GSI version for the latest Android?
It’s been a while, and, since the support for the Q version is dropped, it would be a good time to release that GSI S or T version.

Just expand the “GSI” bit in the opening post for the latest news :wink: .

Seems to be a general problem with the mailing. Cant access the online Mail via the murena cloud at all.

Update: The FP3 /e/OS T dev v1.18 build will not be released on the image servers.
There was an error in the build, and the team decided not to publish it. The next build, v1.19 for FP3 will be a /e/OS T build. Tentative release dates are in Jan of 2024

@ Manoj: Got confused and didn’t think of this change from S to T. The follow-up question would be: Will there be an OTA upgrade for the FP3 from S dev to T dev? It is listed as “To be planned”, so there is no chance that this will be done until the planned release in January, I guess? Will the coming images of T, for me specifically interesting is the dev build, allow an ABD sideload upgrade?

There is never an Upgrade OTA for ‘dev’ builds. Upgrada OTA’s only apply for ‘stable’.

To explain further: In /e/OS terms, there are two types of updates.

  • OTA updates and OTA upgrades
    • OTA Updates are builds you get OTA for the same OS but a newer build version,
      for example, v1.17 dev /e/OS S to v1.18 dev /e/OS S
      or
      v1.17 stable /e/OS S to v1.18 stable /e/OS S

    • OTA Upgrades are builds you get OTA for a different and higher OS version for the same device

For example, v1.18 for a device would be on Android 12, but v1.19 for the same device will be on Android 13

  • The OS upgrades are only provided for stable builds. Devices which we sell or used to sell on our Murena Store get stable builds.
    The normal way we share the OTA OS upgrade is that only the user who are already on v1.18 would see the v1.19 upgrade build.
  • The upgrade builds are not shared for manual download
  • OS upgrades are not available for dev builds
  • both dev and stable builds are available for manual download from the supported devices table
  • You cannot switch from stable to dev or dev to stable as they are built with different keys and need a complete format if you are planning to switch
5 Likes

Thank you for the detailed explanation! That there are generally NEVER OTA upgrades for dev builds was actually news to me. Even if I can’t get rid of the feeling that I’ve provoked supposedly unnecessary explanations, I don’t think I’m the only one who gets a bit confused from time to time :innocent:. e/OS/ is a great project, and requires self-initiative and a minimum of willingness to learn things and procedures. And so, in a (hopefully) growing community, you can’t avoid repeating things over and over again, I think. But whatever :melting_face:.

Many thanks to this community and the great people working in the background! :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

5 Likes