Week 7, 2025: Development and Testing Updates

/e/OS Smartphone Operating System Development Updates
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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: :new:

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.

  • File /drive access

    • We had an issue with the copy of the last set or 1/3 of users in a partition
      • The data has been extracted, but we expect that the data in a few of this last set of account’s may have issues.
      • The sharing of information ( email and password) for this set of users with IDs starting with p - z has been paused for now.
        • This is to give time to the new servers we added to rebalance.
        • We will resume the sending of emails to this last set of users, early this coming week.
    • For the remaining 2/3 users:
      • Emails link with data restoration details sent to
        • all premium users
        • users who have donated to us
        • Free account users
          • User who have not received their emails from this set, pl check the spam folders. In case you still do not find the emails, send me the ID and I can check if the team can resend the link to you.

  • ETA for the start of restoration of Murena cloud service : 17 Feb (moved ahead from the previous date of 10 Feb due to the above given reasons and additional testing)

    • Initially the cloud will be an empty folder with the storage size as per your account
    • The existing data will be in a read only folder in this drive.

  • A plan to compensate paying users whose cloud services were impacted by the outage will be put in place. 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 GaĂ«l’s explanation and updates for the outage

Release

v2.8 :new:

Status: Testing

Issues and fixes expected to be part of v2.8

  • issues can be added or removed based on the testing results.

ETA: To be decided

Upcoming releases

Ongoing development tasks 🆕

  • /e/OS V or Android 15 related code work in progress. No ETA available on completion.

  • /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 is also in the works. ETA for release will be shared

 

Previous 5 releases & user feedback

: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 ID’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. ETA’s will be shared.

How to check the NextCloud version click here

You can find the complete documentation and current NC version under Login – 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) to T (A13)

  • Samsung: S9/9+ : R(A11) to S(A12)

  • Gigaset: GS290 : Q (A10) to A 11 (R)

  • Oneplus: avicii : A12

  • OnePlus : avicii : Q ( A10) R (A11)

  • Fairphone: FP4 : R ( A11) to S (A12)

  • Fairphone:FP3 : R (A11) to S (A12)

  • Fairphone:FP3 : Q (A10) to R (A11)

  • Samsung: s7 / s7+ : Nougat (A7) to Q (A10)

  • Samsung: s9 / s9+ : Oreo (A8) to Q (A10)

  • Samsung: Galaxy S9/9+ : Q (A10) to R(A11)

  • Samsung: s8 / s8+ : Pie (A9) to R (A11)

  • Teracube: 2e / zirconia: Q (A10) to R (A11)

  • Teracube: emerald & zirconia : R (A11) to S (A12)

  • Samsung: S7 ‘herolte’ ‘hero2lte’: Q ( A10) to R (A11)

  • Google Pixel ‘redfin’: S(A12) to T(A13)

  • Gigaset: GS290: R(A11) to S (A12)

  • Fairphone: FP3 : S (A12) to T (A13)

  • Samsung: S7/7+ : R(A11) to S(A12)

  • FP4: T (A13) to U (A14) :new:

  • S8/8+ R (A11) to S (A12) :new:

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

To be planned
  • FP5
  • FP3
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

 

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

13 Likes
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Hi Manoj,

the fact that FP3 and FP5 OTA is “To be planned” means the team is not working on it yet? Do you have an (approximate) ETA to share? Is it a matter of weeks or months?
Thanks!

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The developement team usually plans task months ahead I would say. A couple of monthly versions (2.8, 2.9) as an example.

Depending on how many old tasks are relevant (not fixed), new tasks can’t be planned. Therefore it takes some time to consider new tasks. Everything can actually be found on gitlab


The answer to your question is, it could be weeks and even months.

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Issue is that a large part of the gitlab is set to private. If it takes months to deliver an update to an Android version that came out in October 2023, it’s a big problem in my opinion.

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The Android version upgrade is already there on the “community” release channel (or build type), ready to be installed manually.
For safety’s sake it traditionally takes some time to be promoted to the “official” build type.
But you are referring to an OTA upgrade here, which means offering the Android version upgrade via the updater for an in-place upgrade. This takes yet more development resources to get prepared and tested 
 so more time.

I can’t see the big problem as long as the prior Android version still gets security updates.

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I know that the upgrade is there on the community channel. Does the /e/ team expect the average user to manually flash the community version on their phones?

Yes, it takes time to deliver an OTA, hence my question to Manoj: how much time?

What’s the long term strategy here? Because clearly the team doesn’t have enough resources to deliver updates to the latest Android version in a reasonable time frame, as opposed to other Android ROMs (LineageOS, CalyxOS, iodĂ©OS
), so I wonder whether the delay will continue to increase, or measures will be taken. Android 16 is four months away.

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The end of security update support for Android 13 is about 12 months away, if prior Android versions are any indication.
Two schools of thought, one probably unhappy forever with /eOS’s modus operandi, the other with a fighting chance to at least be content :person_shrugging:.

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For FP3 / FP5 there is no ETA to share at present. Will share updates if the development team starts the planning.

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The ETA for reopening services has been moved to 17 Feb. The team has requested for some additional time to test the services internally,

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Hi everyone
Do you know when it will be possible to link Murena calendar (.ics) again ? It seems it doesn’t work at the moment : Calendar external public link not working - #4 by cioknarf
Have a nice day

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I don’t know why you run /e/OS. I can only speak for myself: I finally wanted to get a usable modern smartphone that is not spying on me (or at least as little as possible). In return, I accepted that I am running software that is managed by a small dedicated team and some hands full of supporting volunteers. They managed to bring to life a product (/e/OS) that probably all majors players in the mobile phone industry rather would not like to work out. But so far it works. Luckily. I am aware that things are sometimes a bit slower or even pretty slow. But it works. For that I am grateful. In the end, it does not matter so much to me what Android version I am running on my device as long as security updates are coming through on a regular basis. They are coming. /e/OS is far from being perfect, but what I really like: if something is bothering me or I have an idea that is terribly important to me, I drop a line to the /e/OS guys (and girls), I’ll get an answer and I know I am heard. Moreover, I know we share the same set of values. And that’s what I love about /e/OS and its people.

If the latest Android versions are that important to you, you may consider to install the official Android version with Google Play Store or LineageOS, CalyxOS, iodĂ©OS) and depending on your phone you’ll be upgraded rather quickly. In the end it is up to you.
Just keep in mind, the software is crafted here, is not crafted by a major multinational that can simply dispose on all the resources that it needs.

30 Likes
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Update on the Murena cloud restoration:

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I wish I could like this post twice, as I had same thoughts on this matter of constant pursuit of latest android version.

I use Fairphone 4 with Olauncher minimalist launcher, my apps just all work including banking, and I spend virtually no time on android settings or interface other than view & enjoy the Advanced Privacy screen . For me I care none which android version in background (of course as you mention with security updates as needful)

e/OS is like phone nirvana to me!

Love this project.

7 Likes
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why not skip Android 15 support for /e/OS altogether and start straight with Android 16 testing, once it’s out?
From then on, /e/OS could be more up to date and the size of the team wouldn’t matter.

2 Likes
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Because /e/ relies on Lineage, which would have to publish 16 first.

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But it’s likely that Lineage would ship 16 shortly after AOSP is out. /e/ could focus resources to 14 for the next months, making sure it’s out for all supported devices, then as soon as LineageOS 16 is out, the /e/ dev team could start working on 16.

A timetable would be:

  • February to June - /e/ team releasing official a14 to all supported devices, including OTA updates
  • Q2 2025 (so by June) - Android 16 is out
  • June to October - /e/ team preparing for Android 16, working on old bugs, porting apps, etc.
  • Q3 2025 - LineageOS 23 (based on Android 16) would be out
  • Q4 2025 - /e/OS based on a16 beta out

Instead of the current timetable where by February 2025 we still don’t have a14 for all devices, despite LineageOS based on a14 was released in February 2024. With this accumulated delay, it would make sense to skip a major release to be more on track, no?

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You can’t just skip a major version as it would be hell to troubleshoot the upgrade path.

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LineageOS for A15 was released 4 month after Google released A15. I.e. LineageOS for A16 might be ready in 4 month from now. That’s not too bad.

If that’s true, why not skip delivering major updates completely, only once for A16 and then continue as usual with major upgrades?
Everybody would have to do a fresh install for A16 once and the reward is to have a more up to date Android upgrades in the future, for every major release. Maybe a poll among /e/OS users who would receive such upgrades, could check the acceptance of this idea.

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It sounds like you would be better at home with upstream LineageOS. It’s outright cosumer hostile to force all buyers of Murena phones to manually perform an Upgrade with a certain risk of bricking ones phone.

1 Like
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It depends. Some may find it consumer friendly to have an up to date OS-
and