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Android is shifting to an "upstream first" development model for new Linux kernel features
Google plans to switch to an "upstream first" development model for Linux kernel features in Android starting in 2023. Read on to learn more.
When you see the words "Android" and "fragmentation" in the same sentence, your mind probably immediately jumps to the Android version distribution chart. There are a few entities that most people point their fingers at when complaining that Android OS updates are slow to roll out across the board, but there's only so much Google can do to force OEMs to develop and roll out updates more quickly. What Google can do, however, is reduce the development time and thus the cost of rolling out updates.
KTweak is a new kernel adjustment mod that optimizes the performance of Android devices
A new Magisk Module named KTweak is here, which can be used as a universal Android kernel adjustment mod. Read on to know more!
Here at XDA, we love to keep tabs on kernel source code release events by various Android OEMs. The modus operandi of this practice lies in the fact that our brilliant aftermarket development community often tinkers with those stock kernel sources to fix existing bugs or even add some kind of novel feature. The concept of the Generic Kernel Image (GKI) is still as mature as the Generic System Image (GSI), which is why such device-specific custom kernels are the preferred method to manipulate low-level hardware parameters in the Android ecosystem.
WireGuard VPN protocol makes its way to Linux Kernel 5.6
A popular new VPN protocol, WireGuard, makes its way to mainline Linux Kernel 5.6. The integration has been highly anticipated over the past months.
Virtual Private Networks, or VPNs, can be an essential tool in the digital age. Due to growing privacy concerns or simple geolocation barriers, more and more users are taking advantage of the increased privacy and versatility afforded by VPNs that they trust. With COVID-19 forcing millions of workers to stay at home, many are forced to use company-owned VPNs to work remotely. In the last few years, a new VPN implementation has taken root among tech enthusiasts, and it's finally going to become accessible to millions of users in the near future. The name of that new implementation is WireGuard, developed by Jason Donenfeld, who goes by the username zx2c4 on our forums. Yesterday, he announced that WireGuard version 1.0 is a part of Linux Kernel 5.6 (via ArsTechnica).
ASUS ZenFone 6 gets 75Hz display refresh rate support via custom kernel
XDA Senior Member kdrag0n's Proton Kernel for the ASUS ZenFone 6 / ASUS 6z brings over 75Hz display refresh rate, and more features. Read on to know more!
The ASUS ZenFone 6, or the ASUS 6z as it is called in India, is one of the surprise releases of this year, coming out as a very good smartphone alternative for those who dislike the more often recommended mainstream options. Asus had blessed the phone with several key updates, like bringing over August 2019 security patches, more Smart Key options, Google Duo dialer integration, and even camera rotation stability improvements. Asus has been quite supportive of the device, releasing the bootloader unlock tool and kernel sources for the same right around its release. Thanks to this timely release, developers have been able to work on custom kernels and other modifications such as GCam and LineageOS 16. Now, XDA Senior Member kdrag0n's Proton Kernel for the ASUS ZenFone 6 is bringing over the ability to set the display to refresh at 75Hz, higher than the stock 60Hz refresh rate.
Xiaomi Mi 9 SE and Mi 8 SE kernel source code for the Android Pie release are available
Xiaomi has released the kernel source code for the Mi 9 SE and Mi 8 SE for the Android Pie release. The kernel sources are available on GitHub.
Alongside the Mi 9 and Mi 8 flagship smartphones, Xiaomi also offers more affordable variants in each lineup. The Xiaomi Mi 9 SE and Xiaomi Mi 8 SE are great mid-range options for consumers who want a similar experience to the flagship Mi line. Sadly, both smartphones are currently only sold in China, though Xiaomi may start selling the Mi 9 SE internationally. If you've already imported either device and want to start building TWRP or port an AOSP-based ROM, then you'll be happy to know that Xiaomi has released the kernel source code for the Linux kernel binaries that ship with each phone's respective Android Pie releases.
SultanXDA releases a custom kernel for the Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL
XDA Recognized Developer sultanxda has released his signature custom kernel for the Google Pixel 3 and Google Pixel 3 XL smartphones.
If you've ever owned a OnePlus device and considered tinkering with it, chances are you might have come across a few custom kernels on our forums. If so, then you may have heard of the work done by XDA Recognized Developer Sultanxda. He is best known for his work on custom ROMs and kernels, such as his unofficial builds of CyanogenMod (and later LineageOS) for OnePlus devices. I've personally enjoyed his work on my OnePlus 3T, and I know many others have as well. Sultanxda has now released a custom kernel for the Google Pixel 3 and Google Pixel 3 XL. Here are the main features of the kernel, according to the developer:
Kernel source code for the Xiaomi Mi A1's Android Pie release is available
Xiaomi has released the kernel source code for the Mi A1's Android Pie update, which has begun rolling out globally to users in certain regions.
While Android Pie was officially released earlier this year it has taken some smartphone OEMs a bit of time to get the update pushed out to some of their devices. With the Mi A2 receiving priority since it is newer, that left those who owned the Xiaomi Mi A1 wondering how long it would take before they received the update. Sadly, it's not rolling out widely just yet but a fellow community member did capture the download link for the beta build earlier this month. With a new major version upgrade of Android rolling out that means there are some kernel changes to be made.
Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 kernel source code is now available
The kernel source code for the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 (code-name "perseus") slider phone based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 platform have been released.
The Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 is one of the most interesting smartphones released this year because of its nearly bezel-less design, thanks to its magnetic slider. The phone launched in China late last month but has yet to launch internationally. The stylish device has a premium ceramic body with colors like Jade Green, and there's even a model with up to 10GB RAM. Like other Xiaomi flagship devices, the Mi Mix 3 runs MIUI 10 based on Android 9 Pie. For those of you looking for an AOSP-based custom ROM, we have some good news for you: the kernel source code for the device has been released.
ZTE Axon 7 kernel source code for the Android Oreo release is available
ZTE has released the kernel source code for the Axon 7 after the device received the Android Oreo update. The ZTE Axon 7 was released with Android 6.0.
The ZTE Axon 7 has been one of, if not, the most beloved smartphone from the Chinese manufacturer. People loved it for its dual front-facing stereo speakers, aluminum body, 5.5-inch 1440p display, and the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset at its release. It was released with Android 6.0 Marshmallow on board but received an update to Android 7.1 Nougat fairly quickly. ZTE had an Android 8.0 Oreo beta for the Axon 7 in the works, but the company's troubles with the U.S. government meant they had to put the update on hold. Just two weeks ago, though, the device received the official update to Android 8.0 Oreo, extending the longevity of the device and keeping die-hard users from ditching the smartphone.
Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL factory images and kernel sources are going live
Google has uploaded the factory images and kernel source code for the Google Pixel 3 and Google Pixel 3 XL. Rev up those machines, developers!
Last week, Google finally put an end to the stream of leaks of the Pixel 3 by announcing the two devices. Despite the many leaks, there were a few details that were waiting to be discovered. Our initial review of the device was positive: Google continues to excel in computational photography, and the Pixel 3 is proof of their success. While the average consumer focuses on the Pixel 3's camera performance, many Android enthusiasts love the Pixel for its clean, near-stock build of Android. We've already seen the live wallpapers get ported and developers are already attempting to port Night Sight and Google Lens Suggestions to other devices. Now that the factory images and kernel source code have been released, developers will be able to start doing a lot more tinkering with the Pixel 3's software.
Chromebooks with Linux kernel 3.14 & older won't get Linux app support
Linux apps can finally be installed on some Chromebooks, but, unfortunately, Linux kernel 3.14 didn't get the support required for them.
When Google announced Linux apps on Chrome OS, everyone was excited. We published an article where we listed all the older Chromebooks that would get Linux app support, as developers were already working on backporting the essential kernel modules, such as vsock. Well, we weren't technically wrong, as the developers definitely tried to make vsock backward compatible. But, as it turns out, vsock can't be backported to Linux kernel 3.14.
MagiskHide can now run on older Android devices with a custom kernel patch
MagiskHide can now run on older Android devices with a custom kernel patch. Kernel developers can learn how to make that patch here.
MagiskHide can now run on older Android devices with a custom kernel patch. This is thanks to XDA Recognised Developer topjohnwu who has released the patches required to make the popular root-hiding tool work on old devices. This development comes hot off the heels of the latest release of Magisk, version 16.6.
Video tutorials on how to build custom ROMs, kernels, and mods for Android
Check out these video tutorials on how to build custom ROMs and kernels for Android! If you've ever been interested in Android development, start here.
Have you ever wondered how to build your own custom ROMs or kernels? Have you ever wanted to learn how to even start? Well, now you can with a series of video tutorials made by XDA Senior Member AlaskaLinuxUser! You can learn to build for Android Lollipop, Android Marshmallow, Android Nougat, and Android Oreo. Along with that, you can also learn to make a number of system modifications as well. The full list of what's covered in the tutorials is below.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 sources now available on CAF
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 is the latest flagship processor from Qualcomm, and its kernel, HAL, framework branch sources have finally been released on CAF.
Qualcomm's latest high-end system-on-chip, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, was announced late last year at the Snapdragon Tech Summit in Hawaii. With an Adreno 630 GPU, 4 efficiency cores and 4 performance cores, it's a performance beast and is the best to offer for Android phones to date. Nearly all of this year's major flagships such as the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S, the Samsung Galaxy S9, the LG G7 ThinQ, and the OnePlus 6 have launched with it, and that's great for users. Qualcomm traditionally releases a lot of platform specific code on the Code Aurora Forums (CAF) which helps developers get started on building custom AOSP-based ROMs. However, the company delayed releasing the sources for the Snapdragon 845. When we contacted Qualcomm about this, we were told that they would be released in 6 weeks. That 6-week window has passed, and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 platform sources are now available on CAF.
How EAS helps make the Google Pixel the fastest Android phone
The Google Pixel smartphones are among the fastest Android phones on the market. Energy Aware Scheduling (EAS) is partly why the phone is so smooth.
Far back in the past when Linux was just an idea in the mind of Linus Torvalds, CPUs were single-core entities which required an immense amount of energy for little power. The first ever commercially available processor, the Intel 4004, ran at a clock-rate of 740kHz on a single core. Back then, there was no need for a load scheduler. Load scheduling was reserved for the dual-core "behemoths" such as the IBM Power 4 which came out some decades after. These ran at a beastly 1.1GHz to 1.9GHz and required programs and the system to utilize these cores correctly. How did we get from these machines to software algorithms that make use of multiple cores? You may have heard of Energy Aware Scheduling (EAS) on our forums before. It's part of the reason why the Google Pixel smartphones perform so well. What's so great about EAS and how did we even get to this point? Before we can explain that, we need to talk about Linux load schedulers.
Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ Kernel Sources now available
The Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ kernel source code is now available for both the Exynos and the Snapdragon models. This paves the way for the creation of TWRP and custom ROMs for the Exynos model, though the Snapdragon one still needs an unlockable bootloader.
After nearly everything was leaked about the two devices, the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ were made official last month. The two devices don't appear to be much of an upgrade over their predecessors, rather, they add polish to the weaker aspects of the Galaxy S8 series. As always, many people come to the XDA forums in order to take their smartphone experience into their own hands by modding their device. Now that kernel source code is available for both the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+, users and developers can start that process—at least for the Exynos model.
Google is Mandating Linux Kernel Versions in Android Oreo
Starting this year with Android Oreo, Google is now mandating that all SoCs productized in 2017 must launch with kernel 4.4 or newer.
Google has been offering Android as a mobile operating system for close to a decade. The company acquired it in 2005, unveiled it to the public in 2007 and then in 2008 we saw the first commercially available Android smartphone. There are some rules and limitations that Google has in place for a company to be allowed to use the main configuration of Android (which they have faced legal action about in the past), but for the most part they're giving companies free reign with certain aspects. One aspect that has been up to the OEM is the Linux kernel version but this is changing with Android Oreo.
HTC 10 and HTC One A9 Android 7.0 Nougat Kernel Source Code Released
The Android 7.0 Nougat kernel source code for the HTC 10 and HTC One A9 have finally been released, paving the way for AOSP-based custom ROMs.
HTC just announced that they have published the Android 7.0 kernel source code for the HTC 10 and the HTC One A9. These newly published sets of kernel source code will go a long way towards helping with the development of Android 7.0, AOSP-based custom ROMs for these devices.
Stock kernels simply do not provide the advanced features that we love. Smartphone vendors pack stable but bare solutions that give little room for customization and general improvement.
Basically, a toolchain is a bunch of development tools used in a chain (the output of one tool feeds into the input for the next tool, hence a toolchain), usually in order to compile source code (such as ROMs or kernels). Developers often use modified toolchains that can include optimizations for specific architectures focusing on performance or stability. However, some developers may not want to use some of the highly modified toolchains.