There is a direct correlation between the developer-friendliness of a particular Android OEM and their stance on publishing the kernel source code for the smartphones they sell. The companies are obliged to provide the source code – upon request – for any Linux kernel binaries that ship on their devices to comply with the requirements of the GNU General Public License (GPL) v2. A handful of manufacturers are known for releasing such sources in a timely manner. Xiaomi is one of the most notable names in this field, and the OEM has now refreshed its official GitHub repository with the kernel source code corresponding to a bunch of popular phones. Moreover, sources for the recently released Motorola Moto G9/G9 Play as well as several Realme phones are now available for download.

Redmi Note 9S, 9 Pro, 9 Pro Max and POCO M2 Pro

As of now, Xiaomi's product portfolio contains four distinct Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G-powered smartphones. The list consists of the Indian Redmi Note 9 Pro, also known as the global Redmi Note 9S (code-name: “curtana”), the global Redmi Note 9 Pro (code-name: “joyeuse”), the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max (code-name: “excalibur”), and the POCO M2 Pro (code-name: “gram”). The OEM prefers to maintain separate firmware packages for these devices, but their kernel sources are unified due to the internal similarities. You can find the kernel source code tree for them under the “gram-q-oss” branch of Xiaomi’s Github repo.

Redmi Note 9S/9Pro/9 Pro Max/POCO M2 Pro Kernel Sources

XDA Forums: Redmi Note 9S/9 Pro ||| Redmi Note 9 Pro Max ||| POCO M2 Pro

Motorola Moto G9 and Moto G9 Play

The Moto G9 launched back in August with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 SoC and Android 10 on board. Later on, Motorola released the same phone under the Moto G9 Play moniker across Europe with the addition of a dedicated Google Assistant button. As expected, the source for the device duo (code-name: “guamp”) is unified. The package linked below corresponds to software version QPX30.30-Q3-38-20.

Motorola Moto G9/G9 Play Kernel Sources

XDA Forums: Moto G9 ||| Moto G9 Play

Realme C11, C12, C15

Kernel sources for the Realme C11, Realme C12, and the Realme C15 are now up for grabs. All of them feature MediaTek’s Helio G35 chipset and have the same code-name ("RMX2185").

Realme C11/C12/C15 Kernel Sources

XDA Forums: Realme C11 ||| Realme C12 ||| Realme C15

Realme V3, V5, X7, and X7 Pro

Lastly, we have a couple of other MediaTek-laden phones from Realme. The Realme X7 comes with the Dimensity 800U, while the Realme X7 Pro carries the Dimensity 1000 Plus SoC. The Realme V3 and V5 are on the more affordable side, as they sport the mid-range Dimensity 720 silicon. The kernel source release for these phones is quite significant in terms of aftermarket development due to the fact that the company has plans to bring them to the global market in the coming days.

Realme V3/X7/X7 Pro Kernel Sources ||| Realme V5 Kernel Sources