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How to install OTA updates and keep root on your Google Pixel phone
Looking for a way to keep root access after OTA updates on your Google Pixel phone? Here's a step-by-step guide on how to do so.
Part of the beauty of owning a Google Pixel phone comes through the proper availability of firmware images that can be used to return the device to a factory state. Even if you unlock the bootloader, root the phone, or tinker a bit too much, you can always restore the stock configuration. Having said that, some users might find it difficult to keep root access and associated mods intact while retaining the ability to take monthly security updates. Although many hardcore Android fans will know exactly what to do, not everyone is as adept at getting their phone updated without losing root.
How to manually install OxygenOS OTA updates on your OnePlus phone
The easiest way to keep your OnePlus phone up-to-date is with the OxygenOS OTA. Here's how to install it.
Android device vendors usually use the industry standard firmware-over-the-air (FOTA) mechanism to deliver software updates over the internet. Be that as it may, sometimes you might need to install a system software update manually on your phone. Be it because the new one has yet to go live in your region, has introduced a new feature on a different update channel, or simply because you have rooted your device and can't take the regular OTA, there are ample reasons to choose the manual update route. Fortunately, on OnePlus phones, installing OxygenOS OTA updates manually is a pretty straightforward process, and we'll guide you through it here.
Android 12 June Feature Drop Beta 2 released for Pixel smartphones
Android 12's June Feature Drop, or QPR3, Beta 2 has now been released, and you can download and install it on a compatible Pixel phone today.
Google surprisingly started beta testing its quarterly feature drops last month, likely prompted by repetitive problematic software rollouts on the Google Pixel 6 series. Now following the release of the April security patches, Android 12 QPR3 Beta 2 is available for download now on all supported Google Pixel smartphones. It comes as Android 13 Beta 1 is also expected to be right around the corner.
Android 12 Beta 4.1 brings boot loop and VPN fixes for Pixel phones
Android 12 Beta 4.1 is here, and it brings some boot loop and VPN fixes for Pixel phones, along with some other changes too.
Google released Android 12 Beta 4 just a couple of weeks ago, marking the Platform Stability milestone. This means that Android 12 Beta 4 has finalized APIs and app-facing behaviors, so developers can test their apps on the latest release without having to worry about changes in the next beta impacting compatibility testing. However, Android 12 Beta 4.1 is now rolling out for Pixel phones, bringing with it boot loop and VPN fixes.
Google releases Android 12 Beta 2.1 with multiple bug fixes
Google has released Android 12 Beta 2.1 to fix some bugs, including the At A Glance widget not working and lockscreen freeze ups.
Google released Android 12 Beta 2 a few weeks back, introducing the first bits of Material You (specifically the new theme engine), the new privacy dashboard, and a lot of other small changes and improvements. There are going to be more beta updates before the final release, but today, Google has released Android 12 Beta 2.1 to address some bugs that were discovered in the initial release.
LG V30 is now getting the Android 9 Pie update
The LG V30 is now getting an Android 9 Pie update, and it's likely to be the last major update that this particular device will receive.
Despite LG pushed the fact that they had launched a software update center early last year, with many getting excited to finally receive quick updates for their LG devices. That didn't happen though, as devices have still consistently been slow to get updates to Android Pie. LG's mobile division has been losing hundreds of millions of dollars a year. The only reason why LG is able to continue manufacturing smartphones is thanks to the profits from its display (TV) and appliance divisions. Still, the two-year-old LG V30 is finally getting an update to Android 9 Pie according to users on both Reddit and our own forums, not too long before Android Q is scheduled to release.
Nokia 6.1 now receiving Android Pie update
Android Pie is now rolling out for the Nokia 6.1, a phone that is part of the Android One program. Android Pie has a number of new features.
While HMD Global has been the subject of controversy regarding their cooperation with the custom development scene, their commitment to software updates certainly can't go unnoticed. They're one of the first major smartphone manufacturers to release Android Pie officially for their devices. They were also one of the first manufacturers to bring Google's Digital Wellbeing to their Android One-powered smartphones - the Nokia 7 Plus and the Nokia 6 Plus. At the time, HMD Global’s Chief Product Officer of Nokia products, Juho Sarvikas, also said that Android Pie would make its way to other smartphones in the company's lineup. The Nokia 6.1 is now the latest phone from the company to receive the update, and it's rolling out now.
Moto G5S Android Oreo flashable images now available for all regions
Android Oreo for the Motorola Moto G5S has been in testing for a while now, and you can install it yourself now if you want.
The Motorola Moto G5S was launched about a year ago as an upgrade to the Motorola Moto G5 Plus. The Moto G5S Plus featured a larger screen and a dual camera setup, though everything else (including the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 SoC) was more or less the same. As such, it didn't seem like too big of an upgrade. The Motorola Moto G5S Plus found its way into Lenovo's Motorola update plan for devices receiving the update to Android Oreo, and in February 2018, the company announced that the update was coming soon. While it appeared that the press release was incorrect, users eventually began to receive Android 8.1 Oreo on their devices in Brazil as part of a soak test. Some other Latin American countries got the update as well.
Download: Android 8.1 Oreo firmware for 2017 Verizon and AT&T Samsung Galaxy J7
Android 8.1 Oreo firmware is available for the 2017 Verizon and AT&T Samsung Galaxy J7! Find the download links here to learn how to install it.
Samsung has been doing a great job of keeping its lower-end devices updated as of late. We've all heard about the carrier issues the company faces in the US though, which can delay updates from reaching unlocked devices well after their carrier-locked counterparts. It happened to the Samsung Galaxy S9, but interestingly, it appears to have happened in reverse to the Samsung Galaxy J7. Users on Verizon and AT&T have been waiting to see how long it would be until they get the update to Android 8.1 Oreo on their Samsung Galaxy J7. It's finally out, and you can download Android 8.1 Oreo on the Samsung Galaxy J7 on both Verizon and AT&T.
TWRP 3.2.2-0 brings ADB fixes and improvements to OTA updates
TWRP 3.2.2-0 is here, and it brings a number of ADB fixes and improvements to the installation of OTA updates. Check it out here!
The most famous custom recovery, Team Win Recovery Project (known as TWRP) has been updated to version 3.2.2-0. This release brings a number of fixes and improvements over the previous version. Notable fixes include proper support for the adb backup feature, along with improving the installation of OTA updates so that you don't need to decrypt when installing them on your device. You can read the full changelog below as posted by XDA Senior Recognized Developer Dees_Troy on GitHub.
Reverse Engineering Xiaomi OTA Updates to Find Unreleased Updates
XDA Senior Member duraaraa has been trying to craft fake OTA requests from Xiaomi devices to access nightly builds of MIUI.
In an attempt to gain access to Xiaomi's nightlies—the unreleased, in-house versions of Xiaomi's MIUI operating system -- XDA Senior Member duraaraa reverse-engineer the China-based company's over-the-air (OTA) update framework. The two work-in-progress exploits force Xiaomi devices to pull a nightly build instead of the latest commercial firmware, which in theory could be installed on off-the-shelf devices if (1) MIUI's OTA application was reverse engineered and (2) the test builds were signed with the same keys as the official builds.
HTC has been very vocal about which devices they plan on updating to Android 7.0 Nougat. Starting all the way back in May of this year, HTC announced their official roadmap for Android 7.0 Nougat (called Android N at the time). We were told they had plans to update the HTC One M9, HTC One A9, and the HTC 10 with Google's latest version of Android. The one device left off in this list was the HTC One M8, which didn't have any plans to get officially updated at that time.
Many people were curious how Google would be handling the software side of things with the Google Pixel and Pixel XL. Before release, a system image of the Verizon variant was leaked and that was all we had to go on. So many weren't even sure if Google would allow us to root and unlock the bootloader of Google's 2 new smartphones. Just before release, we learned that if they were purchased from the Google Store then they were in fact, rootable and the bootloader could be unlocked.
Marshmallow Update & Unofficial Port Round-Up -- Get Up to Date!
We've compiled a list of sources detailing devices that will receive official Marshmallow update, as well as devices with unofficial updates available.
Come one, come all! While Nexus owners have already gotten a taste of some sweet, sweet Marshmallow, most users are left waiting for an official update. For many devices, it's hard to say when they'll receive their 6.0 updates given how many layers of testing each device needs to go through.