latest
ASUS is sending the ROG Phone 3 to custom ROM developers from LineageOS, Paranoid Android, Dirty Unicorns, and others
ASUS is sending out ROG Phone 3 units to custom ROM and kernel developers, planting the seeds for a supportive custom development community!
Bridging the gap between Android OEMs and the aftermarket development scene is part of what we do on the XDA Portal. Our initiative with Xiaomi for the POCO F1, for instance, played a significant role in the rise of the vibrant modding community around the smartphone. Device seeding also helped boost the popularity of the POCO X2 and the Redmi Note 8 Pro on our forums and among enthusiasts. Apart from Xiaomi, Realme and ASUS have also collaborated with us in the past with similar device seeding efforts. Now, ASUS is taking another step towards boosting their developer-friendliness by sending the newly launched ASUS ROG Phone 3 to select custom ROM and kernel developers.
POCO is sending the POCO X2 to custom ROM and kernel developers
POCO is sending out POCO X2 units to custom ROM and kernel developers, planting the seeds for a supportive custom development community. Read on for more!
If you have been following Android news in recent years, you have likely heard of the POCO and its first phone, the renowned POCO F1. POCO started off as a sub-brand under Xiaomi in 2018 but has since graduated into its own independent brand in 2020 with its own separate and distinct market strategy. The POCO X2 is its newest device in the market, bringing to the table the same value-oriented pricing that made the POCO F1 a winner. What the POCO X2 also carries over from the POCO F1 is developer-friendliness -- POCO had promised Day 1 kernel source release, and the company delivered. Now, POCO is going one step further in its support for the developer community by sending out the POCO X2 to custom ROM and kernel developers.
ASUS is sending the ROG Phone II to custom ROM and kernel developers
Following the release of a bootloader unlock tool and kernel sources for the device, ASUS is now sending the ROG Phone II to developers.
Even though some manufacturers, including ASUS, have done a great job of refining their Android skins, there's still plenty of interest in custom ROM and kernel development for plenty of devices. However, two of the biggest barriers that hold back custom ROM development for new devices are cost and availability. It isn't feasible for developers to go out and buy every new phone out there, which is why some manufacturers send out a few units to developers to kickstart development. ASUS, for instance, sent out several units of its flagship ZenFone 6 to developers earlier this year in June. And now, the company is sending out units of the ASUS ROG Phone II to custom ROM and kernel developers.
We're sending the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro to custom ROM and kernel developers
With a view of fostering a community around the new Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro and its MediaTek Helio G90T SoC, we are sending the phone to ROM & kernel devs!
We here at XDA-Developers have collaborated with OEMs in the past in order to kickstart development for a lot of devices. For instance, our initiative with Xiaomi for the Poco F1 has led to a thriving community that has given Poco F1 users a lot of options in terms of aftermarket ROMs, kernels and other modifications. The ASUS ZenFone 6 also witnesses an active development community thanks to previous device seeding efforts. The same story exists for the Realme X too, thanks to the developer program for the device. Now, we aim to repeat the same story with the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro, Xiaomi's latest mid-range value offering.
Realme is sending the Realme X to custom ROM and kernel developers
Realme is sending out the Realme X to custom ROM and kernel developers, in order to kickstart the development community around its devices. Read on for more
Realme started its journey as a sub-brand operating within Oppo targeting the online-segment with the Oppo Realme 1 that was launched in May 2018. With the success of the Realme 1 in the value segment, the sub-brand graduated into its own independent company. Over the next one and a half year, Realme has launched several new smartphones and has given users a real alternative to the value offerings offered by competitors like Xiaomi. The competition brought about by Xiaomi and Realme has now even forced Samsung to venture into higher-value offerings. Now, Realme is taking another step towards making its device more attractive by sending the Realme X to custom ROM and kernel developers.
ASUS is sending the ZenFone 6 to developers from TWRP, LineageOS, and more
ASUS is supporting custom ROM and kernel development on the ZenFone 6 by sending some developer units to teams like LineageOS and TWRP.
There's still plenty of interest in custom development and plenty of devices to choose from that are development-friendly. However, the biggest barriers holding back custom development on a new device are cost and availability. Developers can't just go out and buy every new phone out there. That's why, in order to kickstart development on a new product, some brands send a few units to select developers. We've seen brands like POCO and OnePlus embrace this model, and now ASUS is following suit to encourage interest in its new ZenFone 6. We worked with ASUS USA to select a few key developers, and we're now ready to announce the list of developers getting a development unit.