AOSP Isn't Dead, But Google Just Landed a Huge Blow To Custom ROM Developers (androidauthority.com)
- Reference: 0178017211
- News link: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/25/06/12/0920240/aosp-isnt-dead-but-google-just-landed-a-huge-blow-to-custom-rom-developers
- Source link: https://www.androidauthority.com/google-not-killing-aosp-3566882/
The change forces custom ROM developers to reverse-engineer configurations they previously received directly from Google. Nolen Johnson from LineageOS said the process will become "painful," requiring developers to "blindly guess and reverse engineer from the prebuilt binaries what changes are needed each month." Google also squashed the Pixel kernel source code's commit history, eliminating another reference point developers used for features and security patches.
Google VP Seang Chau dismissed speculation that AOSP itself is ending, stating the project "is NOT going away." However, the changes effectively bring Pixel devices down to the same difficult development level as other Android phones.
[1] https://www.androidauthority.com/google-not-killing-aosp-3566882/
Can pixel owners request kernel source code? (Score:4, Insightful)
Wonder what would happen if a pixel owner requested the source code for the kernel from Google. Would they honor the GPL and provide all the kernel source, including their own patches, to build the exact same kernel that is shipped in their firmware?
I suspect Google would simply send him a link to the official kernel source github and conveniently ignore all the other bits they added to the kernel that absolutely have to fall under the terms of the GPL since they are distributing it in their firmware.
Android is such a disappointing wasteland full of proprietary blobs and locked boot loaders, and the alternate firmware scene is bewildering (hate how it's all done in random 50-page web forum posts), thanks to Google's unwillingness to treat Android more like the open way in which Linux distributions are developed and exist.
Re: (Score:3)
I agree. I hate Apple with a passion and have never purchased an Apple product, but Google's been rising exponentially on my hate-list, so my next phone might even be an iPhone.
If I can't effectively run open-source Android on the device of my choosing, I might as well just forget about Android and go with a company that's not surveilling me constantly to feed me ads.
Re: (Score:2)
> I hate Apple with a passion and have never purchased an Apple product, but Google's been rising exponentially on my hate-list, so my next phone might even be an iPhone.
This is basically the tech equivalent of a Bernie supporter voting for Trump. You may be protesting that you didn't get what you wanted, but you'll end up with an end result that's objectively worse than just tolerating the enshittification of the side you are already on. If you hate Google taking away your custom ROMs, you're going to really hate Apple's walled garden and everything it entails.
Plus, you better absolutely love Liquid "ass" (see Apple's YouTube thumbnail flub if you didn't get the referenc
Re: Can pixel owners request kernel source code? (Score:2)
Is there a company out there that does that? It sure ain't apple.
Re: (Score:2)
I was going to get the next iphone mini, then they cancelled it.
Then I was going to get the next SE and then they cancelled it.
Apple was so close to having me switch.
At this point I'm going to be getting some terribly budget phone to get something not giant and it's super frustrating.
Phones are so HUGE now, but apparently that's the only thing people like.
Re: Can pixel owners request kernel source code? (Score:2)
All they have to do is distribute them as binary module blobs, just like nvidia does. Nothing stops them from living in the ramfs image at rest in that form.
Re: (Score:2)
Just git clone it from here: [1]https://android.googlesource.c... [googlesource.com]
[1] https://android.googlesource.com/kernel/common/
Reverse engineer (Score:2)
Just use Google Gemini.
Sucks for them (Score:5, Interesting)
Pixel phones have had good market share in the custom rom community exactly because of the ease of development they provide. This will be going away, and something else is going to fill the void. Some smart manufacturer, if there was any, could make a move here.
Re:Sucks for them (Score:5, Insightful)
I think this proves that Google's willing to take a hit to hardware sales if they can prevent people from escaping their surveillance capitalism business.
It shows where Google's profit really comes from.
Re: (Score:2)
"Don't Be Evil" - Google 30 years ago
"Be Evil" - Google now.
Re: (Score:2)
It's got nothing to do with that, and everything to do with them not wanting anyone else to be able to monitor their Pixel hardware development without a costly (time/resources) reverse engineering effort.
If they cared about people replacing the OS they would just lock the bootloader or withdraw AOSP completely. It doesn't make sense to just bring Pixel phones down to the same level as every other phone, when they have the power to easily go further, if that is their goal.