If you use an Android distribution like GrapheneOS, Lineage, or the like, this news is for you. The summary is that Google Pixel devices were historically considered the reference Android device and so device-specific source code for the Pixel devices was included with AOSP until Android 16. However, in Android 16, Google no longer includes these sources. “Cuttlefish”, a virtual device, is the new reference device.
It is significantly more work to get AOSP working on Pixel devices without these sources.
A journalist broke the news early to Calyx and a few other Android distribution developers, as Google did not announce this before release.
They even squashed the commit history for the changes they made to the kernel! They can’t not distribute kernel changes to anyone who asks for it, but they aren’t required to deliver files with version control. This is probably really annoying to developers working on AOSP distributions.
At one time, AOSP contained the base apps that were used in Android, but many of them haven’t been updated in years. Most of the apps are now non-free. It’s been a decades-long trend toward more non-free software in Android. It may very well be that, a few years in the future, the only part of Android that’s free is the kernel…but don’t expect anything more than squashed commit history.
With the additional disruption caused by Google’s many anti-trust cases recently, who knows what will happen?
It is not directly related, but this reminds me of Openmoko which was a similar open source phone operating system alongside Android but before Google took over Android’s intellectual property.
I guess this is an example of a single point of failure. Meaning, when one company controls a large portion of the market, many people are affected by their decisions or failures. In part, a single point of failure is the underlying motivation for many competing firms. With viable alternatives, consumers are not forced to compromise.
You definitely don’t need an excuse to bring up computing history around me! I knew about Maemo, but I’ve only heard whispers of “freerunner” in some corners of the internet.
So this is what that device ran…
It sounded like a really cool project. The freesmartphone.org domain feels natural next to freedesktop.org. It’s unfortunate that it never really went anywhere…seems like Linux has had a real bad go of it in the smartphone world, excepting Android.
I know some people dislike decentralised technology because it leads to usability problems, but it does mean you don’t have a single point of failure. Nothing lasts forever, of course, but it sure would be easier to make it last longer if we had the sources
Maybe the Open Handset Alliance will become a lot more open if Google drops out of the game. Maybe it’ll just fold and every vendor like Samsung and Oneplus will buy licenses for The Android Company’s new proprietary operating system. The power of Google Play alone is probably too much for these vendors to abandon it. I can see Google abandoning AOSP having a long-term positive impact if these companies have enough capital and guts to go their own way…together. In a much more decentralised way.
I think we switched to GrapheneOS around the same time, from memory. The current Pixel devices should still be supported on GrapheneOS since they already got all the device code earlier, but they seem uncertain about newer devices.
For me, I believe it was Christmas of 2023. Got a second-hand Pixel and haven’t looked back.
I guess then, it’s best to just sit on whatever you’re using until you absolutely have to change. Mine actually could do with a battery replacement but aside from that I see no real dropoff in useability. It’s a 6a too, so it’s a prime example of planned obsolescence at this point.
I got my Pixel 6a a bit before that. It was new, but discounted.
That’s my plan! I like the phone. I barely use it. For the first year, it was hooked up to the charger almost 24/7 and never went below 80%. Nowadays, I leave it uncharged throughout the night semi-regularly because it will still be above 80% the next day. I was never able to do this with my iPhone. I ended up carrying around a power bank. I have noticed a drop in battery life recently but not to a significant degree. Maybe I should start leaving it plugged in overnight again…
So, I can’t complain about the battery. But I know Pixels are notorious for battery problems, so it doesn’t surprise me to hear you’re having issues, unfortunately.
I can see myself easily using the phone up to its end-of-life date in 2027…but it will be interesting to see where AOSP / Android / GrapheneOS is at then. And I don’t know what I’ll do then, but that’s a problem for 2027, I suppose.
But is Android is good alternative then? I personally don’t think so. I despise and don’t trust Google in any way.
If I would leave Apple products, then it would be /e/os for me, but whatever you may think of Apple imho their products, and cooperation between them, are so good in comparison with Android.
And if I would move from Apple hardware, it will be something like FairPhone, because that’s one of the few, if not only, product that truly gives you 6-7 years of support.
GrapheneOS is shipping the battery nerf update soon (which you will have the option of accepting or rejecting), so that should improve things somewhat…
Google offers battery replacement/store credit, but…
After years of struggling to make Pixels relevant, Google could be throwing away a lot of goodwill. When Google killed the Pixel 4a’s battery life, it offered a few options. You could have the battery replaced for free, get $50 cash, or accept a $100 credit in the Google Store. However, claiming the money or free battery was a frustrating experience that was rife with fees and caveats. The store credit is also only good on phones and can’t be used with other promotions or discounts. And the battery swap? You’d better hope there’s nothing else wrong with the device. If it has any damage, like cracked glass, it may not qualify for a free battery replacement.
I would read that before taking any of Google’s options to know what you’re in for. They want quite a lot of personal information from you and the process will take a while. Replacing the battery yourself is probably the better route, even if it costs more money.
I’ve heard online that the iFixit kits are good for replacing Pixel batteries yourself. I have no first-hand experience with this; my only hardware-related experience is struggling with the Pinephone.
I only just hit 100 cycles myself, and if I continue using my phone as rarely as I do, I don’t think I’ll have any problems until EOL. Unnerving news, nonetheless…
I don’t trust Apple much more than Google, and interop with Linux is a pain. I’m quite happy with GrapheneOS, but the hardware leaves something to be desired if Google is going to continue spotting battery issues in multiple models years after the fact.
If I were to go back to Apple, the SE model is the only one that makes sense for me. Every other phone is way too expensive considering my usage is about 20 minutes a week.
I’ve also given the Pinephone a try, but security issues aside, lack of Signal Messenger and a few other choice apps, the terrible battery life, and general slowness was painful even for me. I might use my phone rarely, but when I do use it, I want it to be useful and over quickly.
Android is the least bad option for now. I would hardly say the price you pay for Pixels is “cheap”, but it’s reasonable. And the software is good. If Google could just produce a phone that doesn’t have major defects, I would have no complaints. Of course, there’s the looming AOSP and Play Integrity issue, so I have no idea what I’ll end up doing a few years down the line.
The choice a subset of Android users have had to make until now has been between security and longevity (for example, on LineageOS). The Google Pixel’s new 5 years of support (now 7) along with GrapheneOS finally introduced longevity + security to match Apple. So the battery defect is even more unfortunate in this light.
If only there were a decent Linux phone. I hate both these companies.
