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GrapheneOS is an Android-based, security-hardened, open source operating system

There’s a new(ish) smartphone operating system aimed at folks who want to be able to run Android apps, but want additional security and privacy features. It’s called GrapheneOS, and it comes from Daniel Micay, the former lead developer of another security-based Android fork called CopperheadOS. After the founders of Copperhead had a falling out last […]

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Let’s speculate: What would Android look like if Google complies with the EU decision

The European union wants Google to end what it sees as anti-competitive practices that force most phone and tablet makers to preload their devices with Google Search and the Chrome web browser if they also include the Google Play Store. Google plans to appeal the decision, but what if Google loses? What happens next? I […]

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Google rolls out Android 8.0 for some devices, uploads to AOSP

Have a Google Pixel or Pixel XL smartphone? If you were part of the Android O beta program, Google has begun rolling out the official Android 8.0 Oreo update and you should be getting it soon if you haven’t already. Non-beta users should be getting it soon as well. And folks with recent Nexus devices […]

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Google’s next-gen Pixel phones to feature Snapdragon 835 chips (leaks)

Google is expected to launch several new Pixel-branded smartphones this year, and over the past month or so we’ve seen signs in the Android Open Source code suggesting that there may be three models on the way, code-named Walleye, Muskie, and Taimen. Now WinFuture has spotted indications in AOSP code suggesting that all three phones […]

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Sony adds Xperia X Compact to its Open Device Program (with support for Android Open Source Project builds)

Developers have been building custom firmware for Android phones for almost as long as there have been Android phones. But it’s easier to do that for some phones than others. Google Nexus phones, for instance, just about always have unlockable bootloaders. Many other phones… do not. For the past few years Sony has been offering tools […]

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Google Android 7.0 source and Nexus factory images released

Google started rolling out Android 7.0 Nougat to folks with recent Nexus devices yesterday. Now the company has made factory images, OTA images, and binaries available for those devices. The source code for Android 7.0 is also being uploaded. In plain English, that means if you’ve got a supported device you can download and install […]

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Coming soon: Flash custom Android ROMs over WiFi?

Want to flash a custom ROM on your phone or perform other actions using the fastboot tool? Then you’ll need to plug your phone into a computer with a USB cable… for now. But Android Police notes that there’s plenty of evidence that Google will add support for using fastboot over a wireless connection soon. […]

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Xperia Z3+ and Xperia Z4 Tablet join Sony’s open source project

Like most big companies that produce Android phones and tablets, Sony tends to load up its phones with its own custom version of Google’s operating system. But unlike most phone companies, Sony also runs an open source project that provides the tools developers and users may need to install stock Android software on some devices. Now […]

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Sony releases Android M preview for Open Device program

Less than a month after Google released a developer preview of Android M for the latest Google Nexus devices, Sony is giving developers to test an early version of the next version of Android on some of its devices as well. Sony has released an Android M Developer Preview for Sony Xperia devices as part […]