Android is based on the Linux kernel, which use GPL (General Public License). Thus, it is mandatory for every OEM to release kernel sources of their devices.

Thanks to source code, developers can customize the software for these products. These customized software for Android smartphones are commonly known as custom ROMs.

Companies like Samsung are known for releasing kernel sources on time. In contrast, Chinese brands are notorious for violating GPL by not releasing the sources for most of their devices, except Xiaomi and OnePlus.

But sadly, even Xiaomi has now joined its counterparts in not releasing kernel source code for not one or two but around 11 devices launched in the course of one year.

According to FuvisionTech (via Xiaomiui), Xiaomi is yet to release kernel source code for the following smartphones.

• Redmi Note 11 / Redmi Note 11 NFC
• Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G / Redmi Note 11E Pro
• Xiaomi 12T
• Xiaomi 12T Pro / Redmi K50 Ultra
• Redmi Note 12 4G
• Redmi Note 12 5G
• Redmi Note 12 Pro 4G
• Redmi Note 12S
• Redmi K60 / POCO F5 Pro
• Redmi K60E
• Xiaomi 12 Pro Dimensity Edition

One thing is common among the aforementioned handsets. Most of them are powered by MediaTek chipsets, which are not friendly with developers for custom software. Because, unlike Qualcomm, MediaTek limits the availability of its chips’ source code to its customers (OEMs).

Therefore, developers are unable to develop custom ROMs for the above-listed phones. Anyway, it is fine as there are very few people who use third-party software on their handsets these days.

However, by not releasing the kernel source code, Xiaomi is now violating GPL, just like Oppo, Vivo, and others.

RELATED:

• Xiaomi launches powerful Mijia Fascia Gun Pro: 35kg thrust and 12 levels of intensity adjustment
• Xiaomi launches the MIJIA Kitchen Tool set which includes an electric wine opener
• Tianma supplies display panels for Xiaomi Smart Band 8 and Xiaomi Pad 6 series
• Xiaomi Civi 3 receives 3C certification, expected to launch in May
• Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Review: You can even play games on it

The post Xiaomi is yet to release kernel source code for Redmi Note 12 series, Xiaomi 12T series, and more appeared first on Gizmochina.

Custom ROMs are a boon for old Android phones. Custom ROMs allow not just outdated devices, but also the most recent ones, to get a plethora of customisation and other modification options. LineageOS is one of the most popular custom ROMs available today. Owners of the Fairphone 4 can now access Android 13 and microG by installing the most recent LineageOS ROM. This is an unauthorised build, but what’s better than having access to newer features and a slew of additional features?

Anyway, for those who are unaware of the Fairphone 4, it is a mid-range smartphone produced by Amsterdam-based startup Fairphone that stands out from the regular Android crowd thanks to its easy-to-repair design. It was released in 2021 with Android 11 pre-installed. The brand has promised two major Android updates to the smartphone, but the device is yet to get the Android 12 build. Anyway, keeping the brand and its OS promise aside, the device has got support for Android through an unofficial build of LineageOS ROM.

Thanks to XDA JMember tfbb and significant contributions from the WeAreFairphone community, the phone now has an unofficial build of LineageOS 20 with microG and F-Droid. Because this is not an official release, we should expect some things to fail and bugs to appear on occasion. There could be some other noticeable bugs here and there but the developers will surely fix them as soon as possible.

All you need to check out this unofficial LineageOS 20 build on your Fairphone 4 is an unlocked bootloader and a custom recovery installed on your phone. Fortunately, the developer has also included a LineageOS recovery image to make flashing easier. However, before you proceed to flash the ROM on your device, make a backup of your data first, as you may lose it during the installation. You can download the ROM using the link provided below:

Download LineageOS ROM for Fairphone 4

RELATED

• Promotional Images of Upcoming Samsung Galaxy S23+, S23 Ultra Leaked
• Realme GT Neo 2 Android 13 x Realme UI 4.0 Open Beta Testing begins
• LG Confirms That Android 13 Update for LG Velvet Will Be Released in Q1 2023

The post Fairphone 4 Gets Support For Android 13 and microG Through Unofficial LineageOS ROM appeared first on Gizmochina.

Samsung is one of the few Android OEMs known for offering longer software support. The South Korean tech giant is also notable for faster and timely update delivery. The company started rolling out the Android 12-based One UI 4.0 stable update for the eligible Galaxy S, Galaxy Note, and Galaxy Z series of handsets before New Year’s Day. On top of that, developers have now ported Android 12 for out-of-support old-gen Samsung flagship smartphones.

The Samsung Galaxy S series has been the best-selling premium Android smartphone family for years. They have always been the best Samsung phone of their released year, in addition to Galaxy Note.

Hence, these handsets are also popular in the developer community. In fact, they have such a fan following that a developer has managed to port Android 12  for the almost 11-year-old Galaxy S2. 

At the same time, yet another developer ported Android 12 for the nearly 10-year-old Galaxy S3. That’s not all, the latest version of Android is also available for Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+, and Galaxy Note9, courtesy of one more developer.

Therefore, if you have any of the aforementioned devices lying around, then you can try installing the Android 12 custom ROM on them. However, do note that these software builds have multiple bugs. So don’t expect fully functional software.

Android 12 for Samsung Galaxy S2

Android 12 for Samsung Galaxy S3

Android 12 for Samsung Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+

Android 12 for Samsung Galaxy Note9

RELATED:

• Samsung Odyssey Neo 8 is the world’s first 4K 240Hz Mini LED 1000R curved screen monitor
• Samsung introduces new smart TVs including Neo QLED 4K/8K with 144Hz refresh rate
• Samsung unveils new radio waves powered Eco Remotes in CES 2022
• Samsung wants you to brag about NFTs, adds official support for TVs

(Source 1, 2, 3)

The post Experience Android 12 on decade-old Galaxy S2, Galaxy S3 appeared first on Gizmochina.

Xiaomi Redmi Note series of devices are popular in most of the markets they get released. A recent example would be the 500 Crore INR($68 million)sales of the Redmi Note 10 series in India within two weeks. Similarly, the Note devices are also popular in the custom ROM development community. Accordingly, the LineageOS 18.1 (Unofficial) custom ROM is now available for the Redmi Note 10 Pro / Pro Max devices.

Xiaomi generally helps developers by releasing the kernel source code of its device as soon as it gets launched. Similarly, it did for the Redmi Note 10 Pro series last month and as a result, we now have the LineageOS 18.1 for Redmi Note 10 Pro and Note 10 Pro Max.

It’s worth noting that LineageOS 18.1 recently went official but the ROM build for the Redmi Note 10 Pro / Pro Max is currently unofficial. This means, the builds are initial and aren’t maintained by someone from the official ROM development team.

However, the ROM is open-source and some of the other developers are bound to take advantage of it and support devices unofficially. Anyway, the LineageOS 18.1 based on Android 11 builds for both Redmi Note 10 Pro and Note 10 Pro Max seem to be working fine except for a few bugs.

All the essentials like the boot, Wi-Fi, Calls, SMS, Mobile Data, VoWifi, Camera, Audio, and others are working as per XDA Senior Member grewal09. However, the build seems to have issues in double-tap to wake and SELinux is set to permissive so keep that in mind.

As we have reported in the kernel source article, the devices have similar specs, so the custom ROM build is unified for both the Global and Indian versions. Therefore, you will have to flash the respective firmware and vendor of your regions(eg. EEA/ India) to avoid fatal problems.

You can refer to the XDA community forum post to find the detailed instructions for flashing the custom ROM.

The Redmi Note 10 Pro / Max runs Android 11 OS out of the box but they don’t have the latest MIUI 12.5. However, they are present on Xiaomi’s official list of eligible devices scheduled to get the update.

RELATED:

• Xiaomi Mi QLED TV 75-inch confirmed to launch in India on April 23
• POCO M3 Pro could be arriving as rebadged Redmi Note 10 5G
• Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro Review: Are the Issues from the Mi 11 fixed?

The post Redmi Note 10 Pro (Max) get Unofficial LineageOS 18.1 Custom ROM appeared first on Gizmochina.

Custom ROMs used to be popular back in the early days of Android. They were probably the only way to let users experience clean software with so many additional features. But now, they exist as an option as Android skins by different OEMs have gotten better. 

Anyway, when we talk about custom ROMs, the firm ROM that comes into mind is LineageOS (formerly CyanogenMod). The developers behind this project have finally released Android 11-based LineageOS 18.1.

Google released Android 11 stable in September of 2020. That means it took nearly seven months for the LineageOS team to release their software based on the latest version of Android called LineageOS 18.1

However, credit where credit’s due, this year, the ROM debuted with support for 76 devices. For comparison, last year’s LineageOS 17.1 was introduced with 50 devices.

That said, let us take a look at the first batch of LineageOS 18.1 official devices.

LineagOS 18.1 Official Devices

• Essential

  • Essential PH-1

• F(x)tec

  • F(x)tec Pro

• Google

  • Google Nexus 6
  • Google Nexus 7 2013 (Wi-Fi, Repartitioned)
  • Google Pixel 2
  • Google Pixel 2 XL
  • Google Pixel 3
  • Google Pixel 3 XL
  • Google Pixel 3a
  • Google Pixel 3a XL
  • Google Pixel 4
  • Google Pixel 4 XL
  • Google Pixel 4a
  • Google Pixel 4a 5G
  • Google Pixel 5

• LeEco

  • LeEco Le Max2
  • LeEco Le Pro3 / Le Pro3 Elite

• LG

  • LG G2 (AT&T)
  • LG G2 (Canadian)
  • LG G2 (International)
  • LG G2 (T-Mobile)
  • LG G5 (International)
  • LG G5 (T-Mobile)
  • LG G5 (US Unlocked)
  • LG V20 (AT&T)
  • LG V20 (Global)
  • LG V20 (Sprint)
  • LG V20 (T-Mobile)
  • LG V20 (US Unlocked)
  • LG V20 (Verizon)

• Motorola

  • Motorola Moto G6 Plus
  • Motorola Moto G7
  • Motorola Moto G7 Play
  • Motorola Moto G7 Plus
  • Motorola Moto G7 Power
  • Motorola Moto One Power
  • Motorola Moto X4
  • Motorola Moto Z2 Force
  • Motorola Moto Z3 Play

• Nextbit

  • Nextbit Robin

• HMD Global (Nokia)

  • Nokia 6.1 (2018)

• OnePlus

  • OnePlus One
  • OnePlus 2
  • OnePlus 3
  • OnePlus 3 / 3T
  • OnePlus 5
  • OnePlus 5T
  • OnePlus 8
  • OnePlus 8 Pro
  • OnePlus 8T

• Razer

  • Razer Phone

• Samsung

  • Samsung Galaxy S4 (GT-I9505/G, SGH-I337M, SGH-M919)
  • Samsung Galaxy S4 (SCH-I545)
  • Samsung Galaxy S4 (SCH-R970, SPH-L720)
  • Samsung Galaxy S4 (SGH-I337)
  • Samsung Galaxy S4 Active
  • Samsung Galaxy S4 Value Edition (GT-I9515/L)
  • Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (Wi-Fi)
  • Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e (LTE)
  • Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e (Wi-Fi)

• Sony

  • Sony Xperia 10
  • Sony Xperia 10 Plus
  • Sony Xperia XA2
  • Sony Xperia XA2 Plus
  • Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra

• Xiaomi

  • Xiaomi Mi 5
  • Xiaomi Mi 5s Plus
  • Xiaomi Mi 8
  • Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite
  • Xiaomi Mi MIX
  • Xiaomi Mi MIX 2S
  • Xiaomi Mi Note 2
  • Xiaomi POCO F1
  • Xiaomi Redmi 7

We expect more devices to get added to the official supported list in the coming weeks.

RELATED:

• vivo officially unveils OriginOS, It’s a complete system overhaul from FuntouchOS
• MIUI 12.5 Global is Official: Features and rollout details
• OPPO ColorOS 11: All the features you need to know
• Android 11 reportedly has the fastest adoption rate

(Source / Via)

The post Android 11-based LineageOS 18.1 goes official appeared first on Gizmochina.

Last week, Xiaomi launched the Redmi Note 10 series for global markets. The lineup includes a total of five devices. They are yet to go on sale but the company has already released the kernel source code for the Redmi Note 10 Pro and the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max.

For those unaware, the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max announced for India is called Redmi Note 10 Pro in other markets. However, the Redmi Note 10 Pro unveiled in India is exclusive to the region as of now. All three phones have a common codename – ‘sweet’.

Their individual codenames are as listed below.

• Redmi Note 10 Pro (Global) – sweetpro
• Redmi Note 10 Pro Max (India) – sweetin_pro
• Redmi Note 10 Pro (India) – sweetin

Since these phones have identical specs except for the primary camera, they use a common kernel. Hence, they basically run the same MIUI build with regional changes.

This means custom ROMs for these three smartphones should be available in a unified flavor. In other words, they will have common custom ROM builds.

Hence, the new Redmi Note 10 Pro and the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max have a chance of becoming the most popular Redmi Note devices in the custom ROM community after the Redmi Note 5 Pro (aka Redmi  Note 5 AI Dual Camera).

In case you do not know, the Redmi Note series has always been popular in third-party software development. But that streak broke with the past few generations due to multiple devices in the series and varied availability across regions.

Now, as the same device with a common kernel is sold in all the regions with some minor tweaks and different names, we can expect more custom ROMs, kernels, and other mods once developers get access to these smartphones.

RELATED:

• Redmi K40 Review: The Budget flagship killer in 2021
• Redmi K40 Pro Review: The First True Flagship Killer of 2021
• POCO India teases the POCO X3 Pro India launch for March 30
• Redmi K40, K40 Pro could launch as Mi 11X, Mi 11X Pro in India

(Via) 

The post Redmi Note 10 Pro (Max) common kernel source code could trigger a flurry of custom ROMs appeared first on Gizmochina.

The Galaxy S2 (stylized as Galaxy S II) was the successor to the original Galaxy S. Samsung unveiled this smartphone at the Mobile World Congress in February 2011. The handset debuted with Android 2.3 Gingerbread and was updated up to Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. Because of its popularity in the developer community, over 9 years after its release, interested owners can now try Android 11 on this device.

Android fragmentation is a known issue for years. It has reduced to a certain level with the introduction of Project Treble but the problem is yet to be solved fully. Recently, Google and Qualcomm announced that certain high-end Snapdragon SoCs starting with Snapdragon 888 will support up to four years of software updates (3 years of Android updates and 4 years of security patches).

Though the announcement sounded big, actually it wasn’t. Because Samsung had already promised three generations of Android updates for select devices earlier this year and Google has been providing the same for Pixels since their inception. Anyway, the improvement is better than nothing.

EDITOR’S PICK: Samsung’s One UI 3.0(Android 11) update timeline for Europe revealed

Hence, learning that Galaxy S2 from 2011 can run Android 11 after 9 years from its launch is big news. Owners of this phone can try the latest version of Android, which is yet to hit many flagship smartphones released this year.

The Android 11 for Galaxy S2 comes as an unofficial port of LineageOS 18.1 by several XDA Senior Members such as rINanDO, ChronoMonochrome, and others. Since the ROM is compliant with Isolated Recovery (IsoRec), it can be directly flashed via Odin. However, users will have to re-partition and wipe the internal storage of their handset for the installation process.

Anyway, if you are still owning this phone, it may be mostly lying around somewhere without any use. Therefore, if you are interested in modding, flashing Android 11 on this smartphone is not a bad idea.

According to XDA Developers, this ROM port is only applicable for the Galaxy S2 with model number GT-I9100. As of now, the screen, Wi-Fi, camera, and audio are working properly. But RIL is still a work in progress as users can only receive calls and cannot make one. Similarly, GPS, FM Radio, screencasting, and other features don’t work yet.

You can find the steps to install Android 11 on the Samsung Galaxy S2 by visiting this link.

UP NEXT: Samsung reveals One UI 3.0 (Android 11) update timeline for India

The post 9-year-old Galaxy S2 gets Android 11 update unofficially appeared first on Gizmochina.

Xiaomi’s Mi Mix 2S and Mi Mix 3 recently got their MIUI 12 update based on Android 10 in China. The devices, being more than a year old, aren’t going to get the Android 11 which is a no brainer. However, if you own one of these devices, and are wanting to try out the new features of Android 11, you just got lucky.

Both the Mi Mix 2S and Mix 3 have got(via Notebookcheck) a new Custom ROM based on Android 11. The ROM is called ArrowOS. ROMs of both the devices are developed by an XDA member with username palaych. For the unware, ArrowOS is a custom ROM based on AOSP/CAF. AOSP is an Android Open Source Project while CAF is Code Aurora Forum. The ROM has a simpler UI with no bloatware and is closer to the stock android experience. The ROM has two versions- VANILLA and GApps. VANILLA is without Google Apps(pure AOSP) and the latter includes one.

Mi Mix 2S Android 11

The Android 11 build for Mi Mix 2S(codename: Polaris) is ArrowOS 11.0 with Linux Kernel 4.x. The ROM is official meaning it is constantly supported by the Developer but is currently in Alpha state. This means the ROM might have a few bugs here and there. The dev says almost everything works well in the custom ROM so you don’t have to worry about broken LTE or major glitches. Below are that’s not working as of now:

• Encryption(disable it)
• Wi-Fi display
• Android Auto
• SELinux status: permissive.

Mi Mix 3 Android 11

For the newer of the two, Mi Mix 3, Android 11 ROM is the same ArrowOS 11.0 with Linux Kernel 4.x. The codename of the device is Perseus. The developer says almost everything is working as usual. It is currently listed as an Alpha build just like the Mix 2S. Below are few bugs spotted as of now:

• WiFi Display
• Android Auto doesn’t work.
• “Ok, Google” doesn’t work with display off.

If we recall, Mi Mix 2S launched with Android Oreo(8), whereas Mix 3 launched with Android 9 Pie. They got their Android 10 update but didn’t make the cut for the list of devices to get Android 11 from Xiaomi.

Hence, this custom ROM compiled by developers is a blessing for the users whose devices aren’t sure to get the next MIUI 13 in the first place.

UP NEXT: Xiaomi Mi Water Purifier H600G launched with a dual outlet design

The post Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S and Mi Mix 3 get a taste of Android 11 through Custom ROM appeared first on Gizmochina.

Smartphones running on MIUI are generally popular in the custom ROM community for various reasons. Mid-range POCO X2, which also runs on MIUI, has loads of custom ROMs. And now, its successor, POCO X3 NFC, has got a first working custom ROM within a month of its release.

The first working ROM, Nitrogen OS for POCO X3 NFC, is compiled by a senior member at XDA, xyyx. The ROM, however, is based on Android 10 and not 11. That said, this is based on AOSP(Android Open Source Project) and is sure to give a near-stock experience to users. Also, the ROM doesn’t contain any bloatware apart from the essential system apps. It doesn’t even include GApps(Google Apps) and you will have to flash it separately. XDA report also says that the ROM contains certain features hand-picked from LineageOS, OmniROM, Dirty Unicorns. If you wondering what these are, they are some of the popular custom ROMs.

That said, early builds of ROMs are sure to contain bugs. And, Nitrogen OS for POCO X3 NFC also has early bugs like broken video recording, inability to set SELinux to Enforcing mode, absence of Double-tap to wake feature. However, on looking at the current update of bugs on the Nitrogen OS XDA page for POCO X3 NFC, the bug section only lists SELinux. Hence, there is a possibility that the updated versions will fix the above bugs.

Other than this, basic features like Wi-Fi, calling, camera is reportedly working fine. You can visit the XDA forum page to download and install the Nitrogen OS ROM on your POCO X3 if interested. Do note that you need a device with bootloader unlocked, and a custom recovery like TWRP installed on the device as a pre-requisite.

POCO launched the POCO X3 smartphone recently at a price tag of around 199 euros. The device features a 6.67-inch FHD+ LCD display with 120Hz, Snapdragon 732G SoC, 64MP Sony IMX 682 equipped quad rear camera, 6,000mAh battery with 33W fast charging.

Up Next: POCO C3 vs Realme Narzo 10A vs Moto E7 Plus: Specs Comparison

The post First custom ROM for POCO X3 arrives within a month of its launch appeared first on Gizmochina.

Redmi Note 7 Pro launched in February of 2019 in India powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 675. The handset is only available in China other than its debut country. It came with MIUI 10 based on Android Pie out of the box. The phone was later updated to MIUI 11 and is also eligible for MIUI 12. However, it is yet to receive Android 10 update. Despite this, a developer has ported Android 11 for this device and anyone can install it.

Xiaomi is known for providing at least three MIUI updates for its Redmi Note devices, however, the same cannot be said for underlying Android OS. On average, the company only gives a single update Android version update to its budget devices.

However, the Redmi Note 7 Pro has still not received a single Android update even after a year from its launch. But thankfully, the device is popular in the custom ROM community just like any other Redmi Note series handset.

The phone has a number of Android 10 custom ROMs and now thanks to a developer called iamharshdeb on Telegram, users can also taste Android 11 on Redmi Note 7 Pro codenamed ‘Violet’.

The Android 11 custom ROM for Redmi Note 7 Pro is a port of Android 11 Developer Preview 4 released by Google earlier this month. So, it will be not as stable as Android 10 ROMs available for the device. Nevertheless, it is worth trying if you are into modding and stuff.

Here’s the changelog provided by the developer for Android 11 port for Redmi Note 7 Pro.

• Play store fixed(Now all apps are available on play store).
• System apps updated.
• Fast charging support.
• Hydra kernel inbuilt.
• Improved battery backup.
• Late Sms bug fixed.
• Smoothness improved.
• Bugs
  • Hotspot( will be fixed after R vendor only)
  • Volte dead.
  • Magisk not supported.

Steps to install the Android 11 port on Redmi Note 7 Pro.

• Boot into TWRP
• Wipe system, data, cache, dalvik, vendor
• Flash ROM
• Reboot
• Once again, boot into TWRP
• Flash status bar padding fix
• Reboot

Download Android 11 Port for Redmi Note 7 Pro

Download Status Bar Padding Fix

UP NEXT: Here’s the official list of MIUI 12 Global eligible / supported devices

(Via)

The post Redmi Note 7 Pro has an Android 11 Port, Here’s how to install it appeared first on Gizmochina.

LineageOS, formerly CyanogenMod is the most popular aftermarket distribution of Android after AOSP (Android Open Source Project). It is well-known in the custom ROM community as almost every other ROM is either based on it or at least inherit some of its features and functionalities. Recently, a newer version of this software called LineageOS 17.1 based on Android 10 was announced. Since then, the team has been updating the list of officially supported devices.

The first batch of officially supported LineageOS 17.1 devices included a total of 27 devices. The list comprised of a number of variants of Samsung Galaxy S4, LG G2, LG G3, LG G5, and LG V20. It also consisted of Fairphone FP 2, Motorola Moto Z1 as well as both single and dual SIM versions of HTC One (M8).

A couple of days later, the initial LineageOS 17.1 Android 10 build for all the above-mentioned devices went live on the official download page of LineageOS. Unfortunately, the builds were soon removed two days later as all those builds were broken due to signing issues.

But yesterday, the project added support for 23 more devices, however, builds for all these official devices are yet to be uploaded for the public to download. Hopefully, that will happen soon, until then, have a look at the complete list of 50 officially supported LineageOS 17.1 devices as of April 1st, 2020.

List of Officially Supported LineageOS 17.1 Devices

1. Fairphone FP2 (FP2)
2. Motorola Moto Z1 (griffin)
3. HTC One (M8) (m8)
4. HTC One (M8) Dual SIM (m8d)
5. Samsung Galaxy S4 Active (jactivelte)
6. Samsung Galaxy S4 (SGH-I337) (jflteatt)
7. Samsung Galaxy S4 (SCH-R970, SPH-L720) (jfltespr)
8. Samsung Galaxy S4 (SCH-I545) (jfltevzw)
9. Samsung Galaxy S4 (GT-I9505/G, SGH-I337M, SGH-M919) (jfltexx)
10. Samsung Galaxy S4 Value Edition (GT-I9515/L) (jfvelte)
11. LG V20 (AT&T) (h910)
12. LG V20 (T-Mobile) (h918)
13. LG V20 (International) (h990)
14. LG V20 (Sprint) (ls997)
15. LG G5 (Unlocked US) (rs988)
16. LG V20 (US Unlocked) (us996)
17. LG V20 (Verizon) (vs995)
18. LG G2 (AT&T) (d800)
19. LG G2 (T-Mobile) (d801)
20. LG G2 (International) (d802)
21. LG G2 (Canadian) (d803)
22. LG G3 (AT&T) (d850)
23. LG G3 (T-Mobile) (d851)
24. LG G3 (Canada) (d852)
25. LG G3 (International) (d855)
26. LG G3 (Korea) (f400)
27. LG G3 (Verizon) (vs985)
28. Motorola Moto One Power (chef)
29. Razer Phone (cheryl)
30. Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 (chiron)
31. Xiaomi Poco F1 (beryllium)
32. Xiaomi Mi 8 (dipper)
33. Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra (discovery)
34. OnePlus 6 (enchilada)
35. OnePlus 6T (fajita)
36. OnePlus 7 Pro (guacamole)
37. Asus Zenfone 6 (ZS630KL) (I01WD)
38. Motorola Moto Z2 Force (nash)
39. OnePlus 3 / 3T (oneplus3)
40. Motorola Moto X4 (payton)
41. Sony Xperia XA2 (pioneer)
42. Xiaomi Mi MIX 2S (polaris)
43. Motorola Moto G7 (river)
44. Xiaomi Mi 6 (sagit)
45. ZUK Z2 Plus (z2_plus)
46. Motorola Moto G6 Plus (evert)
47. Galaxy Tab S5e (Wi-Fi) (gts4lvwifi)
48. Sony Xperia 10 (kirin)
49. Motorola Moto G7 Plus (lake)
50. Sony Xperia 10 Plus (mermaid)

UP NEXT: SuperSIM combines a memory card and SIM into one; is this the future?

(Via)

The post Here’s the complete list of 50 officially supported LineageOS 17.1 Devices appeared first on Gizmochina.

OnePlus’ popularity among smartphone enthusiasts is not just because of its value for money smartphones. The company is also known for its incredible support towards the developer community. Staying true to its popularity, OnePlus has released the kernel source code for the newly announced OnePlus 7T.

The availability of the kernel source code opens up the possibility of building custom ROMs, porting new features to older OnePlus devices and a variety of other customization options. The company has released kerne source for all of its previous smartphones, but it’s refreshing to see the code being available on the OnePlus 7T almost immediately after launch.

OnePlus’ OxygenOS is one of the best implementations of Android today. The OxygenOS 10 based on the latest Android 10 version is already being rolled out to OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro models. Older models like the OnePlus 5T and the 6T are also scheduled to receive the latest update in the coming months. The company is also actively working towards improving the overall OS with the help of user feedback. For example, recently, OnePlus committed to changing its policy of aggressively killing background apps and promised to promote custom ROMs for EOL (End of Life) devices.

UP NEXT: Here’s Why OnePlus 7T doesn’t Feature Wireless Charging

(Sources: 1, 2; Via)

The post OnePlus 7T Kernel Source code is available now appeared first on Gizmochina.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro is among the best devices available in the mid-range smartphone market in India. The device packs decent hardware specifications at aggressive pricing. It comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 chipset coupled with 4/6GB RAM and 32/64 internal storage variants. The device also carries a 6.3-inch display with the resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels. In optics, there’s a dual rear camera consisting of a 48 MP primary sensor and a 5 MP secondary lens. On the front, there’s a 32 MP camera equipped with natural colors and edge detection features to capture beautiful selfies. Today, we will install the LineageOS 16 on Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro in the easiest way.

Thanks to the efforts of the senior XDA member, xdatman who made it possible for the Redmi Note 7 Pro to get official support for LineageOS 16. The nightly build of the LineageOS 16 is available for the Redmi Note 7 Pro. It will now be getting regular updates and bug fixes directly from the Lineage’s automatic build system. The interested users can now quickly load it up on their Redmi Note 7 Pro having unlocked bootloader and custom recovery installed.

What is LineageOS?

It is the most favorite custom ROM for Android devices. It is based on the Android Open Source Project with stock Android experience. LineageOS offers various customization options with some extra productivity features for your smartphone. It is the successor to the popular CyanogenMod ROM.

Benefits of a custom ROM

• Extra features with the ability to customize.
• It also improves performance.
• Custom ROM does not carry any bloatware.
• It improves battery life.
• Custom ROMs allows users to enjoy newer android versions.
• More stylish and feature-rich than stock ROM.
• Custom Kernel support is also present.

Note: GizmoChina.com is not responsible for any kind of damage to data or device while performing the unlocking. It will also void the device’s warranty and remove all data on the device. You’re proceeding at your own risk.

Note: Some users might have to flash Magisk to use Netflix, as LineageOS 16 snaps the Widevine L1 support. 

Install LineageOS 16 on Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro

Pre-requisites:

• Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro should have an unlocked bootloader and custom recovery installed.
• Download the latest Xiaomi USB drivers.
• Ensure at least 50% battery before proceeding to flash the ROM.
• Download Lineage OS 16.
• Download ADB and Fastboot drivers on PC/Laptop
• Backup data on any external media, as the installation will format the phone’s storage.
• Download Gapps on your machine.

Steps to Install LineageOS 16:

1. First of all, enable developer options by heading to the Settings > About and then tap Build Number 7 times.
2. Also, enable USB Debugging Mode from the Developer Option in the phone settings.
3. Now, unlock the bootloader and install custom recovery on Redmi Note 7 Pro.
4. Download the LineageOS 16 and Gapps zip file from the links above.
5. Now, boot into the recovery mode by pressing Volume Up + Power button.
6. Upon booting into the recovery mode, go to “Wipe” and press the “Format Data” button to begin the formatting process.
7. Now get back to the Wipe Menu and press “Advanced Wipe” to clear Cache and System partitions. (Note: Select System and Cache)
8. Confirm the action by pressing “Swipe to Wipe.”
9. After successfully wiping system partitions and cache, go back to the previous menu and sideload the LineageOS.zip.
10. Now, flash the LineageOS 16 zip by tapping Advanced > ADB Sideload and press swipe to begin.
11. Now connect your device with the USB cable and open PowerShell or CMD in the ADB – Fastboot extracted drivers folder.
12. Type the below command to sideload the package. (Note: replace the filename.zip with the actual name of the Lineage zip file.)

    adb sideload filename.zip

13. Once the installation is finished you can flash Gapps by heading to the TWRP recovery.
14. You have successfully installed the LineageOS 16!

You have successfully installed LineageOS 16 on Redmi Note 7 Pro. If you have any issue or problem while executing the above procedure, then let us know via the comments below.

Read More: Top 5 Inexpensive Phone Cases for your Redmi Note 7 and Redmi Note 7 Pro Smartphones

The post How to install LineageOS 16 on Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro appeared first on Gizmochina.

Back in April, Xiaomi released a statement saying it would release the kernel source code for devices within three months following its release. So far, it has kept to its promise for its major devices. Less than a month after it launched the Mi MIX 2s, it released its kernel source code. Now it has released the kernel source code for the less than a month old Mi 8 SE.

The Mi 8 SE is the first Snapdragon 710 smartphone in the world. It is also the cheapest in the Mi 8 series announced last month. With its kernel source code now available, we expect custom ROMs and the likes be made available for it.

Now that the Mi 8 SE is out of the way, we should see the kernel source code for the Mi 8 and Mi 8 Explorer Edition made available. There are also a bunch of other Xiaomi phones such as the Redmi S2, Redmi Note 5 Pro, Redmi 5 Plus etc. whose source codes haven’t been released.

READ MORE: Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 To Launch In China On June 25

Although Xiaomi promises a time frame of three months following the release of a device, we won’t be surprised if not all of its devices have their source codes made available. The source code for the Mi 8 SE is available on Github.

(Source)

The post Xiaomi Releases Kernel Source Code For Mi 8 SE appeared first on Gizmochina.

Updates & Custom Roms for Elephone Trunk & P8000

The guys and girls over on the Elephone forums have been busy bunnies and today we have news of Updates & Custom Roms for Elephone Trunk & P8000

The first Rom and the Rom that will certainly be getting a lot of attention from  custom Rom installers like myself is the Elephone Trunk port of Cyanogenmod 13 the build date for the Rom is 2015-11-24 just over a week ago. the Rom is based on Android 6.0 making the Trunk one of the first phones from China to run the latest Marshmallow OS.

It will be interesting trying out this version of the OS and getting to see how well the Trunk runs Cyanogenmod 13 seeing what works and what bugs there are to iron out.

As the Trunk is running a Qualcomm CPU and has identical hardware to the ARK Benefit A3 that it is getting a fair amount of attention from Russian devs, we should start to see a lot more Roms soon.

The second Rom is an update to the previous version of the Meizu Flyme rom, this new Rom version is 4.5.4 the build date is 2015-12-01 and the Rom is based on Android 5.1

Changelog:

System
Fixed the occasional rebooting bug;

Phone
Fixed the occasional bug of the Phone app being shut down abnormally;
Fixed the program crash when tap ‘Add to marked’ in detail page of call log;

Messages
Fixed the occasional failure in syncing Messages;
Fixed the problem in which the message reply icon is useless when receiving an incoming call;

Wi-Fi
Fixed the slow response problem occurred in the system after disable WPS;

Email
Fixed the problem of unable to login to vanke email account;

Third-party apps
Fixed the crash bug when input and long press text in Jota+ app;
Fixed the bug of the phone being unable to upload videos to Instagram.

They have not mentioned the fingerprint scanner, this was not working in the previous version and I would assume that it is still not working in this one.

If you fancy trying out Updates & Custom Roms for Elephone Trunk & P8000, the  Elephone P8000 can be purchased here for $169.99 (£111) whilst he Elephone Trunk can currently be purchased for $109.99 (£73)

Do you own one of these phones? have you tried flashing the custom roms on your handset? how has your experience been so far? let me know what you think in the comments section below.

Regards Shanos

Original article posted on Gadgetz.tv

The post Updates & Custom Roms for Elephone Trunk & P8000 appeared first on Gizmochina.

Elephone have today posted up a new version of ELE Flash, the update now supports P8000

Updated ELE Flash

To use ELE Flash you must first root your handset.

Please leave comments below

Regards Shanos

Purchase ELEPHONE P8000 with free worldwide delivery

Originally posted at gadgetz.tv

The post ELE Flash Updated now supports P8000 appeared first on Gizmochina.

Ulefone has managed to make a mark in the crowded Chinese smartphone market. The company boasts of the latest Android operating system with the all its latest models, the Ulefone Be Pro, Be Touch and Be Touch 2 coming with the Android 5.0 Lollipop versions.

The company has always pre-installed stock (pure) Android OS on its devices, but it looks like Ulefone has decided to take the next step by making custom third party ROMs available for its latest Ulefone Be Touch 2 smartphone.

To start off, the company will develop one custom ROM for its flagship, which will most likely be the most voted ROM. In a recent survey conducted by the company on its Facebook page, MIUI and CyanogenMod got the maximum number of votes followed by other ROMs like EMUI and Flyme. Once the first ROM is fully developed for the phone, it will start with the second one.

“People want a that provide different interaction experiences and variable themes, and in the same time, they want it to be light for best performance. We’ll take both the factors into consideration and make something people feel inspiring and good to use simultaneously ”, said Ulefone CEO Jason Liu.

Given that CyanogenMod has a lot of features to offer, we expect the company’s first custom ROM for the Be Touch to be CM. The second one could be MIUI.

Anyways, we will keep you guys updated with more information pretty soon. So, stay tuned!

The post Ulefone Be Touch 2 Could Come With Custom ROMs Like CyanogenMod appeared first on Gizmochina.

Custom mods are on the rise, people are growing able to use more and more mods to make their phone more unique and suited to personal preference. More choice and options has got to be a good thing and these custom ROMs certainly offer all that. Mediatek devices are massively popular and there are numerous Custom ROMs built for them. These instructions show you how to install them safely and effectively. It is especially important for beginners to read instructions carefully to prevent failure or loss of data, but provided some care is taken, it is not a difficult task and enables you to get so much more out of your device.

Things you need to do and have:

• Your phone must be rooted. If it is not rooted then use framaroot and root your phone before undertaking any customisation.
• You must have full backup of your current or stock ROM. This is helpful if you donot liked the custom ROM and you want to revert back. Then just reflash the backup. To take backup of current or stock ROM the easiest method is to install CWM from here for your MTK device very easily and then create backup. Backup is important in case there is a problem with the new installation or if you dislike the custom interface and want to revert to the stock one.
• USB Cable
• Mobileuncle MTK tools from here or direct download from here.
• SP Flash Tools setup and Device drivers from here
• Any Custom ROM for your MTK Device

Here goes then, here’s how to do it.

Method 1. Using MobileUncle MTK Tools ( Level : Easy)

• First of all install Mobileuncle MTK Tools from the above link on your phone.

• Select update option and the device will automatically find the zip file located on your SD card.

• Then select the ROM and tap on ‘Analysis Update Package End’ and wait for Mobileuncle to do its job.
• Your phone will automatically restart after completion and there you have it, you’re good to go with the Custom ROM.

Method 2. Using CWM which you installed on your MTK phone from our previous post. Slightly more difficult approach but fine for users with a bit of experience.

• Boot into CWM recovery by two ways : 1. Power on + volume down 2. Using Mobile MTK tools select ‘Boot into recovery’
• Now first of all Wipe your current system data and then wipe the cache, found in the ‘Wipe’ Section
• Then tap on Install Update from Zip file

• Select ‘zip from SD card’
• Browse to find and tap to select the custom ROM
• Once the installation completes you will need to reboot your device
• Enjoy!

• Buy from gearbest 5% coupon: GBALLAFF
  Buy from banggood 5% coupon: b185f7
  Buy from lightinthebox $10 coupon: LITB10OFF

The post Flash ROM to MTK instructions appeared first on Gizmochina.

OPPO is one of the Chinese smartphone menufacturer has open the contest of design the ColorOS ROM for developers. This contest is open from March 24 – April 7th 2014.

The developer can port the ColorOS ROM to another various brand of smartphone devices, such as Samsung Galaxy S4, Huawei, HTC, ViVo and others.

The developers can add many function in ColorOS, to make the usefull capability to Android device, there is manu plenty of value-added services that can embed to ColorOS custom ROM in the contest.

This contest is facilitate by Brush Wizard, the third party Android Custom ROM that provide plenty of ROM that ready to port to Android devices. And this contest is the first time for Brush Wizard website.

The participant can join to http://bbs.coloros.com/rom to vote the best ColorOS from the developers. And here is the competition schedule :

• Developer Search :2014.03.24 – 2014 .04.11 Registration
• ROM production: 2014.04.01 – 2014.05.15 adapted according to requirements
• Submission: 2014.05.16 – 2014.05.31 upload work upon request
• Works Promotion: 2014.06.01 – 2014.06.20 author, ColorOS communities and partners to promote
• Competition awards: 2014.06.21 – 2014.06.24 selected based on the quality and quantity of the entries user
• Presentation publicity: 2014.06.25

The post OPPO is open the ColorOS ROM contest appeared first on Gizmochina.

There is many reason why Android 4.4 KitKat did not come to our Android device, because, some device that running with mediaTek chipset did not provide appropriate upgrade to Android 4.4 KitKat.

Finally, there is domestic smartphone manufacturer has successfully upgrade their system to Android 4.4 KitKat using CyanogenMod 10.2, and now the device that using MediaTek MT6589/MT6589T is capable to using higher version of Android.

Some people in XDA Developer forum has been built the Custom ROM based on CyanogenMod 11 that targeting for device which powered by MediaTek MT6589 processor, and now they ready to update their Android to KitKat.

Here is Installation guide, taken from XDA Developer Forum:
– Install new CWM linked in this thread (for installation see in: http://forum.xda-developers.com/show….php?t=2440304 ) – if you Do not have it yet, make sure you backup recovery.img
– Make a backup with CWM – you will want to go back to stock, don’t blame me if you don’t have a backup!!!
– Copy the cm_stairway-otaXYZ.zip to the phone and flash the zip with CWM
– Copy the gapps to Phone and install the ZIP (see: http://wiki.cyanogenmod.org/w/Google_Apps – this is CM11)
– Wipe

Downloads:
http://goo.im/devs/chrmhoffmann/wiko…OFBUGS-0.1.zip
md5sum: bea8501261f81702d50974404464dc7d

CWM for KitKat: http://goo.im/devs/chrmhoffmann/wiko…way-kk-0.1.img
md5sum: f872c48b080eddd4316c47c72418b6b6

Sources:
Kernel: https://github.com/chrmhoffmann/andr…_wiko_stairway
Device: https://github.com/chrmhoffmann/andr…_wiko_stairway
Android: https://gerrit.omnirom.org/ # / q / topic: mt6589, N, z – More to Come

The post Finally, Android 4.4 KitKat is available for MediaTek MT6589 chipset appeared first on Gizmochina.