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Is there a kind of LTS (long term support) ROM that regularly backports kernel and OS security patches? Kind of like a 6.0.1 with January 2017 patch level? I know I can install most ROMs without GApps (Slimroms is probably my favorite) but most of these ROMs base either off AOSP or CM/LOS which also base off AOSP, so when Google stops patching AOSP, these downstream ROMs stop getting security patches.
I don't really care for Android N as I'm perfectly happy with M but would like to squeeze another year or two out of it.
Just curious if such a thing exists; I'm sure it's no small feat to backport security patches, but it's something I'm very interested in to get the most life out of what's still an excellent device. This likely applies to many other devices as well (N4, N5, OPO, others who have been retired for reason other than money).
Edit: I should add that I'm aware of new tags, such as https://android.googlesource.com/platform/build/+/android-6.0.1_r78 but these seem to stop roughly two years out and don't really seem to have a guarantee of when they'll stop being updated. I'm looking to extend that two year mark to three or four years.
Android doesn't do LTS like Ubuntu. If you want to have the most current security updates, you'll have to update to Android 7.1.1. Security updates will continue for another 12 months.
It would be cool if there was a custom ROM that implemented something like this; not necessarily android per se, but sometimes, especially in an enterprise environment this would be a great idea.
mituzora said:
It would be cool if there was a custom ROM that implemented something like this; not necessarily android per se, but sometimes, especially in an enterprise environment this would be a great idea.
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This was more what I was thinking of. I know Android officially doesn't go beyond ~2 years but that's what I'd like to see changed. Desktop OSes and software sometimes have these long-life versions (as pointed out, Firefox and Ubuntu to name just two) so it would make sense to start doing this for mobile OSes, certainly in an enterprise environment but a "would be nice" is also for older units or people who really don't care about bleeding edge but don't want to be left behind.
I imagine a model similar to Redhat and it's Enterprise Linux distribution which is open source (and then released by the CentOS folks), though in that case Redhat themselves are doing the backporting and patching. Since Google doesn't do that (pretty much the opposite if you look at their rolling releases for Chrome/Chromium) it would have to be a third party responsibility.
It would be a pretty big undertaking and wouldn't solve any issues that would lie in binary blobs typically used for most the hardware, but it could be a base for others to use if they had something a little more open (or as open as a smart phone can realistically be). In case any security research students are looking for a capstone...
Edit: regarding the "not necessarily android" note; I was thinking about this while I was working on an Ubuntu Touch port. I like how polished Android is and that I can even use it sans-Google apps but being strong-armed into the latest version of the OS is pretty silly. I really don't care about anything N brings from M. The step from L to M was huge and M has been rock solid for me, so I would like to see M used as an LTS base. N is just too weird and buggy, even half a year into it. For me at least.
But why would you stay on 6.0.1 which is noticeably slower than 7.1.1 on N6?
I've not had that experience myself; performance has been either the same or slightly worse but that's very subjective. It's not terribly important if 6.0.1 were used as a base or 7.x, I just picked 6.0.1 as an example because of its maturity and my perceived stability over 7.x.
Nope! Google has stopped pushing security updates to Marshmallow so the latest security patch level you will have is December 2016 on any Marshmallow ROM. Gotta switch to Nougat to continue to get security updates.
The only two ROMs I'm aware of that still push M builds are Mokee and AOKP. But again, just because they have compile dates in January of this year, they are still going to have either the November or December security patch. Backporting is too much work and would be stupid for any dev to waste time on.
Nothing is a waste of time if you're learning.
retro486 said:
Nothing is a waste of time if you're learning.
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Yes, but as a developer you learn more from the latest version, so it makes more sense to focus on it.
Android is not conceived as a LTS OS, it is made for devices which are meant to be used for two years, so it doesn't makes sense to provide security patches for older versions.
If you're really up to the challenge, you should start a LTS ROM project yourself, because based on your response, I think you like to learn, and I think you'll learn a lot by doing it yourself.
Fair enough. And considering my original question about an LTS edition was answered (several times) I'll leave it at that. Thanks!
Well, while not officially that, but I am on MOB31S, which is a 6.0.1 January security patch official ROM. It is currently the official T Mobile ROM. I'm not sure how you would get it if not on T-mobile.
Hi,
so do you actually recommend the Asus Zenfone with LineageOS? Like if you compare it to other phones with LineageOS, is Zenfone 8 a good choice if you aim to use the Phone solely with LineageOS? Are there any major bugs, drawbacks? Is there like a list of known issues and broken functionalities?
Do you know anything about the plans for the future? I have seen that only Lineage OS 18.1 is available, is it planned to support LineageOS 19 and future versions?
When I bought my Sony Z1C a long time ago, development was very active before I got my phone, but literally just as I bought it, development stopped and I was stuck with CyanogenMod 11 (KitKat) and bugs. Huge disappointment. I want to avoid that.
Lineage 18 is almost flawless on ZF8, add gcam only
Just a friendly poll to see which custom ROM seems to be the "most popular" for this niche little device.
You forgot OmniRom! The android 12 version just released officially, there should be a post about it soon. I will likely switch to it from Los19 as it was really great on Android 11. (Also for those looking at the numbers and considering, it is worth noting that ArrowOS is discontinued for ZF8, the maintainer's phone died)
I was on Lineage OS 19.1 but switched back to stock for more stability and battery life (the build I was using had location issues and huge battery drain). I'll wait till a fully stable release to switch back to Lineage (or another AOSP ROM)
Try LineageOS18.1, it works very smooth. I don't see an advantage of LOS19 yet.
Adaoh said:
You forgot OmniRom! The android 12 version just released officially, there should be a post about it soon. I will likely switch to it from Los19 as it was really great on Android 11. (Also for those looking at the numbers and considering, it is worth noting that ArrowOS is discontinued for ZF8, the maintainer's phone died)
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You're right, I did forget it. Added it now. Thanks for letting me know about ArrowOS. I used it for a few weeks before jumping to Android 12.
does anyone have an idea if anybody is working on porting miui 13 to G. pixel7 & pro?
usually the google phones get miui within weeks of release of the phone, but i haven't heard
any news on any dev or group talking about working on the rom.
if you have any info on this, please do post what you know with links for us that are interested
to check the info plz.
Guess not
Seriously, why would you want that? Sure, tastes are different, but why would you put a bloated, overstyled, ad-infected and closed source (MIUI Apps and Kits) ROM/OS on a Pixel device which comes with pure Android out of the box? MIUI was once a great ROM and a lot of fun... from 2010 to 2015 or '16 maybe. By now it's something I would really avoid. I understand if folks like Graphene OS, Lineage OS, ROMs based on AOSP on their Pixels. But hell no, I would not desecrate a Pixel with MIUI, Color OS... anything that comes from Xiaomi or BBK Electronics.
t-ryder said:
Seriously, why would you want that? Sure, tastes are different, but why would you put a bloated, overstyled, ad-infected and closed source (MIUI Apps and Kits) ROM/OS on a Pixel device which comes with pure Android out of the box? MIUI was once a great ROM and a lot of fun... from 2010 to 2015 or '16 maybe. By now it's something I would really avoid. I understand if folks like Graphene OS, Lineage OS, ROMs based on AOSP on their Pixels. But hell no, I would not desecrate a Pixel with MIUI, Color OS... anything that comes from Xiaomi or BBK Electronics.
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Hilarious but the truth.
t-ryder said:
Seriously, why would you want that? Sure, tastes are different, but why would you put a bloated, overstyled, ad-infected and closed source (MIUI Apps and Kits) ROM/OS on a Pixel device which comes with pure Android out of the box? MIUI was once a great ROM and a lot of fun... from 2010 to 2015 or '16 maybe. By now it's something I would really avoid. I understand if folks like Graphene OS, Lineage OS, ROMs based on AOSP on their Pixels. But hell no, I would not desecrate a Pixel with MIUI, Color OS... anything that comes from Xiaomi or BBK Electronics.
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Happy to elaborate! Stock OS 13 sucks balls. OnePlus is the only company I seen as of yet who is able to keep the much desired options and functions intact. Android 13 overhauled the entire UI and continued the stupid trend of big, flashy, dumb and hidden , that all systems and devices tend to have. Making everything bigger, harder to find and remove functions that many powers users love is the common trend. I'm up for trying a new ROM that mimicks OnePlus that could potentially give more function and features back. I've never tried MIUI yet but praying for changing out.
R0ttenB4ndit said:
Happy to elaborate! Stock OS 13 sucks balls. OnePlus is the only company I seen as of yet who is able to keep the much desired options and functions intact. Android 13 overhauled the entire UI and continued the stupid trend of big, flashy, dumb and hidden , that all systems and devices tend to have. Making everything bigger, harder to find and remove functions that many powers users love is the common trend. I'm up for trying a new ROM that mimicks OnePlus that could potentially give more function and features back. I've never tried MIUI yet but praying for changing out.
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You may not have noticed, but BBK Electronics is the company behind Oppo, Vivo, OnePlus, Realme und iQOO and their stock ROMs are going to have or have the same base, which will or has change(d) things for Oxygen OS. BBK is a big ass company, and the Oxygen OS from the original OnePlus has lost it's soul when Oppo merged with OnePlus. BBK is up to max profits, so they try to save money on development and Oxygen OS / Color OS and all that stuff will be (almost) the same I guess. I had a OnePlus 9, and when I realized they did not implement OIS on the regular 9 to upsell the pro model it was the deathblow after being annoyed by the newer OnePlus stuff. I had a Realme GT 2 Pro, and those ROMs are OKish, but having a Pixel somehow feels more like the real thing.
Regarding Xiaomi/MIUI ... why do people get a Pixel 7 and not a Mi 12 Pro, if they prefer some bloated kindergarten OS like MIUI? I had the first MIUI ROMs on my HTC desire back then, was an admin of 2 german MIUI forums, translating the ROM and what not, but as Xiaomi got bigger the overall concept of MIUI/Xiaomi went down the drain and I started to avoid Xiaomi. Sure, they got a lot of cool gadgets and stuff, but screw that company for so many reasons.
Just read today, that the first nightly of Lineage OS is available for Panther... maybe give that one a try before wishing for MIUI. If there would be a MIUI ROM for the newer Pixels, let's hope it would be based on the xiaomi.eu ROM.
Why not just buy a xiaomi phone. I used to love MIUI and Xiaomi things, but not now. I like Xiaomi 13 and will not buy pixel 7 if Xiaomi 13 has some custom rom with well support
t-ryder said:
You may not have noticed, but BBK Electronics is the company behind Oppo, Vivo, OnePlus, Realme und iQOO and their stock ROMs are going to have or have the same base, which will or has change(d) things for Oxygen OS. BBK is a big ass company, and the Oxygen OS from the original OnePlus has lost it's soul when Oppo merged with OnePlus. BBK is up to max profits, so they try to save money on development and Oxygen OS / Color OS and all that stuff will be (almost) the same I guess. I had a OnePlus 9, and when I realized they did not implement OIS on the regular 9 to upsell the pro model it was the deathblow after being annoyed by the newer OnePlus stuff. I had a Realme GT 2 Pro, and those ROMs are OKish, but having a Pixel somehow feels more like the real thing.
Regarding Xiaomi/MIUI ... why do people get a Pixel 7 and not a Mi 12 Pro, if they prefer some bloated kindergarten OS like MIUI? I had the first MIUI ROMs on my HTC desire back then, was an admin of 2 german MIUI forums, translating the ROM and what not, but as Xiaomi got bigger the overall concept of MIUI/Xiaomi went down the drain and I started to avoid Xiaomi. Sure, they got a lot of cool gadgets and stuff, but screw that company for so many reasons.
Just read today, that the first nightly of Lineage OS is available for Panther... maybe give that one a try before wishing for MIUI. If there would be a MIUI ROM for the newer Pixels, let's hope it would be based on the xiaomi.eu ROM.
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Good info but most probably, like myself, pixel choice for the hardware, bands and plethora of accessories.
Would like to know the results for anyone using LineageOS 20 on the Redmi Note 9. Any issues with installation or usage? Mine has NFC and since it's close to its EOL, it would be nice to extend its useful life with a reliable custom ROM.
Well, the only long time maintained (Official) ROMs were Project Elixir and Pixel Plus UI which both lost the support by the end of January this year after the PE 3.4 Android 13 release. Following the Unofficial distributions has 0 support by the devs and they always involve risks. LineageOS never had an official support for merlin devices. This seems like the end for this failed phone. Why failed? Well, the MediaTek has a bad reputation overall and this phone just confirms it how crappy their chipsets are. From random freezes to lost partitions. The only solution I probably see is to flash the stock original MIUI 12.0.1 the phone shipped with in 2021 and just buying a new phone or a used Samsung older flagship if you still want to use custom ROMs and have the latest features. It's definitely not worth buying another Xiaomi phone and then throw it away after 2-3 years because it already lost the official support and the modding community.