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Though stable Android 11 builds haven't yet arrived for the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro — they're still on Android 11 DP4 — OnePlus has already gone ahead and published the Android 11 kernel source. This means that developers can get a small head start on custom software like ROMs and recoveries.
LG releases kernel source code for V60 ThinQ
App devs can support LG's trademark mobile features like its Quad DAC systems
LG has published the kernel source for its latest smartphone, the V60 ThinQ. The code is available for two variants of the device: LMV600N and LMV600NO. The phone was released with LG's skinned version of Android 10.
Android Q will deliver a whole pile of new features like a system-wide dark theme and revamped gesture navigation when it lands later this quarter. But just because Google has implemented those features in Android doesn't mean all your favorite apps will automatically work with them immediately and perfectly; developers need to build that support into their apps. To lend a hand, Google has just pushed out the source code for its I/O 2019 app to serve as an example.
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Due to Huawei ending its bootloader unlock program, and HMD Global/Nokia never having one to begin with, Motorola is still the king of customizable budget phones (in the United States, anyway). The company just released the Android 9 Pie kernel source for the Moto G6 Play, making it easier for developers to create custom Pie-based ROMs and recoveries for the phone.
In our review of the Moto Z3 Play from last year, we said it carried "an unacceptable price for a decent phone." In the event that you did pony up the $500 for it, or maybe just bought it on sale, you should be excited that development for its Android 9 Pie firmware is coming soon. Motorola has just published the Z3 Play's Pie kernel source code on GitHub.
The LG V50 debuted alongside the G8 at MWC back in February. The G8 is now out (check our our review here), though the same can't be said for the V50. Nonetheless, LG has chosen to release the kernel source code for the V50 now.
[Update: New G6 Play release] Motorola releases Oreo kernel source code for Moto G6 Play and E5 Play
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- Motorola has released another kernel package for 'jeter,' the Moto G6 Play. This one doesn't have a carrier name attached, so it's probably more general-purpose.
Back in April, Motorola introduced six - yes, six - smartphones simultaneously. Three belonged to the Moto G6 line, and the other three were in the Moto E5 family. The company has now published the Oreo source codes for the Moto G6 Play and E5 Play.
Like any other company, HMD Global is required to release the kernel source code for any phones and major updates that it releases by the GPL. Today the company has published the source code for the Nokia 2 V, which is Verizon's version of the affordable Nokia 2.1 that is beginning sales tomorrow.
Hot on the heels of the Android Pie update from earlier this month, HMD Global has released the kernel source code for the Nokia 8 Sirocco. Of course, most people won't be able to do much with this, though it might be good news for the few who've unlocked their bootloaders (yes, it's possible).
The recently released Nokia 8.1 (also called Nokia X7 in China) is one of the more powerful Android One devices you can currently buy. HMD Global launched the phone last month with Android Pie and has now published the kernel source code.
The Nokia 7 Plus is one of HMD Global's higher-specced phones. Although still technically mid-range with its Snapdragon 660 chip and 6" IPS LCD display, it's one of the best Android One phones you can get. The Finnish company has now published the kernel source code.
Motorola is typically quick at releasing kernel source code for its phones. Now the company has released source packages for Pie on three different devices — the X3, P30 Play, and Motorola One.
The Motorola One Power and Moto Z3 Play are fairly recent releases from Motorola, having debuted earlier this year. Both phones have now had their kernel source codes published on GitHub, meaning that custom development for them can now properly begin.
The non-Plus model of the Moto G5 was never released in the US, but for those of you overseas who have one, here's some good news. The Android 8.1 Oreo-based kernel source code for the Moto G5, codenamed 'cedric,' has now been published on GitHub, meaning that developers can start cooking.
It's not unusual for kernel source codes to be published before phones/updates even debut, but just two days after LG took the wraps off of the V40, the kernel source code for various models has already been published.
You hear us talk a lot about manufacturers releasing the kernel source codes for their devices. Some resist hard, while others just take some time. In the case of the latter, Motorola released the Android 8.1 Oreo sources for the Moto G5 Plus over on its GitHub.
The Nokia 2.1 was announced back in late May, and it's HMD's new budget offering. With pricing starting at around $115 for an Android Go phone with a 4.000mAh battery, it sounds like a decent deal. HMD has just released the source code for the 2.1, nearly a month after it did so for the 5.1.
It has become tradition for Google to release the source code for its annual I/O app refresh in the months following the event. Today is the big day for the 2018 variant, and Google says it made some big changes this time around. Developers can take a peek at the code to get a better handle on Google's best practices for app development.
All manufacturers are required by the GPL to release the kernel source code whenever there's a change to it, which usually happens when a major update is pushed. The Moto G5S Plus, codenamed 'sanders,' has been waiting for its Oreo update for quite a while now, but with news of a soak test occurring in Brazil and this 8.1 Oreo source code's release, it looks like it may be coming soon.
HMD Global may still be refusing to unlock bootloaders, but it's required to release each phone's source code by the GPL. The company has just published the kernel source for the Nokia 5.1, which was announced a little under two months ago.