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LineageOS ends Android 9 Pie support, cutting off 24 phones and tablets
Lineage is clearing the way for Android 11 support
LineageOS is the most popular custom ROM around, not only because it brings a stock-like experience to phones and tablets, but also because it has kept many devices supported long after the manufacturer dropped support. The project has offered builds based on Android 9 Pie since early 2019, and now that many devices have been updated to LineageOS 17.1 (and with Android 11 support coming soon), support for Pie is ending.
LineageOS now officially supports OnePlus 7T Pro, Xiaomi Mi 9T, and more phones
Several models have also been updated from Android 9 to 10
LineageOS is the most popular custom ROM around, bringing new versions of Android to abandoned phones, and a stock-like experience (with or without Google software) to newer devices. The project has mainly been working on support for Google Pixel phones lately, but now a handful of other devices have joined the official build roster.
LineageOS is one of the most popular custom Android ROMs available, with over two million active installations. The project officially ended support for the 14.1 (Android 7.1) branch a few days ago, in preparation for LineageOS 16. The 16.0 branch is finally rolling out, and it's bringing Android 9 Pie to dozens of phones and tablets.
This year has been a tumultuous one for Huawei. The company launched one good smartphone after the other, whether on the low end of the spectrum with the Nova series, or in the high-end market with its P20 and Mate 20 series. It also faced stiff regulatory opposition and found itself caught in the midst of a political/economical war between the US and China. From seeing its deals to enter the US market vanish with AT&T and Verizon to having its CFO arrested in Canada, the rollercoaster of Huawei's 2018 hasn't slowed down. But the company is ending its year on a high note and with one number worth celebrating: it shipped over 200 million smartphones in 2018.
Huawei's EMUI 9.0 update, which was announced a few months ago, has begun rolling out. The update, which moves phones from Oreo to Pie, boasts of a simplified UI, new gesture navigation, and HiVision 'AI' features. The Mate 20 was the only Huawei phone with EMUI 9.0 so far, though other phones have been able to run a beta with Android Pie.
Huawei is proud of the fact that the P20 Pro sits atop the DxOMark Mobile rankings. The company attributes that feat in large part to its Master AI feature, which basically detects scenes via the viewfinder in real time and adjusts camera settings accordingly. In theory, it's a nifty innovation; in reality, the results are mixed. Huawei has apparently received enough unfavorable feedback about Master AI to compel the company to disable the feature by default in its latest update for its flagship smartphone.
Google's ARCore team just rolled out a new update that appears to bring the augmented reality framework to several more phones and tablets. Some hot new (and upcoming) devices are on the list, like the Galaxy Note9, OnePlus 6T, and ROG Phone. These are also joined by some older models like the Sony Xperia X.
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We always say that benchmarks don't matter as much as the overall experience of using a phone, but they do still matter enough that device makers sometimes put a thumb on the scale to improve scores. A recent report from Anandtech accused Huawei of configuring phones to produce artificially high benchmarks. Now, the maker of 3DMark has banned several Huawei devices in response.
Huawei's P20 is known for being available in some refreshingly funky color schemes. It launched in a few different colors, including the eye-catching Twilight variant, which has a color-changing finish that shifts from blue to purple to green depending on the lighting. Now, the P20 is getting four new non-traditional finishes: two more iridescent models, and two sporting leather.
Much has been made of Huawei's troubles in the US market over the last year. Its AT&T launch was torpedoed by the US government, and intelligence officials have regularly warned against using Huawei (and ZTE) devices. Over in Europe, there isn't the same sort of paranoia. Huawei has continued growing at an astounding rate, surpassing Apple in the second quarter of 2018.
While this past year hasn't been entirely smooth sailing for telecom equipment and device manufacturer Huawei, there have been some major highlights. Among them: the critical success of the Huawei P20, an Android device reviewers were surprisingly passionate about, which is rare in this smartphone-fatigued modern era. Along with the Mate series, Huawei's P series represents the company's premium-tier efforts. Now, a series of credible renders have emerged that reveal the alleged Mate 20, Huawei's next shot at impressing the Android set.
Android Enterprise Recommended program adds new models from Huawei, Motorola, BlackBerry, and others
Back in February, Google announced the Android Enterprise Recommended program, which defines which phones are ideal for business use. Devices in the program have to follow a set of guidelines from Google, such as rolling out security updates within 90 days of release. The company announced today that a handful of more devices have been added to the program, including the Moto G6, Huawei P20/P20 Pro, and Sony Xperia XZ2.
TWRP is by far and away the most popular custom recovery out there. It has hundreds, if not thousands, of supported devices by now. Since we last posted about this back in late April, seven additional devices have joined the ranks, including the OnePlus 6, the Huawei P20 Pro, and the Xiaomi Mi Max 2.
More and more smartphones are debuting with HDR-capable displays, but actual HDR support from app developers can often take a while. Almost exactly a year ago, LG's G6 became the first device to get Netflix HDR. Since then, the Sony Xperia XZ Premium, LG V30, Galaxy Tab S3, Galaxy Note8, Xperia XZ1, Razer Phone, and Galaxy S9 have been updated to support it as well. The Sony Xperia XZ2, Huawei Mate 10 Pro, and Huawei P20 have now joined the lineup, meaning there are now a full ten Netflix HDR-capable Android devices.
Huawei has been on an upward trajectory for years, but 2018 has been somewhat less successful than Huawei would have liked. After being effectively shut out of the US smartphone market, it launched the Mate 10 Pro as an unlocked device. Now, it's time for Huawei's second flagship launch of the year, and this one probably isn't coming to the US even in an unlocked capacity. The new Huawei P20 Pro has a lot in common with the Mate 10 Pro, but there are several notable upgrades—or downgrades, depending on your perspective.
Some six months after launching its late-2017 flagship, the very capable Mate 10 Pro, Huawei took to the stage in Paris at the end of March to show off the new P20 series. The spotlight was, of course, on the P20 Pro with its unusual third camera, but the little sibling was not to be left out. Though it lacks the tertiary sensor that's present in its larger brother, the "regular" P20 sports most of the same features.
There's a new smartphone hitting the market, and that means YouTube channel JerryRigEverything is going to get a unit to mess up. The Huawei P20 Pro isn't available officially in the US, but you're looking at the equivalent of at least $1,000 to get your hands on one. Is it going to break after you spend all that dough? Well, that's a big maybe.
Remember a few years ago when smartphone makers were just racing to have the most megapixels possible? Ah, those were quaint times. Now, it's about the number of cameras you can cram into a phone. Huawei is leading the pack with three rear cams on the P20 Pro, but how'd it manage that? The phone-destroyers at iFixit are here to find out. They've taken a P20 Pro apart to find out what's up.
Huawei released its flagship Mate 10 Pro in the US a few months back, but the P20 is not officially destined for American shores. You'll be able to get it on this side of the pond, but only in a few places. There are currently two eBay listings from reputable sellers where you can secure a unit right now. Be prepared to pay handsomely, though.
Google's ARCore technology is building steam since its initial test launch on Pixel and Galaxy S8 phones. This came with a promise to support more phones, which was followed a few weeks later with a half-dozen more phones added during MWC. To keep the momentum going, Google also featured nearly 90 new apps and games that made use of ARCore in some way. Now with the latest update, we can likely guess at the next phones on the list.