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LineageOS drops support for Nexus 6P, Pixel C, and 14 other Oreo devices
Saying goodbye to LineageOS 15.1
LineageOS is the most popular custom ROM around, boasting support for dozens of popular phones. While most new development in the past year has focused on bringing Android 9 Pie to new devices, Lineage has continued to offer an Oreo ROM for older phones, but that option is sadly going away.
LineageOS is the most popular custom Android ROM, with around two million active installations worldwide. The project recently dropped support for 30 unmaintained phones and tablets, but more devices have now been added in their place. Some of the latest additions and upgrades include the Mi Note 3, Xperia XA2 Ultra, LeEco Le 2, and Xperia Z.
One of the best parts of LineageOS (and its predecessor, CyanogenMod) is that it can breathe life into older devices. Some phones and tablets can end up with several more years of Android updates thanks to the ROM community. Since we last looked at LineageOS, a whopping 10 more devices have been added, most of which are a few years old at this point.
The lads and lasses on the open source CyanogenMod Team continue to bring their Android nightly ROMs to phones and tablets that have long been abandoned by uncaring manufacturers. This week a handful of new devices get builds for CM13, based on code from Android 6.0. All of them are nightlies (so possibly not ready for primetime), but I'll bet their respective users are happy to get the attention anyway. Here they are:
Normally only Nexus and other first-party Google devices get a taste of an upcoming Android version before it's released, barring custom ROMs and other end user activities. But Sony has been offering experimental AOSP builds for some of its phones for some time, and today the company has surprised and delighted owners of the former flagship Xperia Z3 with a custom Android N developer preview. This is more or less the same as the preview builds for Nexus phones and tablets, and it includes the Play Store and Google Services - everything one needs for a full Android experience.
Credits where credits are due. Sony had promised a comprehensive Android 5.1 roll-out to the quasi entirety of its line-up from the past years, and the company is steadily fulfilling that promise. After updating the Xperia Z3 and Z2 series of phones and tablets, it's time for older devices in the Sony ranks to join in on the Lollipop action.
Some of Sony's older hardware (well, relatively speaking, anyway) is getting updated to Lollipop today. If you own an Xperia Z (LTE model), Xperia ZR (LTE model), Xperia ZL, or Xperia Tablet Z, all released in 2013, check your status bar for an over-the-air update. According to Xperia Blog and the always-reliable XDA, all four of these devices are being upgraded as of now. As usual, it may take a few days or even a week or two for the rollout to reach you.
Sony's Live on YouTube app, which allows you to offer live streams from your Xperia handset, has updated to bring more devices into the fray. First off, sorry, but this is still Xperia-only and is likely to stay that way. The other key feature addition is the ability to broadcast in full HD when the camera and local upload speed allows it.
Sony's relationship with "pure" Android is an interesting one. As a company they generally make it easy to root or otherwise modify their phones or tablets, with a few notable qualifiers. The AOSP for Xperia project, which provides the basic tools for building standard Android ROMs on popular devices, is also one way that Sony stays relevant for those who buy phones with the intent to add aftermarket software. Today it gets two new flagship options, the older Xperia Z1 and Z2.
Sony has announced that the latest version of KitKat is now rolling out to many of its Xperia products with Z in their name. That includes the Z, the ZL, the ZR, and the Tablet Z. For the confused, no, I'm not talking about smearing chocolate all over a Wii U controller. Sony just really likes the final letter of the alphabet, and it's now delivering Android 4.4.4 to four devices all bearing Z in their names. The software version is number 10.5.1.A.0.283.
Update: Xperia Blog has confirmed this update is, in fact, Android 4.3. I can confirm that T-Mobile does, in fact, suck at changelogs. The version has also been tweaked to 10.4.C.0.814.
When you gather all these devices together for an update, there's no doubt Sony really loves the letter Z. Apparently it also loves KitKat, because all these devices are about to get their Android 4.4. KitKat updates. It's more than a number in this case – Sony has made some substantial tweaks.
Update: It looks like T-Mobile got cold feet. The support page has been reverted to its previous state, showing only the Android 4.2 update from November. Sorry, folks.
Typically Christmas day is a slow one for technology news, but apparently the good folks at the Android Open Kang Project have dragged their coding machines in front of the open fire. Today AOKP has posted the first nightly builds of Android 4.4.2, granting deliciously fresh custom ROMs to all the good little girls and boys. And all the bad ones too, I suppose.
While the Nexus elite have since moved on to KitKat, there are still a lot of devices just getting by with some flavor of Jelly Bean. At least Sony is keeping its promise of updating devices to the latest version of that sweet-themed platform. Android 4.3 is beginning to make its way to the Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia ZR, And Xperia Tablet Z.
OmniROM has only existed for a few weeks, but it's already gaining traction with certain groups (you know who you are). The first nightly builds of OmniROM based on Android 4.4 supported 15 devices, and today brings six more to the fold.
If you're using the T-Mobile variant of the slick Sony Xperia Z, check your notification tray - you might have a very welcome waiting for you. According to this T-Mobile support page, the Xperia Z is finally getting an over-the-air update. It's probably not what you were hoping for: the update brings the phone up to Android 4.2. You know, the version that's now over a year old.
Whenever there is a new version of Android, everyone starts wondering when (and if) their phones will be updated. Sony is getting out in front of the questions by clarifying its plans for a number of phones and tablets. The updates will start flowing soon, but not for all devices.
It's been less than 24 hours since Google announced Jelly Bean 4.3 and published the new code to the Android Open Source Project, and Sony is already talking up their plans for phone updates. That's what I call customer service! In a short blog post, Sony confirmed a 4.3 update for six of their latest phones and (one) tablets:
T-Mobile's version of the Sony Xperia Z is now available on the carrier's website in both black and purple. We were previously under the impression this was just the pre-order date, with wide availability following tomorrow, July 17th. The device appears to actually be ready for purchase, though. If you jump on it now, you get free overnight shipping and a Sony Bluetooth wireless speaker. These are limited time, online-only offers.