Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman@androiddev.social)
androiddev.social
Attached: 3 images Wow - Google may be planning to ship a major kernel upgrade to all its (Tensor-powered) Pixel phones! Current Tensor Pixels may be upgraded to Linux kernel 6.1, according to comments left on an AOSP patch by Google engineers. Tensor G1 and G2 Pixels currently run on Linux 5.10, while Tensor G3 Pixels run on Linux 5.15. Tensor G4 Pixels (ie. the Pixel 9 series) may release with Linux kernel 5.15 but will also be upgraded to Linux 6.1. (1/2)

Good news for android overall. Hopefully, this could be extended to other OEMs by 2025 and not be optional like virtual A&Bs when it arrives.

(Meanwhile, my current smartphone running 4.19… )

  • biscuitswalrus@aussie.zoneEnglish
    0·
    10 months ago

    My long battery life performant phone running Android with kernel 4.14.116 would like an update but it was abandoned years ago. Which is a shame.

    8gb ram 256gb storage and a locked Bootloader. Sad times

    • henfredemars@infosec.pubEnglish
      0·
      10 months ago

      I feel your pain. A past phone I had did have an unlockable bootloader but it needed service due to a manufacturing defect. The one they gave me as the replacement was a carrier version with a locked bootloader.

  • Nighed@sffa.communityEnglish
    0·
    10 months ago

    What does this mean for most users? What features does this allow/improve that they couldn’t implement before?

    Do we know why they are doing this if it’s so unusual?

    Edit: and is this an Android change or a Google change? Is a particular android version picky about what Linux version it’s built on?

      • shea@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
        0·
        10 months ago

        wow i hope that’s not all, that’s a pretty lame update. I can’t think of even one use-case that that would be helpful for.

    • evo@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      0·
      10 months ago

      This only affects modern Pixels, and probably won’t directly impact anything in a way that you as a user will notice. I assume there will be efficiency improvements that may have tiny bumps for performance/battery but probably imperceivable.

      I think Google is doing this for security. Now that Pixels are going to be supposed for 7+ years it will be easier to maintain them and keep up with security patches if they are on a more recent kernel version.

    • limerod@reddthat.comOPMEnglish
      0·
      10 months ago

      There could be. Newer smartphones are going to improve. You should hold out for a year or two and wait until the tensor is efficient and provides good battery life.

      Note: The toot mentions Pixel 9 and pixel 8 series smartphones. It could happen but I won’t hold my breath for pixel 6.