Developers of CalyxOS, an Android firmware variant independent of Google services, have raised concerns over Google’s decision to exclude certain components related to Pixel device support from the Android 16 release in the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) repository.
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While Google made available the general platform and framework source code for Android 16 through AOSP on its release date, this update notably omitted DeviceTree specifications and binary drivers specific to Pixel devices.
Additionally, the complete changelog for the Linux kernel variant used in the platform was not included. In previous releases, Google traditionally published these components alongside core AOSP updates. By accessing those, third-party firmware makers could build custom ROMs for Pixel hardware without much efforts.
The absence of these critical elements will cause challenges for developers working on alternative Android firmware. Previously, it they could compile and deploy AOSP builds directly onto Pixel devices using publicly available source files. Now, developers must have done reverse-engineering of proprietary binaries extracted from official firmware images to identify changes relative to prior versions of the DeviceTree configuration.
Google continues to publish Linux kernel source code relevant to Pixel hardware, but now only in the form of snapshots that lack detailed commit history. While GSI (Generic System Image) builds can still be generated from AOSP, adapting them for use on specific devices requires DeviceTree files, which are no longer provided for Google Pixel smartphones.
These DeviceTree files define essential hardware parameters, including peripheral configurations and required components for building functional firmware images.
Members of the GrapheneOS project, which focuses on enhancing security and privacy within the Android ecosystem, reported receiving unofficial information in April indicating that Google had begun reducing the scope of AOSP. According to these reports, the removal of Pixel-specific source code marked the initial phase of a broader strategy to limit the availability of hardware-enabling components in AOSP for Android 16.
The change has fueled speculation regarding the potential restrictions coming to AOSP that will significantly limit existing development practices.
In response, Seang Chau, Vice President of Engineering at Google for the Android platform, clarified that rumors regarding the discontinuation of AOSP are unfounded. He affirmed that source code for Android will continue to be published through AOSP, and the platform remains open for adaptation across new devices, system-on-chip architectures, and hardware platforms.
However, Chau acknowledged a strategic shift in how reference implementations are being handled. AOSP no longer includes a flexible, customizable, and cost-effective reference device tied to physical hardware such as the Pixel series. Instead, Google is promoting Cuttlefish - a virtual Android device - as the recommended reference platform for testing and development within the AOSP ecosystem. Developers may also continue to use base GSI images derived from AOSP for system-level testing.
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