Google pushed the first QPR (Quarterly Platform Release) of Android 16 in September, but never pushed the updated codebase to AOSP. Alongside the missing device trees and driver binaries for compatible Pixel phones, the move spelled doom for custom ROM development. While Google confirmed it would release the Android 16 QPR1 source code to AOSP, it didn’t provide a timeline. Now, two months after the OS’s initial rollout, the company has finally pushed the source code live.
Using Android, even on a Pixel device with GrapheneOS (for example) we are still at the mercy of Google’s whim. Can’t help but feeling disgust over the whole situation and dismay over my shiny Pixel phone with GrapheneOS on.
Oh The Overlord of Android, have mercy upon us custom rom sinners!
So the Pixel 10 gets support for GrapheneOS after a very long time (not the fault of GrapheneOS but Google).
Offtopic:
The Pixel 8a, which I bought when it came out to use with GrapheneOS, was probably my last Google smartphone.
Unfortunately, Google is increasingly scaling back AOSP and may eventually discontinue it altogether.
Until then, I hope that the developers at GrapheneOS will have found a solution and come up with their own or a new compatible model that doesn’t rely on Google (not as much as with the Pixel smartphones right now).
Hardware-wise they might not be dependent on Google’s Pixel phones as much anymore.
But what about the software? What will be running on the new phone? Do they have enough resources (manpower, knowledge and money) to fork AOSP’s entire code base and develop it further for this until now “mystery” phone?
From what I’ve read on the GrapheneOs forum, you seem to have a major OEM on board and are in talks with them. This will probably give them access to the latest software (Android).
How this will turn out and what the outcome will be is not yet known.
But whether support for the 11 series will follow the 10 series of Pixels is doubtful if Google continues in this manner.
