Unofficial LineageOS 17.1 brings Android 10 to the Realme 1

As most of you should already know, the Realme brand has its roots in OPPO, which is itself owned by BBK Electronics. The Realme 1, the first smartphone under the Realme brand from before the company spun off from OPPO, ran ColorOS, a customized Android software designed by none other than OPPO itself. To differentiate their devices from their parent company, Realme introduced a new interface called “Realme UI” which is built on top of Android 10. However, the OEM has no plans to deliver the Realme UI/Android 10 update to the Realme 1, although the phone is still getting regular security updates on its Android 9 Pie-based ColorOS 6 firmware.

Realme 1 XDA Forums

As expected, though, XDA’s aftermarket development community has come to the rescue. XDA Senior Member Invincible-Venom has compiled an unofficial version of LineageOS 17.1 for the Realme 1 which brings a close-to-stock Android 10 experience to owners of this phone. The availability of the kernel source code as well as the existence of an official bootloader unlocking method certainly helped the developer in this venture. Apart from a few quirks such as broken USB tethering and SELinux set to permissive (which is a major security issue we hope to see resolved soon), the current builds can be used as a daily driver.

It is worth mentioning that this particular build of LineageOS is a source-built ROM and not a Generic System Image (GSI), though arguably many custom ROMs these days have roots in GSI. Both the CPH1859 and the CPH1861 variants of the Realme 1 are supported by the developer. You need to flash the latest version of the stock firmware (CPH1861EX_11_C.49) and use the TWRP compiled the same developer before installing this ROM. There are some known incompatibility issues with Magisk, so users are advised to stick with Magisk versions 20.1 or 20.3.

Unofficial LineageOS 17.1 for the Realme 1: Download ||| XDA Discussion Thread

The associated device tree and the vendor tree are available on GitHub. A built-in OTA updater was initially planned as well, but the developer has abandoned it for the time being. Now that a somewhat-stable version of LineageOS 17.1 for the Realme 1 is here, we hope to see the fruits of this effort available to the community in the near future.

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TCL’s next entry in the TCL 10 series may be a 5G phone for Europe

TCL recently launched the TCL 10 series of devices in the United States for under $500. The 10 series is TCL’s second attempt at selling self-branded smartphones after the TCL Plex. Available now are the TCL 10L and TCL 10 Pro, both of which we reviewed a few weeks ago, but the company also announced the TCL 10 5G, which is poised to be one of the cheapest 5G smartphones in the U.S. when it launches later this year. Thanks to a new listing on Google’s Android Enterprise Solutions Directory, we’ve learned that there may be another new device in the TCL 10 series, the TCL 10 SE.

Earlier today, the TCL 10 SE made was added to Google’s Android Enterprise Solutions Directory. This is a list of devices that Google maintains that people can use to find out what enterprise features a particular device supports. Not every device added to this list is officially certified as an Android Enterprise Recommended device, though.

In any case, according to the filing, the TCL 10 SE has a 6.5-inch display, 4GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and runs Android 10. It also has a fingerprint scanner and supports NFC connectivity. The filing also includes a (rather low-resolution) image which gives us a glimpse at the design of the smartphone. Based on the render, we can see that the TCL 10 SE will have a pretty thick chin at the bottom and a teardrop-shaped display notch cutout. The device shown in this render doesn’t match the TCL 10L, 10 Pro, or 10 5G, so we’re pretty certain that it’s a new device entirely. The “February 26” and “20:20” time shown on the lock screen widget suggests that TCL may have intended for this device to be shown off at MWC 2020 followed by a launch shortly after, but obviously, things haven’t gone as planned this year.

The reason we think the TCL 10 SE is headed to Europe is because of the phone’s model number, T766H_EEA. The ‘EEA’ at the end of the model stands for European Economic Area and is a common code for phone OEMs to designate devices or software builds made for Europe. As for evidence suggesting this device will support 5G connectivity, in the screenshot uploaded to Google’s Android Enterprise Solutions Directory, we can see a 5G icon in the statusbar. As this is an official render of the device from TCL, we don’t think the placement of a 5G icon is an accident, though anything is a possibility.

The design of the TCL 10 SE does seem to be very budget-oriented, so while we aren’t sure about its pricing or chipset, it could be running something like the rumored 5G Snapdragon 6-series chip (via GSMArena) or the MediaTek Dimensity 800, although no smartphones have launched with the latter chipset outside of China yet.

We reached out to TCL about this listing and a TCL spokesperson gave us the following statement: “We cannot comment on rumored or unannounced products.”

TCL may have quite an interesting device in the works if they manage to keep the price really low. 5G as a technology is here to stay, and any phone helping to democratize the technology is welcome. TCL has done a great job of that with the TCL 10 5G which will be launching for around €400 very soon.

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Bootloader unlocking method has been found for the Sprint LG G8 ThinQ

The LG G8 ThinQ received its stable Android 10 update back in December of 2019. The Sprint variant of the phone (model number LM-G820UM0) quickly followed suit as it picked up the same update a month later. However, the Korean smartphone OEM hasn’t whitelisted this device for official bootloader unlocking, thus users can’t install third-party custom ROMs like LineageOS or even flash a Generic System Image (GSI) on the carrier-branded LG G8 ThinQ. Thanks to XDA Members BrandonB1218, j4nn, vlad48, Antintin, Luis Rosado, and Brigantti, there’s now have a working bootloader unlock method for the Sprint LG G8 ThinQ. However, the method isn’t as straightforward as one would expect.

LG G8 ThinQ Forums

The method relies on a privilege escalation exploit that XDA Recognized Developer j4nn recently used to achieve temporary root access on the LG V50 ThinQ. Porting the exploit to the LG G8 ThinQ was rather trivial due to the internal similarities between these two phones. The next step was to utilize a leaked engineering bootloader from the LG V50 ThinQ that allows you to unlock the bootloader without generating any token from LG’s unlock server. You can then gain permanent root access as well by patching the stock boot image with Magisk.

In case you are running the latest 20f build of the stock Android 10 firmware on your device, you have to downgrade to 2oe (or lower) by switching to the inactive slot as the vulnerability used by the root exploit has been patched on newer builds. To make things easy, the community has worked on a package consisting of all the necessary components for carrying out a downgrade, a script to backup low-level bootloader related partitions, and a TWRP build for the LG G8 ThinQ. We strongly recommend you thoroughly follow the guide linked below because messing with your device’s partition may not end well for inexperienced users.

Sprint LG G8 ThinQ Bootloader Unlock — XDA Download and Discussion Thread

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OnePlus Launcher 4.4 announced with a new App Switcher and Quick Search gesture

OnePlus has been working on bringing some big changes to the OnePlus Launcher. As you probably know, the OnePlus Launcher is the company’s default launcher that ships on its devices. It’s much more than just a 3rd-party launcher you would install from the Play Store. OnePlus Launcher 4.4 brings a new App Switcher UI along with some additional features.

OnePlus Launcher 4.4.2 has actually been in beta since April, which is when we first wrote about the new App Switcher. The new App Switcher, otherwise known as “Recents,” makes the app preview cards smaller and more uniform. The bigger change, however, is the app icon and how you access the overflow menu.

The app icon was previously shown above the card along with the app name and a three-dot menu icon. Now, only the name of the app is shown above the card. The icon has been moved to the bottom and you can see the icons of previously used apps as well. These icons are scrollable and that makes it much quicker to switch to previously used apps that may be a bit further back in the list. To access the overflow menu, simply long-press on the card. Lastly, the “X” button has been replaced with a “Close Apps” button.

Next up is the new Quick Search feature. You can access the Quick Search by pressing and holding while you swipe up to access the app drawer. OnePlus says it’s easy to do this gesture with one hand. The text box is immediately in focus and you can begin typing. Quick Search is useful for finding things on your devices, such as folders and apps.

Lastly, according to Android Police, OnePlus Launcher 4.4 also adds support for Android 10’s freeform windows. To use the feature, you’ll need to enable Developer options on your phone (go to Settings > About phone and tap the Build number repeatedly. Then go back to System > Developer options and look for the “Enable freeform windows” toggle and turn it on. You’ll also need to reboot your phone. To put an app into the freeform mode, tap and hold the card in the App Switcher and tap “Freeform” in the menu. Now you can drag the window around the screen.

OnePlus Launcher (Free, Google Play) →

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Source: OnePlus

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June 2020 Android security update rolling out for Google Pixel and some Samsung Galaxy phones

Another month is in the books which means it’s time for a new Android security patch update. Today being the first Monday of the month, Google is rolling out the June 2020 security patches to the Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL, Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL, Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, Pixel 2, and Pixel 2 XL. This comes along with the latest Pixel Feature Drop, which has been outlined here.

A number of “notable fixes” have been made for devices from the Pixel 2 all the way up to the Pixel 4. You can see all the fixes along with the accompanying devices in the chart below. The rollout is starting today, depending on your carrier and device. Google notes that Pixel 2/2 XL and Pixel 3/3 XL users on T-Mobile and Google Fi will have to wait a couple more days, until June 4th specifically, to get the Android security update.

• Build Number (Global):
  • Pixel 2 (XL): QQ3A.200605.001
  • Pixel 3 (XL): QQ3A.200605.001
  • Pixel 3a (XL): QQ3A.200605.002
  • Pixel 4 (XL): QQ3A.200605.001

• Build number (Telstra):
  • Pixel 2 (XL): QQ3A.200605.002.A1
  • Pixel 3 (XL): QQ3A.200605.002.A1
  • Pixel 3a (XL): QQ3A.200605.002.A1
  • Pixel 4 (XL): QQ3A.200605.002.A1

Pixel 2 Forums ||| Pixel 2 XL Forums

Pixel 3 Forums ||| Pixel 3 XL Forums

Pixel 3a Forums ||| Pixel 3a XL Forums

Pixel 4 Forums ||| Pixel 4 XL Forums

Several Samsung devices, including the Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20, and Galaxy Note 10 series have already received the June 2020 Android security update. The Galaxy A50, Galaxy Note 8, and Galaxy XCover Pro are not far behind. Samsung continues to impressively roll out security updates nearly at the same time as Google. For more information about monthly security patches, be sure to read our overview of how the monthly patch process works. Check your Pixel device today to get the latest batch of fixes.

Download Factory Images ||| Download OTA Images

Android Security Bulletin ||| Pixel Update Bulletin ||| Pixel Functional Changes

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Google announces new features in Digital Wellbeing, Clock, and Family Link to help you get better sleep

Google just dropped the details on the latest Feature Drop for Pixel phones earlier today. Digital Wellbeing was one of the aspects of the update, which means some of the features should make their way to other Android smartphones as well. “Wind Down” was recently renamed to “Bedtime Mode” and gained new charging-related scheduling options with Digital Wellbeing version 1.0.3 beta. Google is making that more official along with some other goodies.

Bedtime Mode in Digital Wellbeing

For those unfamiliar with Wind Down/Bedtime Mode, it’s a suite of tools/settings to help you disconnect at night. This includes enabling Do Not Disturb (DND) mode to limit notifications and also Grayscale mode to make the phone less appealing to use at night. Bedtime Mode can now be set to automatically turn on when you plug in your phone (which many people do at bedtime).

You can choose a bedtime window for when DND will turn on when plugged in. This prevents DND from being enabled any time you plug in your phone throughout the day. Bedtime Mode also has a Quick Settings toggle now so you can easily enable/disable it if your schedule changes. Bedtime Mode is available on all devices with Digital Wellbeing and parental controls.

Digital Wellbeing (Free, Google Play) →

Google Clock Bedtime Mode and Sleep Tracking

Next up is the Clock app, which many of us use to make sure we’re waking up on time every day. The Clock app is getting a new “Bedtime” tab with several tools for helping you get better sleep. The tab shows a preview of tomorrow’s calendar and recent bedtime activity (time on the phone versus time in bed). The app will give you a reminder before bedtime and even suggest calming music from Calm, Spotify, and YouTube Music.

If you have a phone with Digital Wellbeing, the Bedtime tab can work with the previously mentioned Bedtime Mode as well. And to make waking up to an alarm less jarring, the Clock app can show a “Sunrise Alarm” with increasingly bright colors. The Sunrise Alarm starts playing 15 minutes before your scheduled wakeup time.

Clock (Free, Google Play) →

Family Link Bedtime Mode

Lastly, Google is adding some bedtime features to Family Link. Parents can create a bedtime schedule that’s adjusted for certain days and weekends. Once bedtime rolls around, the child’s device will automatically lock, but it will still allow phone calls for emergencies. Google doesn’t mention it, but we assume there are reminders before bedtime approaches.

Google Family Link for parents (Free, Google Play) →

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The Bedtime Mode features are rolling out to Google Pixel smartphones now and the new Google Clock features will be available later this summer for all Android devices.

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Source 1: Google | Source 2: Google

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Google Pixel Feature Drop #3 brings Adaptive Battery enhancements, Recorder and Docs integration with Assistant, and new Personal Safety features

Today, Google is releasing the details on the next “Feature Drop” for Pixel devices. This month we’re seeing a considerable number of new features being added, some of which will be very welcomed by Pixel users. Adaptive Battery is getting smarter, the Recorder app is getting new integrations, and the Personal Safety app is getting more powerful.

We’ll start with Adaptive Battery, which is the technology that Google uses to learn how you use your phone and adjust the power usage accordingly. Now, on the Pixel 2/2 XL, Pixel 3/3XL, Pixel 3a/3a XL, and Pixel 4/4XL, Adaptive Battery can predict when the battery will run out and further reduce background activity. It could already tell you approximately when the battery would run out, but now it can help stretch that time even further.

Google launched the Recorder app on the Pixel 4 series and it eventually arrived on older Pixel devices as well. The Feature Drop brings a couple of useful integrations with other Google services. For starters, you can use Google Assistant to start, stop, and search voice recordings. Simply say “Hey Google, start recording my meeting,” etc. Transcripts can now be saved directly to Google Docs as well. These new features are only for the Pixel 4.

Lastly, the Personal Safety app is getting some additional features and wider availability. Originally launched on the Pixel 4 series, the app is available on the Pixel 2 and newer. Car crash detection will be coming to the Pixel 3 series, but Google didn’t say exactly when. The new feature is called “Safety Check,” which will allow people to be notified if you don’t check-in by a certain time.

The example Google gives is going on a run or hike by yourself. You can set up scheduled “check-ins” and if you don’t respond to them the app will notify emergency contacts. The notification alerts all your emergency contacts and share your real-time location through Google Maps. The Personal Safety app can also now alert you of natural disasters and other public emergencies.

Here is a handy chart to see which Pixel devices will be getting the features:

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Source 1: Google | Source 2: Google

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