Google Pixel Camera Failure #Blog
You had probably heard of it earlier, but Pixel devices are known for hardware issues, especially in the camera department. It's lucky that we owned a first generation Pixel and it didn't seem to face any issue, but there's one critical exception over here I wanted to mention.
I am not sure where this issue started from, probably I had Android 11 installed earlier and if I reverted back, all these issues came out? After thinking for quite some time, this seems to be very likely, as in my usage, I didn't see such issue appearing on it, until I downgraded.
I can't say this will apply to everyone or what, that's just my luck. I am about to almost included it in my last post regarding Android 11 custom ROMs issues for our devices, but decided to remove it after trying out various ROMs and even older versions of the stock ROM itself, the issue seems to be happening everywhere and the logcat spams the same log for the light sensor and camera server error. Who's know this could be a fault on the Android 11 device tree, but I am really uncertain on it.
Reproducing it in a quick way will be turning on and off the camera server simultaneously, basically you just have to switch between modes multiple times, open gallery back and forward. After a while you will see there isn't anything in the viewfinder, and opening other apps which use the camera will not work too.
There is one temporary solution to get around it though, by using the Kill Camera app. Sometimes what's worse is that there's a chance the camera won't work until you reboot again. Anyway, all these are irritating and you might even lose the moment shot, which I did for quite a while now.
Actually after investigating for quite some time, it's found to be not about the software, but related to the hardware instead. Here's the stack trace and I hope someone could confirm whether is the case:
You had probably heard of it earlier, but Pixel devices are known for hardware issues, especially in the camera department. It's lucky that we owned a first generation Pixel and it didn't seem to face any issue, but there's one critical exception over here I wanted to mention.
I am not sure where this issue started from, probably I had Android 11 installed earlier and if I reverted back, all these issues came out? After thinking for quite some time, this seems to be very likely, as in my usage, I didn't see such issue appearing on it, until I downgraded.
I can't say this will apply to everyone or what, that's just my luck. I am about to almost included it in my last post regarding Android 11 custom ROMs issues for our devices, but decided to remove it after trying out various ROMs and even older versions of the stock ROM itself, the issue seems to be happening everywhere and the logcat spams the same log for the light sensor and camera server error. Who's know this could be a fault on the Android 11 device tree, but I am really uncertain on it.
Reproducing it in a quick way will be turning on and off the camera server simultaneously, basically you just have to switch between modes multiple times, open gallery back and forward. After a while you will see there isn't anything in the viewfinder, and opening other apps which use the camera will not work too.
There is one temporary solution to get around it though, by using the Kill Camera app. Sometimes what's worse is that there's a chance the camera won't work until you reboot again. Anyway, all these are irritating and you might even lose the moment shot, which I did for quite a while now.
Actually after investigating for quite some time, it's found to be not about the software, but related to the hardware instead. Here's the stack trace and I hope someone could confirm whether is the case:
java.lang.Exception: iji
at bnj.a(PG:22)
at bno.a(PG:13)
at iim.a(PG:133)
at ijo.a(PG:26)
at ijd.a(PG:4)
at iiz.a(PG:97)
at iiz.a(PG:57)
at ijd.a(PG:4)
at iiz.a(PG:97)
at iiz.a(PG:57)
at iik.onError(PG:16)
at android.hardware.camera2.impl.Camera
Devicelmpl$Camera DeviceCallbacks$1.run(CameraDeviceImpl.java:1756)
at android.os.Handler.handleCallback(Handler.java:790)
at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(H andler.java:99)
at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:164)
at android.os.HandlerThread.run(HandlerThread.java:65)
Caused by: iji
To be honest, there are many phones out there which will take good pictures too, but most of the reviews we viewed on the Internet are just those popular models that are available to be purchased in the US. Those are guaranteed to take good pictures, but we should learn to explore for more options too.Random Reboot #Blog
I am not sure whether it's just my luck or what, but on Android 11 I said the device will slow down after two weeks uptime, so I downgraded to Android 10 to see if things get better, apparently it didn't. Later there's the camera failure issue, and now another one just decided to show up from nowhere, random reboot.
This random reboot ain't that worse, but it only happened after three weeks of uptime. Just to keep things clear, no modules are installed on the phone, and only one file manager app gets root access. I literally have no idea what's happening with it and it's my very first time experiencing such a problematic device despite using them in light and minimal usage conditions most of the time.
Pixel devices are supposed to be great, and even got recommended by the communities as the best overall phone multiple times, and before 2020, it is the only Android phone to receive three years of OS & security updates. It is good but seems like that's not the case for unsupported Pixel devices after all. The last OS update for those devices is just kind of irritating, though it might be usable. It's just like how Apple decided to slow down their devices over time and wanted to persuade their users to switch to a newer model, but due to their huge user base, some managed to spot the difference and reported it to the public, which got everyone's attention. Google is just being lucky over here you could say.
Anyway, the last stock OS update by Google for their Pixel devices has many hidden bugs, which means it's just hard to be discovered by most users. And yeah, the random reboot case over here could be considered as a hidden bug or probably not as I couldn't verify it, but since I don't make any heavy modifications to the system at all, this could be likely a device tree bug. Only if people are still daily driving or using it frequently, otherwise it's hard to verify it.
So yeah, after the random reboot incident, I went to try Android Pie and hope it doesn’t happen anymore. Unfortunately the camera failure happens everywhere I go. It made me feel like it’s a hardware issue but I don’t have the faintest idea on it. Hopefully no more worse issues appeared again.
I am not sure whether it's just my luck or what, but on Android 11 I said the device will slow down after two weeks uptime, so I downgraded to Android 10 to see if things get better, apparently it didn't. Later there's the camera failure issue, and now another one just decided to show up from nowhere, random reboot.
This random reboot ain't that worse, but it only happened after three weeks of uptime. Just to keep things clear, no modules are installed on the phone, and only one file manager app gets root access. I literally have no idea what's happening with it and it's my very first time experiencing such a problematic device despite using them in light and minimal usage conditions most of the time.
Pixel devices are supposed to be great, and even got recommended by the communities as the best overall phone multiple times, and before 2020, it is the only Android phone to receive three years of OS & security updates. It is good but seems like that's not the case for unsupported Pixel devices after all. The last OS update for those devices is just kind of irritating, though it might be usable. It's just like how Apple decided to slow down their devices over time and wanted to persuade their users to switch to a newer model, but due to their huge user base, some managed to spot the difference and reported it to the public, which got everyone's attention. Google is just being lucky over here you could say.
Anyway, the last stock OS update by Google for their Pixel devices has many hidden bugs, which means it's just hard to be discovered by most users. And yeah, the random reboot case over here could be considered as a hidden bug or probably not as I couldn't verify it, but since I don't make any heavy modifications to the system at all, this could be likely a device tree bug. Only if people are still daily driving or using it frequently, otherwise it's hard to verify it.
So yeah, after the random reboot incident, I went to try Android Pie and hope it doesn’t happen anymore. Unfortunately the camera failure happens everywhere I go. It made me feel like it’s a hardware issue but I don’t have the faintest idea on it. Hopefully no more worse issues appeared again.
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Check out our sister channel @PixelHubUpdates for a live coverage of the conference where we'll see the latest products from Google, including the Pixel 7a, Pixel Tablet, Pixel Fold and more!
You can also expect more info about Android 14 and maybe a sneak peek of the Pixel 8/8 Pro or Pixel Watch 2.
➡️ @PixelHubUpdates ⬅️
#LineageOS #Official #R #ROM #Marlin
LineageOS 18.1 - OFFICIAL | Android 11 | Pixel XL (marlin)
Updated: 12/5/2023
▪️Download [677MB]
▪️XDA
Changelog:
• Updater: Show the correct percentage during package installation
• Updated translations
• Update Android TZDB from 2022g to 2023a [R]
• May 2023 Security Patch
• Source Changelog
By @npjohnson
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Join @Pixel1Chat
LineageOS 18.1 - OFFICIAL | Android 11 | Pixel XL (marlin)
Updated: 12/5/2023
▪️Download [677MB]
▪️XDA
Changelog:
• Updater: Show the correct percentage during package installation
• Updated translations
• Update Android TZDB from 2022g to 2023a [R]
• May 2023 Security Patch
• Source Changelog
By @npjohnson
Follow @Pixel1Updates
Join @Pixel1Chat
#crDroid #Unofficial #R #ROM #Sailfish #Marlin
crDroid 7.30 - UNOFFICIAL | Android 11
Updated: 13/05/2023
▪️Sailfish: Vanilla [708.3MB] | GApps [805.0MB]
▪️Marlin: Vanilla [716.7MB] | GApps [813.6MB]
Changelog:
• May 2023 Security Patch.
Notes:
• For GApps version the Google App had to be removed, so it's highly recommended to flash the GApps Add-on Magisk module to get full functionality.
• Magisk modules.
By @blckbear99
Follow @Pixel1Updates
Join @Pixel1Chat
crDroid 7.30 - UNOFFICIAL | Android 11
Updated: 13/05/2023
▪️Sailfish: Vanilla [708.3MB] | GApps [805.0MB]
▪️Marlin: Vanilla [716.7MB] | GApps [813.6MB]
Changelog:
• May 2023 Security Patch.
Notes:
• For GApps version the Google App had to be removed, so it's highly recommended to flash the GApps Add-on Magisk module to get full functionality.
• Magisk modules.
By @blckbear99
Follow @Pixel1Updates
Join @Pixel1Chat
Hidden Bugs #Blog
In the last post, I talked about the term "hidden bugs." The definition of this word is that it is a system issue that exists but hardly being spotted or found by anyone. It's just kind of irritating for those who wanted a working phone without issue but then one day you managed to find one which annoyed the experience, and I am one of those guys.
We know some people in the community just prefer trying something new, so they often switch ROMs and give their own reviews to it. The problem over here is, they don't stay for long and hence never really get to experience everything on the ROM. They are just basically entering a theme park but only playing stuff that got the most attention by the crowd. When you are entering a theme park, you usually want to make use of the ticket value so you will try to play everything, but then just to realise some of the attractions aren't great, this applied to the case for custom ROMs too. I heard people are saying it's very stable, but after trying it for myself, the experience just appears to be awful.
Basically this made me cut down the list of ROMs that I will use only to the few well-known ones. Despite all of that, depending on the device tree structure, it might contribute some additional issues to the device itself. I understand that bugs are everywhere, but at least it shouldn't affect the experience, random reboot is one of them. UI bugs usually originated from AOSP so we couldn't blame much, but that's fine, as long as you could understand and use the interface.
Anyway, I am just a little disappointed with my Pixel device since no matter where I go, the bugs kind of follow me. It never happened on any other device, but it's just this Pixel causing issues. I will just continue to track the Pixel's journey and see how it performs over time.
In the last post, I talked about the term "hidden bugs." The definition of this word is that it is a system issue that exists but hardly being spotted or found by anyone. It's just kind of irritating for those who wanted a working phone without issue but then one day you managed to find one which annoyed the experience, and I am one of those guys.
We know some people in the community just prefer trying something new, so they often switch ROMs and give their own reviews to it. The problem over here is, they don't stay for long and hence never really get to experience everything on the ROM. They are just basically entering a theme park but only playing stuff that got the most attention by the crowd. When you are entering a theme park, you usually want to make use of the ticket value so you will try to play everything, but then just to realise some of the attractions aren't great, this applied to the case for custom ROMs too. I heard people are saying it's very stable, but after trying it for myself, the experience just appears to be awful.
Basically this made me cut down the list of ROMs that I will use only to the few well-known ones. Despite all of that, depending on the device tree structure, it might contribute some additional issues to the device itself. I understand that bugs are everywhere, but at least it shouldn't affect the experience, random reboot is one of them. UI bugs usually originated from AOSP so we couldn't blame much, but that's fine, as long as you could understand and use the interface.
Anyway, I am just a little disappointed with my Pixel device since no matter where I go, the bugs kind of follow me. It never happened on any other device, but it's just this Pixel causing issues. I will just continue to track the Pixel's journey and see how it performs over time.
#News
Google can now delete inactive accounts
Starting from December 2023, Google can delete inactive Google Accounts if you haven't done any activity mentioned on their list.
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Google can now delete inactive accounts
Starting from December 2023, Google can delete inactive Google Accounts if you haven't done any activity mentioned on their list.
Read more about it right here
Follow @Pixel1Updates & @PixelHubUpdates
#crDroid #Unofficial #R #ROM #Sailfish #Marlin
crDroid 7.30 - UNOFFICIAL | Android 11
Updated: 17/05/2023
▪️Sailfish: Vanilla [708.3MB] | GApps [805.0MB]
▪️Marlin: Vanilla [716.7MB] | GApps [813.7MB]
Changelog:
• May 2023 Security Patch.
• Switched back to Stock+ kernel (I mistakenly built the two previous updates with LineageOS' kernel).
Notes:
• For GApps version the Google App had to be removed, so it's highly recommended to flash the GApps Add-on Magisk module to get full functionality.
• Magisk modules.
By @blckbear99
Follow @Pixel1Updates
Join @Pixel1Chat
crDroid 7.30 - UNOFFICIAL | Android 11
Updated: 17/05/2023
▪️Sailfish: Vanilla [708.3MB] | GApps [805.0MB]
▪️Marlin: Vanilla [716.7MB] | GApps [813.7MB]
Changelog:
• May 2023 Security Patch.
• Switched back to Stock+ kernel (I mistakenly built the two previous updates with LineageOS' kernel).
Notes:
• For GApps version the Google App had to be removed, so it's highly recommended to flash the GApps Add-on Magisk module to get full functionality.
• Magisk modules.
By @blckbear99
Follow @Pixel1Updates
Join @Pixel1Chat
Google Pixel with Android Pie #Blog
After facing the random reboot issue on Android 10, I decided to step back and check out Android Pie. I did get to experience it for a few weeks before I updated to Android 10, but that's about it. I didn't complain much at that time until I started to face small issues here and there once I updated. What's even worse is that I am unlucky getting a Verizon model, which ultimately made me decide not to get another Pixel anymore. I am being lucky this time as an exploit happened in July 2020, giving me the freedom to do anything I wanted.
After unlocking it, with no hesitation, I went to flash Android 10 ROMs and after trying out many of them, I just ended up on LineageOS for a few years, then later upgraded to Android 11 but got unsatisfied with it so downgraded back to Android 10. Just using it for a few months, I already started to face random reboot, and couldn't stand it any longer and ended up downgrading to Pie to check out how things are working out.
No need for wild guesses and you probably know what I had preferred to use, I went for the last official LineageOS 16.0 build. The most obvious stuff I missed will be a proper dark theme mode, so I had rather left it on light mode all the time just to make everything to be consistent. The whole system itself uses up less space and resources which is appreciated, and some minor Android 10 glitches that I found aren't here at all. And seems like Android 10 messed up the auto white balance for the front camera as this issue doesn't persist on Pie at all.
LineageOS 16.0 also has a lot of features compared to the latter one, and the animation is also nice. As expected, most applications work just fine and are still supported at the time of writing. I only missed out on the Recorder app as it required Android 10 or later but since I don't really use it, not a big deal for me. So far as I can tell, Android Pie is just better overall for the first generation Pixel.
I shouldn't care about this little bug but some system apps are using 35MB which made me though it's a skill issue at first, but then it's yet another bug in the build itself, the actual usage is less than that. Also I just realised Google removed uptime from Android Pie for no reason when I went to check for it, which makes me kind of disappointed, though there's a workaround to use terminal emulator applications to look for it but it's an extra effort to do so.
Other than that, everything looks good, but for some reasons, I just decided to step back further. I only just wish the phone could run without issue, I acknowledge there is no perfect world but I hope the stuff I care about is there and have no issues.
After facing the random reboot issue on Android 10, I decided to step back and check out Android Pie. I did get to experience it for a few weeks before I updated to Android 10, but that's about it. I didn't complain much at that time until I started to face small issues here and there once I updated. What's even worse is that I am unlucky getting a Verizon model, which ultimately made me decide not to get another Pixel anymore. I am being lucky this time as an exploit happened in July 2020, giving me the freedom to do anything I wanted.
After unlocking it, with no hesitation, I went to flash Android 10 ROMs and after trying out many of them, I just ended up on LineageOS for a few years, then later upgraded to Android 11 but got unsatisfied with it so downgraded back to Android 10. Just using it for a few months, I already started to face random reboot, and couldn't stand it any longer and ended up downgrading to Pie to check out how things are working out.
No need for wild guesses and you probably know what I had preferred to use, I went for the last official LineageOS 16.0 build. The most obvious stuff I missed will be a proper dark theme mode, so I had rather left it on light mode all the time just to make everything to be consistent. The whole system itself uses up less space and resources which is appreciated, and some minor Android 10 glitches that I found aren't here at all. And seems like Android 10 messed up the auto white balance for the front camera as this issue doesn't persist on Pie at all.
LineageOS 16.0 also has a lot of features compared to the latter one, and the animation is also nice. As expected, most applications work just fine and are still supported at the time of writing. I only missed out on the Recorder app as it required Android 10 or later but since I don't really use it, not a big deal for me. So far as I can tell, Android Pie is just better overall for the first generation Pixel.
I shouldn't care about this little bug but some system apps are using 35MB which made me though it's a skill issue at first, but then it's yet another bug in the build itself, the actual usage is less than that. Also I just realised Google removed uptime from Android Pie for no reason when I went to check for it, which makes me kind of disappointed, though there's a workaround to use terminal emulator applications to look for it but it's an extra effort to do so.
Other than that, everything looks good, but for some reasons, I just decided to step back further. I only just wish the phone could run without issue, I acknowledge there is no perfect world but I hope the stuff I care about is there and have no issues.
#LineageOS #Official #R #ROM #Sailfish
LineageOS 18.1 - OFFICIAL | Android 11 | Pixel (sailfish)
Updated: 24/5/2023
▪️Download [669MB]
▪️XDA
Changelog:
• May 2023 Security Patch
• Update Android TZDB from 2022g to 2023a [R]
• Updated translations
• Update Chromium Webview to 113.0.5672.132
• Source Changelog
By @npjohnson
Follow @Pixel1Updates
Join @Pixel1Chat
LineageOS 18.1 - OFFICIAL | Android 11 | Pixel (sailfish)
Updated: 24/5/2023
▪️Download [669MB]
▪️XDA
Changelog:
• May 2023 Security Patch
• Update Android TZDB from 2022g to 2023a [R]
• Updated translations
• Update Chromium Webview to 113.0.5672.132
• Source Changelog
By @npjohnson
Follow @Pixel1Updates
Join @Pixel1Chat
Say hello to the new Pixel 1/XL Updates!
Introducing the all-new Pixel 1/XL Updates, the channel for all the Pixel 1/XL related news!
Here are all of our chats and channels:
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Get the latest news from Google and join the development discussions.
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Learn more about Google's prototype devices and software.
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Customize your Telegram client with our Material You themes.
🔵 Pixel 1/XL: @Pixel1Updates | @Pixel1Chat
Chat with Pixel 1 users and learn more about your device.
🟠 Pixel 2/XL: @Pixel2Updates | @Pixel2Chat
Join a community of Pixel 2 enthusiasts, and unlock the full potential of your device.
🟢 Pixel 4a 5G/5/5A: @Pixel5Channel | @Pixel5Chat
Stay up-to-date with news and chat with Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 5 and Pixel 5A users.
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Get the latest updates for the Pixel 6 series and discuss custom software.
Introducing the all-new Pixel 1/XL Updates, the channel for all the Pixel 1/XL related news!
Here are all of our chats and channels:
🌐 Google Pixel Hub: @PixelHubUpdates | @PixelDevelopment
Get the latest news from Google and join the development discussions.
🛠 Google Internal: @GoogleInternal
Learn more about Google's prototype devices and software.
🎨 Material You Themes: @MaterialYouTheme
Customize your Telegram client with our Material You themes.
🔵 Pixel 1/XL: @Pixel1Updates | @Pixel1Chat
Chat with Pixel 1 users and learn more about your device.
🟠 Pixel 2/XL: @Pixel2Updates | @Pixel2Chat
Join a community of Pixel 2 enthusiasts, and unlock the full potential of your device.
🟢 Pixel 4a 5G/5/5A: @Pixel5Channel | @Pixel5Chat
Stay up-to-date with news and chat with Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 5 and Pixel 5A users.
🟡 Pixel 6/6 Pro/6a: @Pixel6Updates | @Pixel6Chat
Get the latest updates for the Pixel 6 series and discuss custom software.
Google Pixel with Android Oreo #Blog
Since I am not satisfied with Android Pie as there is some stuff which annoyed me, I went to Oreo. At first, I actually wanted to daily drive the stock ROM instead, but then got unsatisfied as it lacked some features I use on a daily basis.
Google never allowed users to use the LED indicator as a way to check your battery charging progress. Oh boy, when I first got this phone, I literally first criticised the lack of the feature, like no other phones I owned ever did this to me. It is an easy way for me to know when my phone is going to be fully charged, but without that I have to turn on the screen every single time. Too bad nowadays devices are starting to remove the indicator for a bezel less experience, but some at least still included it to tell you whether you have notifications or your phone is charging or not.
So yeah, I have to go back to LineageOS just specifically for that feature. There isn't even a Magisk module which adds the functionality, sadly. Anyway, the system runs even lighter, which is an expected and welcome benefit. Running Android Oreo felt like I am running a flagship, at least it could run more tasks at the same time and heat up slower or less. System boot up time is also less than 20 seconds if we ignored the bootloader warning screen.
By downgrading to Oreo, this time I lost access to further more applications, farewell Google Camera 7, and I am forced to use an older version of it, and over here Night Sight is missing, RIP. Daylight photos are amazing and I don't use Night Sight often, I guess I could suffer without it. No other apps are being missed out this time and all of them are still supported, except one which I used to fix all the media files for an organised view in the Gallery app, it is only updated for Android Pie & later operating system, anyway the old version works and serves the purpose.
Then there's one system feature I missed: the battery percentage on the ambient display, meaning it's an extra effort to check for the percentage if I wanted to without pressing the power button of the phone. The screen brightness isn't as flexible as in the later versions, you have to enable adaptive brightness in order to adjust to a lower brightness level, which kind of sucks. Another issue but the impact isn't large, while rebooting or shutting down the device, before the screen finally goes black, it will hang there for a few seconds. And if you are wondering about camera failure, it's still there, as usual.
I am more than happy to use it on the Pixel, as long as it doesn't cause further issues. Actually after many days of hoping around, I just end up on the latest Android Oreo build built by Google. I just wanted this Pixel to have a home where it could just live in safely without any issue, just like how any other Android phone will do, though it has to sacrifice some of the available features on later version of the operating system and accept the limitations it has.
Since I am not satisfied with Android Pie as there is some stuff which annoyed me, I went to Oreo. At first, I actually wanted to daily drive the stock ROM instead, but then got unsatisfied as it lacked some features I use on a daily basis.
Google never allowed users to use the LED indicator as a way to check your battery charging progress. Oh boy, when I first got this phone, I literally first criticised the lack of the feature, like no other phones I owned ever did this to me. It is an easy way for me to know when my phone is going to be fully charged, but without that I have to turn on the screen every single time. Too bad nowadays devices are starting to remove the indicator for a bezel less experience, but some at least still included it to tell you whether you have notifications or your phone is charging or not.
So yeah, I have to go back to LineageOS just specifically for that feature. There isn't even a Magisk module which adds the functionality, sadly. Anyway, the system runs even lighter, which is an expected and welcome benefit. Running Android Oreo felt like I am running a flagship, at least it could run more tasks at the same time and heat up slower or less. System boot up time is also less than 20 seconds if we ignored the bootloader warning screen.
By downgrading to Oreo, this time I lost access to further more applications, farewell Google Camera 7, and I am forced to use an older version of it, and over here Night Sight is missing, RIP. Daylight photos are amazing and I don't use Night Sight often, I guess I could suffer without it. No other apps are being missed out this time and all of them are still supported, except one which I used to fix all the media files for an organised view in the Gallery app, it is only updated for Android Pie & later operating system, anyway the old version works and serves the purpose.
Then there's one system feature I missed: the battery percentage on the ambient display, meaning it's an extra effort to check for the percentage if I wanted to without pressing the power button of the phone. The screen brightness isn't as flexible as in the later versions, you have to enable adaptive brightness in order to adjust to a lower brightness level, which kind of sucks. Another issue but the impact isn't large, while rebooting or shutting down the device, before the screen finally goes black, it will hang there for a few seconds. And if you are wondering about camera failure, it's still there, as usual.
I am more than happy to use it on the Pixel, as long as it doesn't cause further issues. Actually after many days of hoping around, I just end up on the latest Android Oreo build built by Google. I just wanted this Pixel to have a home where it could just live in safely without any issue, just like how any other Android phone will do, though it has to sacrifice some of the available features on later version of the operating system and accept the limitations it has.
Google Pixel with Android Nougat #Blog
Before I settled on stock Android Oreo, I decided to downgrade further as there seems to be some files management issues. I know this sounds weird but apparently Files by Google ain’t working well, like deleted files still appeared as it is still there. Ultimately this makes me decide to go back and experience the first ever release build for the Google Pixel, launched with Android Nougat 7.1.0.
Most applications are still supported, in fact most have a minimum requirement of Android Marshmallow these days, so still not something to worry about. The Google Search application has been discontinued though, but experiences are mostly the same and no missing features as of this writing. Google Camera is being downgraded further to version 4 but it’s similar to the latter version anyway, and it of course, still takes good pictures in daylight. Basically the processing has remained unchanged over these years, just more features are added and Night Sight is the only one that I think is the best one implemented.
The good ol’ storage management tool, I missed having the option to clear all cached data at once, though it’s pretty much useless to do this stuff as phones these days are capable of handling this part themselves. The boot animation animates four colorful dots which represent Google's logo color, cool to have but as Oreo managed to boot up the device much quicker, it actually kind of makes sense to remove it. I kind of got a cringe feeling with the power up sound which is something phones in the past used to include, but fortunately Google gave you the option to disable it. Not many things to mention besides all of these, as it is similar in many ways with Android Oreo.
Actually the issue that is mentioned earlier still exists on stock ROM, but then, it’s just considered a third-party application on the phone, so I just decided to uninstall it to avoid further annoyance while I have already flashed the Android Oreo factory image. I am too lazy to switch back to LineageOS this time and things probably work better over here I guess, so the final decision is made.
I really hope this is the last time I will switch ROM for this phone. Android Oreo, as mentioned in the last post, is totally still usable and supported by most apps till today, so I see no issue that it can continue to be a daily driver for many years to come without updating. Too bad something isn't going too well on the other side...
Before I settled on stock Android Oreo, I decided to downgrade further as there seems to be some files management issues. I know this sounds weird but apparently Files by Google ain’t working well, like deleted files still appeared as it is still there. Ultimately this makes me decide to go back and experience the first ever release build for the Google Pixel, launched with Android Nougat 7.1.0.
Most applications are still supported, in fact most have a minimum requirement of Android Marshmallow these days, so still not something to worry about. The Google Search application has been discontinued though, but experiences are mostly the same and no missing features as of this writing. Google Camera is being downgraded further to version 4 but it’s similar to the latter version anyway, and it of course, still takes good pictures in daylight. Basically the processing has remained unchanged over these years, just more features are added and Night Sight is the only one that I think is the best one implemented.
The good ol’ storage management tool, I missed having the option to clear all cached data at once, though it’s pretty much useless to do this stuff as phones these days are capable of handling this part themselves. The boot animation animates four colorful dots which represent Google's logo color, cool to have but as Oreo managed to boot up the device much quicker, it actually kind of makes sense to remove it. I kind of got a cringe feeling with the power up sound which is something phones in the past used to include, but fortunately Google gave you the option to disable it. Not many things to mention besides all of these, as it is similar in many ways with Android Oreo.
Actually the issue that is mentioned earlier still exists on stock ROM, but then, it’s just considered a third-party application on the phone, so I just decided to uninstall it to avoid further annoyance while I have already flashed the Android Oreo factory image. I am too lazy to switch back to LineageOS this time and things probably work better over here I guess, so the final decision is made.
I really hope this is the last time I will switch ROM for this phone. Android Oreo, as mentioned in the last post, is totally still usable and supported by most apps till today, so I see no issue that it can continue to be a daily driver for many years to come without updating. Too bad something isn't going too well on the other side...
#LineageOS #Official #R #ROM #Marlin
LineageOS 18.1 - OFFICIAL | Android 11 | Pixel XL (marlin)
Updated: 12/6/2023
▪️Download [675MB]
▪️XDA
Changelog:
• Updated translations
• Update Chromium Webview to 114.0.5735.61
• June 2023 Security Patch
• Source Changelog
By @npjohnson
Follow @Pixel1Updates
Join @Pixel1Chat
LineageOS 18.1 - OFFICIAL | Android 11 | Pixel XL (marlin)
Updated: 12/6/2023
▪️Download [675MB]
▪️XDA
Changelog:
• Updated translations
• Update Chromium Webview to 114.0.5735.61
• June 2023 Security Patch
• Source Changelog
By @npjohnson
Follow @Pixel1Updates
Join @Pixel1Chat
Final Decision & The Complaint #Blog
The operating system update mechanism kind of sucks but it is what it is. Older operating systems are just as well usable, but companies mostly focused on their latest releases so they usually discontinued the older one and made them become vulnerable to security issues over time. They actually could keep it updated but as less and less users are using it, it’s just not worth the time doing so. Basically old is gold but we have to take care of it with extra cautions. Anyway, just after going back to Oreo for a day or two, I just decided to leave the phone in hibernation, as this phone is about to face some of the worst nightmare soon: hardware failure. I have been talking about the camera failure that has happened to me all this time, and sometimes I had to kill the camera service in order to use it again,
One day, it decided to freeze after doing so. I went to search online and people said it's more like a hardware failure, which frightens me for a sec. I have no other choice but to backup everything and migrate them onto my daily driver if I want this phone to be alive in the future. By doing this, I lost access to a great camera. Actually it is also the only reason why I had continued to use it for several more years. Other than that, this phone is giving me a lot of headache, as Android Pie and later on with stock ROM is where things start to go wrong on the Pixel, kind of disappointed when it's a clean stock Android experience.
People praised the Pixel lineup as one of the best smartphones, I hope that's true for all the later generations, at least that's not the case for Pixel 4 and earlier models, which we see people reporting camera issues mostly. Software defines how a person uses and experiences the phone, but if hardware decided to fail, how would one experience the software in the first place? If I had to choose between two cameras, one with long-lasting hardware that takes average quality photos and videos and one with amazing camera performance but the hardware only lasts for a few years time, or even worse, it might break earlier, I would rather just go for the first one. If you are rich, you may ignore it since you could just somehow upgrade every year for the latest features and most likely won’t care about longevity issue.
Among all the phones I have used before, Pixel is the first ever phone to have a camera that is dying off over time. I don’t know how many first generation Pixel will continue to survive over time, at least the first few iPhone generations models seem to be doing well on many people’s hands, probably because it’s not used frequently or what, so the lifespan is extended, I don’t know though. Samsung phones released in the early 2010s are also holding up well, and meanwhile many Pixels haven’t surpassed five years old and it’s already starting to beg for death. Is this a sign that Google actually designed the phone not to last long, and yet another reason why they could sell their phones for their lower price? No one knows for sure, at least for the time being.
The motive of me getting a Pixel is just purely the hype from the custom ROM community, which discusses mostly stock Android experience, with some replicating the Pixel UI. It’s not bad on the surface of course, until you will eventually realise as the device approaches the end of support, it runs into more issues, even though it only has a few set of features. This somehow made me feel that a custom ROM on a random mid-range phone could have better experience than a flagship phone that came with stock Android out of the box, at least that’s with the case for the Pixel 1 series. “The best camera I ever had and yet the worst I ever owned.” ~ P
The operating system update mechanism kind of sucks but it is what it is. Older operating systems are just as well usable, but companies mostly focused on their latest releases so they usually discontinued the older one and made them become vulnerable to security issues over time. They actually could keep it updated but as less and less users are using it, it’s just not worth the time doing so. Basically old is gold but we have to take care of it with extra cautions. Anyway, just after going back to Oreo for a day or two, I just decided to leave the phone in hibernation, as this phone is about to face some of the worst nightmare soon: hardware failure. I have been talking about the camera failure that has happened to me all this time, and sometimes I had to kill the camera service in order to use it again,
One day, it decided to freeze after doing so. I went to search online and people said it's more like a hardware failure, which frightens me for a sec. I have no other choice but to backup everything and migrate them onto my daily driver if I want this phone to be alive in the future. By doing this, I lost access to a great camera. Actually it is also the only reason why I had continued to use it for several more years. Other than that, this phone is giving me a lot of headache, as Android Pie and later on with stock ROM is where things start to go wrong on the Pixel, kind of disappointed when it's a clean stock Android experience.
People praised the Pixel lineup as one of the best smartphones, I hope that's true for all the later generations, at least that's not the case for Pixel 4 and earlier models, which we see people reporting camera issues mostly. Software defines how a person uses and experiences the phone, but if hardware decided to fail, how would one experience the software in the first place? If I had to choose between two cameras, one with long-lasting hardware that takes average quality photos and videos and one with amazing camera performance but the hardware only lasts for a few years time, or even worse, it might break earlier, I would rather just go for the first one. If you are rich, you may ignore it since you could just somehow upgrade every year for the latest features and most likely won’t care about longevity issue.
Among all the phones I have used before, Pixel is the first ever phone to have a camera that is dying off over time. I don’t know how many first generation Pixel will continue to survive over time, at least the first few iPhone generations models seem to be doing well on many people’s hands, probably because it’s not used frequently or what, so the lifespan is extended, I don’t know though. Samsung phones released in the early 2010s are also holding up well, and meanwhile many Pixels haven’t surpassed five years old and it’s already starting to beg for death. Is this a sign that Google actually designed the phone not to last long, and yet another reason why they could sell their phones for their lower price? No one knows for sure, at least for the time being.
The motive of me getting a Pixel is just purely the hype from the custom ROM community, which discusses mostly stock Android experience, with some replicating the Pixel UI. It’s not bad on the surface of course, until you will eventually realise as the device approaches the end of support, it runs into more issues, even though it only has a few set of features. This somehow made me feel that a custom ROM on a random mid-range phone could have better experience than a flagship phone that came with stock Android out of the box, at least that’s with the case for the Pixel 1 series. “The best camera I ever had and yet the worst I ever owned.” ~ P
Google Pixel 1/XL | Updates
Photo
Android 13 booted on Pixel XL courtesy of rootfan
XDA Forums
[UNOFFICIAL] LineageOS 20 for the Google Pixel XL
lineage-20.0-20230815-UNOFFICIAL-marlin.zip
lineage-20.0-20230609-UNOFFICIAL-marlin.zip
Disclaimer: This is an experimental build making use of a 4.4 kernel port. While everything has worked...
lineage-20.0-20230609-UNOFFICIAL-marlin.zip
Disclaimer: This is an experimental build making use of a 4.4 kernel port. While everything has worked...
#LineageOS #Unofficial #A13 #ROM #Marlin
LineageOS 20.0 - UNOFFICIAL | Android 13 | Pixel XL (marlin)
Updated: 9/6/2023
▪️Download
▪️XDA
Changelog:
• Experimental release with 4.4 kernel port
Known issues:
• SElinux is permissive
• Data and time reset to build date on boot
• USB PD testing untested
• Its likely you'll have to reboot after installation for VoLTE to work
By rootfan
Follow @Pixel1Updates
Join @Pixel1Chat
LineageOS 20.0 - UNOFFICIAL | Android 13 | Pixel XL (marlin)
Updated: 9/6/2023
▪️Download
▪️XDA
Changelog:
• Experimental release with 4.4 kernel port
Known issues:
• SElinux is permissive
• Data and time reset to build date on boot
• USB PD testing untested
• Its likely you'll have to reboot after installation for VoLTE to work
By rootfan
Follow @Pixel1Updates
Join @Pixel1Chat
A weird thought on smartphones #Blog
Every time I set up a ROM on my phone, I always have a guilty feeling in my mind, like why did phones exist? Yes, the phone brings us a lot of convenience, and without it, how would you connect with the world? Yes, I appreciated the existence of smartphones, it is helpful, but then, I didn't like something about it.
As you should know, I have a Pixel device, but recently it is facing a camera failure issue (at least it’s not permanent, for now). And looking forward to other Pixel devices, the latter generation is having the same issue but it's happening for more people, followed by the next one and another. Then Pixel 4 & 5 having their back case and screen separated, Pixel 6 camera bar defected, and Pixel 7 having their power & volume buttons dropping off, like seriously. And when it comes to reviews, many praised it as easy-to-use and somehow the best phone of the year, and for multiple times.
When we bought a phone, we wanted it to last as long as possible, and due to the large demand of phone releases from multiple manufacturers, the reviews are mostly just two weeks of usage before the phone is released to the public. At least we get an idea of how well the phone does in its initial stage, but rarely we see anyone out there doing a review for their phone even after using it for years. That's where the manufacturer could start to play dirty in this part, but not in an obvious way of course.
Pixel just seems to be a suitable example for this case. Online reviews said it was good, running clean software etc. but if hardware decided to fail, how could we use it? Google even faced a lawsuit where there was an audio IC issue for the 1st generation of Pixel after years being launched, and that's just one of the many issues users faced.
After all, even though tech reviewers praised it as the best smartphone or whatever, not many people still decided to buy it, as the market share showed. Monthly security update, a software without additional bloatware, easy to use, tech geek & reviewers appreciated it, but what about the normal users out there? Many other OEMs are able to understand it and aim specifically at this part, the productivity section. Google is actually lacking behind a lot at this part though they did try, and this will be continued in the next blog.
Every time I set up a ROM on my phone, I always have a guilty feeling in my mind, like why did phones exist? Yes, the phone brings us a lot of convenience, and without it, how would you connect with the world? Yes, I appreciated the existence of smartphones, it is helpful, but then, I didn't like something about it.
As you should know, I have a Pixel device, but recently it is facing a camera failure issue (at least it’s not permanent, for now). And looking forward to other Pixel devices, the latter generation is having the same issue but it's happening for more people, followed by the next one and another. Then Pixel 4 & 5 having their back case and screen separated, Pixel 6 camera bar defected, and Pixel 7 having their power & volume buttons dropping off, like seriously. And when it comes to reviews, many praised it as easy-to-use and somehow the best phone of the year, and for multiple times.
When we bought a phone, we wanted it to last as long as possible, and due to the large demand of phone releases from multiple manufacturers, the reviews are mostly just two weeks of usage before the phone is released to the public. At least we get an idea of how well the phone does in its initial stage, but rarely we see anyone out there doing a review for their phone even after using it for years. That's where the manufacturer could start to play dirty in this part, but not in an obvious way of course.
Pixel just seems to be a suitable example for this case. Online reviews said it was good, running clean software etc. but if hardware decided to fail, how could we use it? Google even faced a lawsuit where there was an audio IC issue for the 1st generation of Pixel after years being launched, and that's just one of the many issues users faced.
After all, even though tech reviewers praised it as the best smartphone or whatever, not many people still decided to buy it, as the market share showed. Monthly security update, a software without additional bloatware, easy to use, tech geek & reviewers appreciated it, but what about the normal users out there? Many other OEMs are able to understand it and aim specifically at this part, the productivity section. Google is actually lacking behind a lot at this part though they did try, and this will be continued in the next blog.