LG V40 ThinQ Android 10 kernel source code published ahead of LG UX 9.0 rollout

The smartphone wing of LG heavily struggled in 2019 due to lagging sales, and the company might even drop their flagship G-series brand this year. The Korean OEM is also having a hard time to keep their existing phones up-to-date, as only a handful of LG flagships have received the Android 10 update so far. According to LG’s official update roadmap, the LG G8X ThinQ is next in line to get the taste of Android 10, while the LG G7 ThinQ, LG G8S ThinQ, and the LG V40 ThinQ will experience the same in Q3 2020. The company has now gone ahead and published kernel sources for Android 10 for the LG V40 ThinQ.

LG V40 ThinQ XDA Forums

At the time of reporting, we can only spot the kernel source code corresponding to the Korean variant of the LG V40 ThinQ (model number LMV409). The early arrival could be related to the fact that LG Korea is scheduled to deliver the stable version of Android 10 to the LG V40 ThinQ in the second quarter of 2020, way before the global rollout. The current package is based on the software version v30a, which might be the build version of the upcoming LG UX 9.0 OTA for the Korean edition of the phone.

LG V40 ThinQ Android 10 Kernel Sources

It is worth mentioning that only the European variant of the LG V40 (model number LMV405EBW) is officially whitelisted for bootloader unlocking. Interestingly, XDA Member Xsavi has come up with an exploit based on an engineering bootloader from the LG V35 ThinQ, which can be used to unlock other variants (except the T-Mobile one). An unofficial version of LineageOS 17.0 is already available for the phone on our forums, and owners of the LG V40 ThinQ should expect further custom ROM experiences thanks to the updated kernel source.

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Source: LG Open Source Code

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POCO X2 Custom Development Update: Paranoid Android, arter97 kernel, Google Camera port, more

Earlier this year in January, Xiaomi India set up POCO as an independent brand and, shortly thereafter, the newly-formed brand launched the POCO X2 into the market. Since the POCO F1 was quite a big hit among custom ROM enthusiasts and developers alike, POCO sent out a couple of units of the new POCO X2 (review) to custom ROM and kernel developers in order to help kickstart third-party development for the device. Development on our forums has been on high gear ever since and here’s our first custom development roundup for the POCO X2.

POCO X2 XDA Forums || Buy the POCO X2 from Flipkart (starting at ₹15,999)

POCO X2 Custom ROMs

Paranoid Android

The popular Paranoid Android custom ROM is now available in alpha for the POCO X2. The ROM, which is based on Android 10, comes with the arter97 kernel, Magisk, and Open GApps nano preinstalled. It’s packed to the brim with personalization features, however, since it’s still in the early stages of development, there are some major issues. Other than the device-specific issues mentioned in the forum post (linked below), the ROM is quite unstable and often leads to the device becoming unresponsive after it’s left unused for some time. Regardless, it’s great to see such a popular custom ROM already up and running on the POCO X2 so soon.

Paranoid Android Quartz for the POCO X2

Unofficial LineageOS 17.1

Much like Paranoid Android, LineageOS is among the most popular custom ROMs that you can get on any device and fans of the ROM will be glad to know that it’s now available for the POCO X2. You can flash the unofficially build of LineageOS 17.1, based on Android 10, on your POCO X2 by following the instructions in the forum post (linked below). Based on the comments in the post, most of the ROMs features work flawlessly, however, it does have some minor issues. If you’re a fan of the stock Android look, then I would highly recommend taking this custom ROM for a spin.

Unofficial LineageOS 17.1 for the POCO X2

Pixel Experience ROM

If you’re a stock Android enthusiast and want to experience vanilla Android just like on Google’s own Pixel devices, then you should definitely check out the Pixel Experience ROM on your POCO X2. The ROM, which is based on Android 10, comes with all Google apps and Pixel goodies, like the launcher, wallpapers, icons, font, and boot animation. Do note that the ROM doesn’t support custom kernels, so make sure you’re using the stock kernel on your device before you go ahead and flash the ROM.

Pixel Experience for the POCO X2

Xiaomi.eu ROM

For those of you who really like MIUI, but wish to get access to a few additional customization options, there’s the Xiaomi.eu ROM. Based on MIUI 11, the custom ROM has been localized for the European markets and does away with the bloatware and advertisements that are known to plague stock MIUI. If that sounds interesting, then you should head over to the Xiaomi.eu forums linked below and follow the instructions in the comments to get the ROM up and running on your device.

Xiaomi.eu ROM for the POCO X2

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POCO X2 Custom Kernels

Arter97 kernel

XDA Recognized Developer arter97, who was among the developers to receive a POCO X2 from the company, has now released his custom kernel for the device. The kernel brings several improvements to the POCO X2, including better memory management, UFS optimizations, and WireGuard support among other things. To try out the kernel for yourself, you can follow the instruction in the forum post linked below, but make sure you install it on a supported custom ROM or you may face some unwanted issues.

arter97 kernel for the POCO X2

Optimus Drunk kernel

Along with arter97, the POCO X2 was also sent out to XDA Recognized Developer GtrCraft who has now released the Optimus Drunk kernel for the device. The kernel is compatible with MIUI and includes improvements like WireGuard support, Wakelock blocker, Westwood TCP and more. Try out the kernel on your POCO X2 by following the instructions in the forum post linked below.

Optimus Drunk kernel for the POCO X2

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POCO X2 Mods and Recovery

Google Camera Port

Fans of the Google Camera mod will be glad to know that a port is now available for the POCO X2. The port, which is based on Google Camera v7.3.020, reportedly works quite well with little to no issues. As per the forum post (linked below), you’ll be able to enjoy all Google Camera features on your POCO X2 using this port, however, you might encounter some issues while recording slow-motion video.

Google Camera Port for the POCO X2

Unofficial TWRP

If you wish to install any of the aforementioned custom ROMs or kernels on your POCO X2, you’ll first need to flash a custom recovery on your device. Thankfully, an unofficial build of the popular TWRP custom recovery is now available for the device and you can flash it by following the instructions in the forum post linked below.

Unofficial TWRP recovery for the POCO X2

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NewPipe lets you watch higher quality YouTube videos in India

Most of us are staying at home due to the Coronavirus pandemic. While it means more work for some and leisure for others, the burden on the internet has increased multi-fold as people seek new ways to keep their spirits high while in quarantine. This anticipation of the burden on the internet has led stakeholders and content providers to throttle the quality, especially of videos, to forestall the internet from collapsing. Following the nationwide lockdown announced in India last week in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, we noticed that YouTube also started restricting the quality of videos on smartphones to 480p in the country irrespective of the nature or quality of the internet connection. If you dislike this forced change, an unofficial and ad-free YouTube client called NewPipe is a great alternative to watch YouTube in the maximum quality supported by your phone.

NewPipe works without the YouTube API or Google framework libraries so you can install it on any Android device, even those without Google Mobile Services. You don’t even need a Google account to use NewPipe – in fact, there is no method to log in. You can simply subscribe to the creators you like within the app and enjoy without any restrictions or ads.

As can be seen in the screenshots above, NewPipe allows playing the same video at 1080p 60fps which has been restricted to 480p on the official YouTube app. Trying with different videos yields the same results. NewPipe supports video playback at up to 4K but the highest available resolution may be limited depending on the resolution to your phone’s display – and that’s 1080p in my case.

Other than using NewPipe, you can also use a VPN to watch YouTube videos in higher quality. But note that doing so will cost you a lot of data, so only use a VPN if it either has a reasonably fair usage limit or unlimited bandwidth.

Features that NewPipe offers include direct import of YouTube subscriptions, picture-in-picture (PiP) video playback, and background playback even when the display is off. Additionally, the video player interface supports swipe gestures for volume, brightness, and double tap for play or pause. You can also import your YouTube subscriptions manually to have the same experience with NewPipe.

The latest version, released recently, also gets Feed Grouping for stacking similar channels in a single folder. It also introduces a new mute button which saves you the effort of lowering the volume step by step.

Download NewPipe from GitHub

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Samsung Galaxy S20 has a hidden 96Hz display mode: Here’s how to enable it

Samsung recently unveiled their Galaxy S20 lineup of smartphones. They have all of the bells and whistles you would expect from a Samsung flagship by now, including decently-performing cameras as well as top-of-the-line internals, but they also have one notable key feature, which is a high refresh rate display. The Samsung Galaxy S20 series has a display that supports a maximum resolution of 3200×1440 (WQHD+) and a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz. Despite some limitations, such as the fact that the 120Hz mode is limited to an FHD+ resolution (WQHD+ is limited to 60Hz, so you either have one or the other), it was a first and a major milestone for Samsung.

120Hz will clearly make your phone look really smooth, but with one downside: battery life. In display settings, you can choose to make the Galaxy S20 run at 2400×1080 (FHD+) and/or 60Hz: unlike many other smartphones from other manufacturers, there is no midway 90Hz option, leaving 60Hz and 120Hz as your two only options. 120Hz refreshes your display twice as quickly as 60Hz does, taking a toll on your battery life in the process. However, we recently discovered that these aren’t the only modes that the display supports: there are other hidden display modes you can set in the Galaxy S20s.

XDA Forums: Galaxy S20 || Galaxy S20+ || Galaxy S20 Ultra

If you run the shell command “dumpsys display,” you’ll find that the Galaxy S20’s display actually supports the following modes:

[{id=1, width=1440, height=3200, fps=60.000004}, 
{id=2, width=1440, height=3200, fps=48.0}, 
{id=3, width=1080, height=2400, fps=120.00001}, 
{id=4, width=1080, height=2400, fps=96.00001}, 
{id=5, width=1080, height=2400, fps=60.000004}, 
{id=6, width=1080, height=2400, fps=48.0}, 
{id=7, width=720, height=1600, fps=120.00001}, 
{id=8, width=720, height=1600, fps=96.00001}, 
{id=9, width=720, height=1600, fps=60.000004}, 
{id=10, width=720, height=1600, fps=48.0}]

Here, we can see that there are several resolutions and refresh rates that are not accessible to the user: 1600×720 (HD+) resolution, 96fps, and 48fps. Despite the fact that these modes are not toggleable through the phone’s Settings, though, the fact that they show up here means that the phone supports these modes, and as such, we can force the Galaxy S20 to run in one of these modes.

By changing the value of Settings.System.peak_refresh_rate and Settings.System.min_refresh_rate to 48.0 or 96.0, you can set the refresh rate of your Galaxy S20 to one of these hidden values. Setting your phone to 96Hz will give you a slight bump in battery life as your display won’t refresh content as often, while still getting the advantages of having a high refresh rate on your display: it’ll still look considerably smoother than 60Hz. It will still not work with WQHD+, though, as that combination is not listed as one of the supported display modes.

Buy from Amazon.in — Samsung Galaxy: S20 || S20+ || S20 Ultra

To save you the hassle of running shell commands, though, XDA Senior Member sathishtony has put together a simple app that lets you change between 96Hz and 120Hz. The app even adds two Quick Setting tiles to toggle between the refresh rate modes. The app is open source and extremely simple because all it does is change the peak_refresh_rate and min_refresh_rate settings values for you. You can confirm if the change is working by going to testufo.com.

Check out the app on XDA Labs right now!

S20 Refresh Rate Controller (Free, XDA Labs) →

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Huawei P40 Pro allegedly still contains US-made components

After months of leaks and teasers, Huawei finally announced its flagship P40 series earlier this month. As you’d expect, the latest flagships from Huawei packed in some impressive hardware but they lacked one key component on the software front — Google Mobile Services. Instead of running Google Mobile Services (GMS) like all other Android devices, Huawei’s P40 series featured Huawei Mobile Services — an in-house alternative that was developed as a result of the trade ban imposed on the company. Interestingly though, a recent report from the Financial Times claims that the Huawei P40 Pro still makes use of some US-made components.

For the unaware, the trade ban on Huawei restricts US companies from conducting business with the Chinese company. As a result, the Mate 30 series and the Huawei Y9 Prime from last year were released without GMS. Back in December last year, we also learned that the two devices didn’t make use of any US-made hardware. However, things seem to have changed over the last couple of months. A teardown of the Huawei P40 Pro conducted by Shenzhen-based XYZone, which disassembles smartphones and identifies the suppliers of their components, reveals that the device’s radio-frequency front-end modules were produced by US-based chip manufacturers Qualcomm, Skyworks, and Qorvo.

While the report further reveals that the Qualcomm component in the Huawei P40 Pro is covered by a license from the US Department of Commerce, there is no indication from Qorvo or Skyworks if their parts are covered by a similar license. Even though the Huawei P40 series does make use of some US-made components, to its credit the company has successfully managed to replace some prominent US-based suppliers like Micron, which supplied flash storage chips from the P30 series. Instead, the P40 series makes use of storage chips made by Samsung. It’s also worth noting that Huawei’s flagship SoC, the HiSilicon Kirin 990, makes use of ARM Cortex-A76 and ARM Cortex-A55 cores from ARM Holdings, which is another US-based company.

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Source: Financial Times

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Whatsapp Beta v2.20.110 hints at upcoming multi-device support and expiring messages

WhatsApp is the world’s most popular messaging app. But it has several limitations as compared to other messengers that bind you to a particular phone or Android tablet. This may change soon as WhatsApp is reportedly working on support for simultaneous usage on multiple devices. Other than supporting multiple devices, WhatsApp might also allow users to send self-expiring messages in the near future.

Multiple devices

In the latest WhatsApp beta version 2.20.110, WABetaInfo discovered new references to multiple device support. WhatsApp appears to be working on this new feature that will allow users to log into the same WhatsApp account on different devices. They will be able to chat using the same account on more than one device at the same time. Unlike WhatsApp Web or desktop apps, this feature would not require a host and a dependent device and it will be available on both Android and iOS.

Every time a new device is added to an account, the encryption keys will update in response to the change. All of the user’s contacts will be notified of this change, although the messages might be different for stable and for beta versions of WhatsApp.

The feature is still under development and will be available in the future.

Expiring messages

We’ve been hearing about WhatsApp’s intention to add self-destructing messages. The “Disappearing Messages” feature was first reported last October and was only applicable to groups. Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago, the feature was spotted again, this time with a different name – “Delete messages,” and with support for private conversations besides group chats. Now, the feature has popped up again; it is now called “Expiring messages” and is now targetted at both – groups and private messages.

Expiring messages can be visible for either 1 day, 1 week, or 1 month and the messages disappear from the chat automatically after the completion of this duration. In previous versions, there was a “1 hour” option as well but, it now appears to have been removed.

Expiring Messages are only visible to administrators in the group. For individual chats, a timer icon will be used to represent that the feature has been toggled on. This icon can be seen along with the profile picture in the chat list and inside the chat and also on each chat bubble.

Like Multiple device support, Expiring messages are also under development and may be available in the future.

Video status limitations in India

In India, WhatsApp is apparently limiting the duration of the video status to 15 seconds and videos longer than that will not be published. This is apparently to prevent local servers from overloading amidst the nationwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

ANNOUNCEMENT:
You can no longer send videos to WhatsApp Status if they are longer than 16 seconds: only videos having a duration of 15 seconds will be allowed.
This is happening in India and it’s probably an initiative to reduce the traffic on the server infrastructures.

— WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) March 28, 2020

This limit is likely to revert back after the lockdown ends.

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Xiaomi releases the Redmi K30 Pro kernel source code

Xiaomi first unveiled their Redmi K series last year with the Redmi K20 and the Redmi K20 Pro. While the former was an upper-midrange flagship, the latter is the one that got the most attention, since it fit very snugly into the “flagship-killer” category. Early this year, we got to know the Redmi K30 lineup, first unveiled with the standard Redmi K30 (which then went on to launch in India as the POCO X2) and the Redmi K30 5G. More recently, Xiaomi also announced the Redmi K30 Pro, which follows the footsteps of its predecessor in bringing a flagship processor (the Snapdragon 865 in this case) to a competitive price point.

Just like all other Xiaomi devices from 2020, the new Redmi K30 Pro (which might launch under the POCO branding in India just like the Redmi K30 did) launched with Android 10 with MIUI 11 on top, but MIUI might not be everyone’s cup of tea. Luckily, just like other Xiaomi phones, developers can start custom development projects for the Redmi K30 Pro since Xiaomi has just released the Linux kernel source code for the device, code-named “lmi”. This comes as no surprise since Xiaomi has lately been on top of their game in timely kernel source code releases. They also recently released the Linux kernel source code for the other devices in their recent lineups, such as the Redmi K30 5G and the Xiaomi Mi 10 series.

If you’re a developer and you’re interested in building TWRP or AOSP for this device, then you can go ahead and download the kernel source right now from GitHub. Given that this is one of the cheapest devices to launch with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, it’s likely that development for it will flourish once the device makes its way outside of China.

Redmi K30 Pro Kernel Sources

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