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Samsung ships its “Galaxy” branded smartphones and tablets highly modified Android software builds, the latest generation of which is known as One UI. Besides all the UI/UX related differences from stock Android, there is one specific feature that makes Samsung’s Android devices very unique compared to devices from other manufacturers. The Korean OEM substitutes the regular Fastboot mechanism with its own protocol in their products. Internally named after characters from the Norse Mythology, the piece of code running on the device is known as “Loke”, while the remote-side (usually a PC) component is called “Odin”.
How to Download Odin Firmware to Downgrade, Upgrade, or Restore your Samsung Galaxy
The lack of a Fastboot compatible interface might sound like a huge roadblock for the modding scene, but the aftermarket developer community has always managed to get their hands on leaked Odin binaries to get things done. The custom protocol itself was reverse-engineered long ago, resulting in a cross-platform open-source flashing tool called Heimdall. One can compile Heimdall from source or simply grab a patched version of Odin in order to root their Samsung Galaxy devices, install a custom recovery like TWRP, and perform many other flashing jobs.
Once you’ve got TWRP installed, you can easily replace Samsung’s version of Android with a custom Android ROM like LineageOS. Even if there are no custom ROMs available for your Samsung model, you can technically install a Generic System Image (GSI), provided the device is Project Treble compliant as well as comes with an unlockable bootloader. However, porting TWRP to recent Samsung devices running Android 10/One UI 2 out of the box (e.g. the Galaxy S20 series) is a complicated task. The unavailability of a stable custom recovery directly hinders the ability of installing custom ROMs/GSIs on such models.
XDA Junior Member kkoo has now come up with a clever idea to bypass most of these hurdles. Given the fact that Samsung’s official firmware package is nothing but a collection of LZ4 compressed archives, a similarly packed custom ROM (or GSI) can be flashed using Odin. The Verified Boot feature of the target device has to be disabled beforehand, which can be achieved by installing a null vbmeta image provided by Google.
All the instructions you need to follow have been posted in the forum thread linked below. The process described by XDA Junior Member kkoo requires executing some command-line scripts from your computer running Windows. Instructions for flashing and configuring GSIs are also linked in the same forum post.
Using Odin to install custom ROM/GSI on Samsung Galaxy device without TWRP
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Update 2 (07/04/2020 @ 02:45 AM ET): Android 10 beta stable recovery ROM download link has been added for the global variant of the Redmi 7A. Xiaomi is also pushing a new build of Android 10 for this phone in Europe.
Update 1 (06/30/2020 @ 06:40 AM ET): Android 10 beta stable recovery ROM download link has been added for the Indian variant of the Redmi 7A. Scroll to the bottom for more information. The article as published on June 19, 2020, is preserved below.
The Redmi A series is intended for the entry-level Android smartphone market, and the lineup truly offers the best bang for the buck. They can easily outperform the Android Go-powered phones from the same budget segment, thanks to the better hardware configuration. In terms of software updates, Xiaomi usually delivers one major Android version update to these phones, albeit the MIUI layer is refreshed more than once before EOL. Staying true to its reputation, the company has now rolled out the Android 10 update for the Redmi 7A.
The Snapdragon 439-powered Redmi 7A was launched back in 2019 with an exceptionally low ₹5,799 ($85) price tag for the base (2GB RAM/16GB storage) version. The factory-installed operating system was MIUI 10 on top of Android 9 Pie. Although Xiaomi managed to deliver the MIUI 11 update in a fairly quick manner, they didn’t upgrade the underlying Android layer at that time.
Redmi 7A XDA Review – Great Phone, Even Greater Pricing
The wait is finally over, as the long-anticipated Android 10 update has now landed on the Redmi 7A. At the time of reporting, the OTA is available on the European variant of the phone, but it is technically possible to cross-flash it on other regional models. The version number of the new build, which is still based on MIUI 11, is V11.0.1.0.QCMEUXM, and it bumps the Android security patch level (SPL) to May 2020. Other regions should get their updates soon.
It is worth mentioning that the aforementioned build is considered as “stable beta” at the time of publishing. As a result, users need an “authorized Mi Account” (with beta tester privileges) to sideload the above package. The restriction can be bypassed by flashing the recovery ROM using a custom recovery like TWRP. Once Xiaomi greenlights the build to be stable enough, they will flip a server-side switch to remove the Mi Account verification requirement. The same download file will then be installable on the phone without needing a beta tester Account. But as of right now, you can either flash it through TWRP, or arrange for an authorized Mi Account with beta tester privileges.
The Indian variant of the Redmi 7A is now getting its Android 10 update with the May 2020 security patches in the “stable beta” form. The build number is V11.0.1.0.QCMINXM. You can download the relevant recovery ROM by clicking on this link.
The Android 10 OTA is now gradually hitting the global Redmi 7A units. Moreover, Xiaomi has released a new build of Android 10 with the June 2020 security patches in Europe after pulling back the initial build. Grab the appropriate package for your model from the list below.
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ASUS is one of the few smartphone makers that offer more than one kind of Android software experience on their smartphones. The company maintains a dedicated product lineup for Android purists that was initiated back in 2018 with the release of the ZenFone Max Pro M1. The phone was shipped with a close-to-stock build of Android 8.1 Oreo and received its Android 9 Pie update later on. Regarding Android 10, ASUS has been conducting a public beta test for a while. The OEM is now ready to offer the third beta build of Android 10 for the ZenFone Max Pro M1.
ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 XDA Forums
The new build bumps the internal software version number from 17.2017.2004.424 to 17.2017.2006.429. Similar to the previous beta updates for this phone, users need to manually download the full firmware package from ASUS’ download portal. The lack of an incremental OTA means that the required download size is nearly 1.7GB. The Android security patch level of this build is June 2020.
The changelog published on ASUS’ official download portal is a bit strange as it contains entries from the second beta build as well. Due to the fact that the builds are cumulative in nature, all the fixes and feature enhancements from the previous two beta updates are definitely present in the newest beta build. Here are the changes that are actually new:
It is worth mentioning that the update ZIP file might not be compatible with TWRP. You must either restore the stock recovery image in order to flash the package or manually modify the updater script to make it TWRP-friendly. Also, note that the Japanese SKU of the ZenFone Max Pro M1 is not officially supported for the current beta program.
Download the third Android 10 beta for the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1
Download downgrade package to revert back to Android Pie
Source: ASUS
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We talk a lot about Chrome when it comes to Android browsers, but there are several other great options available. Firefox is one such browser and Mozilla maintains a few different builds for people looking to try the latest features. There is stable Firefox, Firefox Beta, Firefox Nightly, Firefox Preview, and Firefox Preview Nightly. Sound messy? Mozilla agrees, which is why they’re eliminating the Preview builds.
Mozilla has started alerting users that they are making some changes to Firefox releases. Soon, there will only be Firefox, Firefox Beta, and Firefox Nightly. The Preview builds will be combined with Nightly, and the Preview Nighty builds will be discontinued entirely. This is a much more straightforward approach and should make it easier for users to decide which build to use.
If you want to use “new” Firefox (a.k.a. Fenix), the version powered by GeckoView, the Nightly build is the one to download. The Firefox Beta builds are more stable but still preview some upcoming features. Lastly, there’s the stable version for those who just need a rock-solid browser. Mozilla is also keeping the privacy-centric “Firefox Focus” browser around, but that’s a separate product from the main browser.
The transition is going to be a little rocky at first. Currently, there are still three different “Nightly” versions of Firefox listed in the Play Store. Eventually, there will only be the three browsers listed below. A Firefox developer clarified how the three builds were chosen:
There were some technical reasons along with keeping the apps with the largest active userbases why the 3 builds were chosen. The people in r/firefox made some incorrect assumptions about what builds were going to survive. The active full-featured browsers are:
Firefox Browser (Free, Google Play) →
Firefox for Android Beta (Free, Google Play) →
Firefox Nightly (Free, Google Play) →
Source: Reddit
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The smartphone industry is gearing up for some exciting smartphone launches. Among these are OnePlus’ return to the mid-range segment with the OnePlus Nord, Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Note 20 series, the ASUS ROG Phone 3, and POCO’s next mid-ranger, the POCO M2 Pro. All of these devices other than the Galaxy Note 20 series are expected to launch this month itself. In anticipation of active discussion before the launch and development afterward, we’re opening XDA Forums for each of these devices.
The first mention of OnePlus’ purported mid-range smartphone came only a few months after the company launched the 7T series last year. Since then, there have been many modifications to the claims about the specifications, and even the name of the smartphone. OnePlus finally settled (no pun intended) it by officially confirming the phone will be called OnePlus Nord, which is most likely to be a new series of affordable smartphones rather than just one device. The first OnePlus Nord phone is set to run on Snapdragon 765G mobile platform whereas its dual-hole-punch selfie camera has already been “exclusively teased.”
The phone is expected to launch on July 10th and will attract more people than just the OnePlus enthusiasts who departed from their fanboyism due to rising prices of OnePlus devices. The Nord has been confirmed to cost under $500 which is the same territory that OnePlus started its journey with.
Samsung is gearing to unveil the Galaxy Note 20 series along with up to new foldable smartphones. Like the Galaxy S20 series, Note 20 will be available in three variants – the regular Note 20, Note 20+, and a Note 20 Ultra, which was recently leaked accidentally by Samsung on its Russian website. For the other variants, there have been a plethora of rumors and leaks divulging the majority of the specifications of these devices. While a Snapdragon 865 was already expected, Samsung might also launch a new 5nm Exynos 992 chipset for markets other than the U.S., China, and some other parts of North and South America.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Series XDA Forums
Meanwhile, the Plus and the Ultra models in the series are expected to get 108MP cameras while a range of 4,000-5,000mAh for the battery capacity is what we’re probably looking at. Last but not the least, the Note 20 series is likely to sport 120Hz Super AMOLED displays, but excluding the base model.
Note: We’ll keep the forums for Samsung Galaxy Note 20 series combined.
Besides these exciting flagships, we’re also looking forward to a new device from Xiaomi’s spin-off brand POCO. The POCO M2 Pro is supposed to be an India-specific device that launches on July 7th. The phone is most likely a rebadged global Redmi Note 9 Pro (Redmi Note 9 Pro Max in India). Among the features that have been confirmed, the phone will feature quad cameras on the back, 33W fast charging, a fingerprint scanner embedded in the power button, and most likely a hole-punch selfie camera in the center of the display.
Like all other POCO phones, the M2 Pro is expected to be received well by the users and the developers’ community.
The ROG Phone 3 is the next phone in ASUS’ gaming-focused series that draws its name from the popular laptop lineup by the company. ASUS is set to launch the ROG Phone 3 on July 22nd. Its recent listing on the website of Chines regulatory body TENAA revealed the gaming smartphone will feature up to 16GB RAM and 512GB of storage, a massive 6000mAh battery, and an overclocked Snapdragon 865 SoC.
To complement the muscle power of the hardware, the ROG Phone 3 will come with gaming-centric software features including Aura Lighting, Refresh Rate Control, and Performance Boost, and will be pre-loaded with Google Stadia. Like previous generations, the ROG Phone 3 will also support a wide range of gaming accessories like a dual-screen Dock and Kunai Gamepad to unleash the gamer in you.
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The first version of Android to support 64-bit architecture was Android 5.0 Lollipop, launched in 2014. That was a pretty big deal at the time, and nowadays, nearly all Android devices can run 64-bit apps. Speaking of which, starting with Google Chrome 85, the browser will get a 64-bit version for Android 10 devices.
Currently, despite many Android devices supporting the 64-bit architecture, there’s nothing forcing developers to support it. Google has been slow to require apps to have 64-bit support, though that changes on August 1st, 2021. Google is getting ahead of its own requirement and adding support in Chrome right now, though it’s limited to Android 10 devices.
If you visit chrome://version on the Stable (83) and Beta (84) builds of Chrome for Android, you’ll see they are listed as 32-bit applications. However, the Dev (85) and Canary (86) builds show 64-bit. According to Android Police, the 64-bit version is only appearing on Android 10 devices, which doesn’t actually account for many users at this time.
Android’s transition to 64-bit has been a long time coming. Support for 64-bit has been present for 6 years, and while Apple dropped support for 32-bit apps in iOS in 2017, Google has lagged behind. In 2017, Google started requiring apps that utilize native libraries must have a 64-bit alternative. As mentioned, it’s not actively punishing apps without 64-bit support until August 2021.
Chrome 85 is scheduled to go stable in August, giving them a year to fully roll it out to more Android versions before the 2021 deadline.
Chrome Dev (Free, Google Play) →
Chrome Canary (Unstable) (Free, Google Play) →
Source: Android Police
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