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How does "Project Treble" affect this "issue"? The extra layer of APIs that Android will be built on should solve the "Fork for Every Device and Every Build" pr

How does "Project Treble" affect this "issue"? The extra layer of APIs that Android will be built on should solve the "Fork for Every Device and Every Build" problem, yes? https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/05/google-hopes-to-fix-android-updates-no-really-with-project-treble/ https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/05/google-hopes-to-fix-...

ollieparanoid 9y ago
As I see it, project treble will improve the update process, but not completely resolve the endless forking. You will still have the "vendor implementation", which is different for every device. It will contain at least the kernel and drivers (kernel/userspace), for which you, as a user, depend on the manufacturer to keep it updated, and which will probably not be mainlined. This means, that after two years or so, when the support runs out, you will still have a device, that does not get updates anymore. Only for a smaller component of the operating system. Also keep in mind, that this will work for newer Android O phones only. We already have more than a billion phones (the number could be much higher, I did not google it right now), which will never get that improvement. They can be saved from being electronic waste with projects like postmarketOS.
fixmycode 9y ago
I was thinking the same thing, Treble sound like the perfect solution for the kind of problem this project aims to fix, but I realised that the scope of this project is different. There's no way they can back-port Treble to older devices, and there's no pressure from consumers or manufacturers to do so. Project Treble aims to fix the fragmentation problem, but it does from this point on, older devices are not included. There's also the fact that Android will keep on rolling, new features will be added and manufacturers will keep on using them as they see fit, so Treble can help users with a security update or two while that version of Android is supported, even if the manufacturer stops supporting their "vendor layer", but what will happen when Google drops support of Android O?

ollieparanoid 9y ago

As I see it, project treble will improve the update process, but not completely resolve the endless forking. You will still have the "vendor implementation", which is different for every device. It will contain at least the kernel and drivers (kernel/userspace), for which you, as a user, depend on the manufacturer to keep it updated, and which will probably not be mainlined. This means, that after two years or so, when the support runs out, you will still have a device, that does not get updates anymore. Only for a smaller component of the operating system. Also keep in mind, that this will work for newer Android O phones only. We already have more than a billion phones (the number could be much higher, I did not google it right now), which will never get that improvement. They can be saved from being electronic waste with projects like postmarketOS.

fixmycode 9y ago

I was thinking the same thing, Treble sound like the perfect solution for the kind of problem this project aims to fix, but I realised that the scope of this project is different. There's no way they can back-port Treble to older devices, and there's no pressure from consumers or manufacturers to do so. Project Treble aims to fix the fragmentation problem, but it does from this point on, older devices are not included. There's also the fact that Android will keep on rolling, new features will be added and manufacturers will keep on using them as they see fit, so Treble can help users with a security update or two while that version of Android is supported, even if the manufacturer stops supporting their "vendor layer", but what will happen when Google drops support of Android O?