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> Google pulls the plug ? cool, you're stuck on Android 17 And you're stuck on the current hardware generation. Pretty much the only reason why Android sucks l
by tremon 8mo ago
> Google pulls the plug ? cool, you're stuck on Android 17
And you're stuck on the current hardware generation. Pretty much the only reason why Android sucks less than other mobile OSes is that hardware vendors have a pressing reason to make it work. The further the Google Android kernel diverges from its last-open version, the harder it will become to backport drivers -- and that's assuming that hardware vendors even bother to comply with the GPL when Google decides not to.
- barbazoo 8mo ago> And you're stuck on the current hardware generation. As someone using a Pixel 3a as their main device that gave me a chuckle.
- edoceo 8mo agoI had Pixel3 until Nov 2025 - when it suffered its final drop. I was kinda grumpy I couldn't convert to Graphine cause the hardware was not supported.
- nine_k 8mo agoWhat do we do when the supply of second-hand Pixel 3s on eBay dries up? A viable project can't be tied to hardware which is not made any more.
- littlestymaar 8mo ago> The further the Google Android kernel diverges from its last-open version Can it even diverge though? The kernel code is GPL so I don't think Google can close it down even if they wanted.
- kaashif 8mo agoUnless they invent kernel as a service or undertake a remarkably ambitious AI license laundering project, I think you're right.
- ktm5j 8mo agoYes it definitely can diverge while still staying open source. Happens in the Linux kernel for example whenever the ABI changes.
- littlestymaar 8mo agoIt can, and has in the past, diverged from the baseline Linux kernel, but not from “the last open Android kernel” as it must remain open source per GPL.