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> Google, this small tech company (correct me if I'm wrong), is peddling source code via tarballs on google drive. What is the context for this? It's not clear

• stonogo 1mo ago
  The repositories you have linked are not sufficient to build an Android distribution. In order to get the missing bits, you have to fill out a form: https://source.android.com/opensourcerequest https://source.android.com/opensourcerequest and beg them, and if they decide you are worthy, they will email you a link to a tarball, which is hosted on Google Drive.
• gruez 1mo ago
  >The Android kernel source code is in git: https://android.googlesource.com/kernel/common/ https://android.googlesource.com/kernel/common/ That's the mainline kernel. Actual devices use various LTS kernels, for instance the pixel 9a uses kernel 6.1[1], which was hasn't been updated in a year[2] [1] https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices/tegu/ https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices/tegu/ [2] https://android.googlesource.com/device/google/tegu-kernels/6.1/ https://android.googlesource.com/device/google/tegu-kernels/...
  • FartyMcFarter 1mo ago
    There are other kernel 6.1 branches there, e.g. https://android.googlesource.com/kernel/common/+/refs/heads/android14-6.1-2026-06 https://android.googlesource.com/kernel/common/+/refs/heads/... I'm not sure which one the latest update for the Pixel 9a is using, I have an older Pixel 8. When I look at the Settings -> Android Version I can see it's using a build from January 2026 (also 6.1).
• geordieboozer 1mo ago
  Reported here, among other places https://www.androidauthority.com/google-pixel-kernel-code-forms-3696441/ https://www.androidauthority.com/google-pixel-kernel-code-fo...
• fph 1mo ago
  It's mentioned in the same thread, just scroll up a few pages in the linked social post.
  • FartyMcFarter 1mo ago
    Yes I read the whole thread, but it wasn't clear which bits of source code required requesting a tarball.