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December 2023 Update

· 2 min read
Karan Parashar
Karan Parashar
Core Member
SashaMcC
SashaMcC
Public Relations

Greetings, PixelOS community!

As 2023 draws to an end, we are excited to unveil – PixelOS 14 stable, based on QPR1. The December patch has been merged, available at https://github.com/PixelOS-Fourteen/.

We almost have feature parity with our Android 13 builds, with the rest of the missing features coming in future builds.

PixelOS 14

Important Update:

Recently Google has been taking a proactive approach to blocking fingerprints used to pass Play Protect checks. After trying to work around this, we've decided on a more user friendly approach of having the props in an overlay. This means it can be updated more seamlessly without the need to wait for updates every time a fingerprint is blocked.

Feature Additions:

  • Ability to disable QS battery estimates
  • Ability to hide power menu on lock screen
  • Ability to secure tiles from lock screen
  • Added package name to installed app details
  • Double tap to trigger doze
  • Face Unlock from Paranoid Android
  • High touch polling rate*
  • Lineage Health Service*
  • LiveDisplay Feature
  • One shot AutoBrightness
  • Feature availability is contingent on maintainer opt-in and device compatibility

The new clock faces from QPR1 have also been added

Screenshot
Screenshot
Screenshot
Screenshot

Stay tuned for further updates and device-specific changelogs as the update rolls out for supported devices.

We are pleased to announce official support for four additional devices.

  1. realme 6/6i/6s/Narzo (RMX2001L1)
  2. realme 7/Narzo 20 Pro/Narzo 30 4G (salaa)
  3. Poco F5/Redmi Note 12 Turbo (marble)
  4. Redmi 12 5G/Poco M6 pro (sky)

We would also like to thank those who have been translating PixelOS into different languages for their contributions as they've been a great help. If you've noticed anything that isn't translated in a language you speak, please consider helping out with the translations at https://translate.pixelos.net.

Thanks for being part of PixelOS. We're looking forward to what's next with Android 14.

The PixelOS Team

Introducing PixelOS 14 Beta

· 2 min read
Karan Parashar
Karan Parashar
Core Member

Hello PixelOS community! We're excited to announce the release of the PixelOS 14 Beta (based on the November Security Patch). This is a significant step forward, and we can't wait to share it with you.

PixelOS

  • Android 14 Beta is Here: With PixelOS Android 14 release, we will have a greater focus on stability. Sources for the following have been pushed to https://github.com/PixelOS-fourteen while its beta, stable sources will be pushed on our main org https://github.com/PixelOS-AOSP whenever its ready.

  • Features: PixelOS is continuously improving, with plans to reintegrate all the features of Android 13 in the upcoming months, promising an even better experience!

  • Join Our Translation Team: Big kudos to the dedicated individuals who are helping translate PixelOS into various languages! If you'd like to be part of this effort and contribute by translating PixelOS into your own language, you can join our translation team at translate.pixelos.com.

  • Support Us on GitHub Sponsors: We're excited to let you know that we've opened up GitHub Sponsors! This means you can now support PixelOS with zero transaction fees, and the donation goal will be tracked publicly at https://github.com/sponsors/PixelOS-AOSP. Rest assured, our PayPal and UPI links are still functional for those who prefer those methods for donations at https://blog.pixelos.net/docs/donate.

Stay tuned for further updates and device-specific changelogs as the beta rolls out for supported devices.

Thanks for being part of PixelOS. We're looking forward to what's next with Android 14. Stay tuned for more updates!

The PixelOS Team

September 2023 Update

· 2 min read
Karan Parashar
Karan Parashar
Core Member

Hello again! As we've reached fairly to the end of Android 13 update cycle, there might be one or two (at max) more updates before we officially move to Android 14.

As previously mentioned, this is a maintainance release and mostly includes security and stability improvements with one exception.

PixelOS

Changelogs: - Merged September security patches from AOSP (android-13.0.0_r82) - Introduced Charge control feature - Updated Google Apps - Updated translations - Under the hood improvements and fixes.

Addition of charging control is a quality of life improvement feature, it lets you select one of the following charging modes

  • Automatic Schedule: Device charges at optimal times
  • Custom Schedule: Users set specific charging times
  • Limit Charging: Users cap the charging percentage.

You can further look out for device specific changelogs as the update rolls out for supported devices.

You can click here for a more detailed changelog.

With the above mentioned improvements, we're also adding official support for three new devices. 1. Google Pixel 7 Pro (cheetah) 2. OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite (oscaro) 3. Moto Edge 30 Fusion/S30 Pro (tundra)

We're also looking for a new designer who can make banners monthly for our releases, interested users can send me a private message on telegram (@whyredfire) with their proof of work.

The PixelOS Team

August 2023 Update

· One min read
Karan Parashar
Karan Parashar
Core Member
Ashwin DS
Ashwin DS
Core Member

Hello there, with this update we have finished adding features to Android 13 and any further updates to Android 13 will be maintenance releases (bug fixes and security patch updates) while we move our attention towards getting ready for the Android 14 release.

The changes in this release include:

PixelOS

  • August 2023 security patch
  • Native support for Apple AirPods has been re-added
  • Battery drain issues stemming from Pixel Launcher and Android System Intelligence have been fixed
  • Lots of under the hood changes, optimisations and bug fixes

For a more detailed changelog, Click Me

We have been constantly expanding and bringing on new devices. This however, happens at a time when the costs for renting a server have continued to rise. Just a reminder that the CI is funded either by donations or has been out of pocket from members of the team themselves. If anyone would like to donate to help out with the server costs, more information and donation methods can be found here

Stay tuned for more exciting updates and a new Android version in the coming months!

The PixelOS Team

July 2023 Update

· 4 min read
Karan Parashar
Karan Parashar
Core Member
Ashwin DS
Ashwin DS
Core Member

Welcome back to another PixelOS update! We're excited to bring you the latest update for PixelOS, packed with new features, improvements, and fixes to enhance your experience.

We initially aimed to release the update in July, but the release of the July patch from Google has been slightly delayed, due to holidays in the USA. We expect to merge the July patch once Google releases it. Stay tuned for it!

UPDATE: 6/7/2023

July patches have been merged along with a few minor fixes! Devices that were released with the June patches will be re-released in the coming days.

Read more at the end of this blog.

Now, let's dive into the changelog:

PixelOS

Launcher Enhancements:

We have a new Wallpaper Picker UI from Android 14 and with the introduction of emoji wallpapers, users can now select from a collection of wallpapers featuring various emojis, adding a fun touch to their device's home and lock screens.

Users can now choose what shortcuts should be displayed at the lockscreen, or choose to disable it completely. Shortcuts include flashlight, do-not-disturb, mute button, camera, QR Code Scanner and more.

Smart 5G (from ArrowOS)

  • Disable 5G in battery saver mode: When the device enters battery saver mode, Smart 5G automatically switches off 5G connectivity. This helps to reduce power consumption and extend battery life during low-power situations.
  • Disable 5G when not on mobile data (such as Wi-Fi): When the device is connected to Wi-Fi or any non-mobile data network, Smart 5G intelligently turns off 5G to avoid unnecessary battery drain. It ensures that 5G is only used when the device is on a mobile data network.
  • Disable 5G on non-active data sim: For devices with dual SIM functionality, Smart 5G recognizes which SIM is actively used for data and enables 5G only on that particular SIM. For the non-active data SIM, it disables 5G to save battery and optimize network usage.

GMS and Face Unlock:

  • Switched to partner GMS (Google Mobile Services) to improve overall stability.
  • Switched to AOSPA's face unlock implementation, providing much faster and more reliable face recognition.

Bug Fixes:

  • Fixed an issue where the launcher in light mode would still display dark search results, ensuring a consistent and visually pleasing experience.
  • Addressed a bug where the wallpapers section would not open from the home screen, allowing you to customize your device's look effortlessly.
  • Fixed a rare issue where two status bars would display, eliminating any potential visual clutter.
  • Made improvements to Pitch Black mode, refining the dark theme experience for better readability and aesthetics.
  • Fixed an issue where Google battery widget does not update

Summary and other miscellaneous changes

  • June 2023 AOSP patches
  • Brought back quick tap
  • Enabled new wallpaper picker UI and emoji wallpapers
  • Enabled lockscreen clock customisation
  • Smart 5G
    • Disable 5G in battery saver mode
    • Disable 5G when not on mobile data (such as Wi-Fi)
    • Disable 5G on non-active data sim
  • Enabled new plug-in status bar chip
  • Enabled explicit media indicator
  • Brought back monet boot animation
  • Allow picking lockscreen shortcuts
  • Switch to AOSPA's GMS
  • Switch to AOSPA's face unlock implementation
  • Pitch black mode improvements
  • Fixed an issue where the launcher in light mode would still have dark search results
  • Fixed an issue where the wallpapers section would not open from the home screen
  • Fixed an issue where two status bars used to display
  • Fixed Google battery widget not updating

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July Patch Update

July patches have been merged along with a few minor fixes including:

  • Updated the default wallpaper to the leaked Pixel 8 licorice dark wallpaper
  • Force enabled the precise/approximate location toggle
  • Fixed an issue with translations where the reboot text was in Spanish
  • Re-imported the 720p and 1440p bootanimations for the devices that use it

We hope you enjoy these updates and enhancements as much as we enjoyed working on them. Your support and feedback are essential in making PixelOS better with each release.

If you appreciate our work and wish to contribute, consider supporting us by donating. Your donations helps us maintain our infrastructure and continue delivering updates and new features to PixelOS. Click here to donate and show your support.

We have new wallpapers from our designer matching the theme of this update, find them on our wallpapers page.

Stay tuned for more exciting updates and improvements in the coming months!

The PixelOS Team

May 2023 Update

· 3 min read
aryan
aryan
Core Member
Karan Parashar
Karan Parashar
Core Member

Welcome back to another exciting PixelOS update! We're happy to bring you this month's update, full of many new features and improvements from our side. We have merged the latest May patch and listened to your feedback.

PixelOS

Starting with the launcher. We switched to the Paranoid launcher last month over rare instances where the launcher would cause the CPU to be stuck at the highest frequencies for some users, which led to excessive battery usage and heating. However, most users were disappointed with this change due to it not matching the same look and feel as on Pixel devices. This is why we have decided to switch back to the Pixel launcher and the Pixel theme picker while incorporating a potential fix for the issue.

Coming to our new additions for the month. Firstly, we have added a toggle to control the haptic feedback on the back gesture, which allows users will have the opportunity to use what best suits them. We have also brought back the secure lock-screen feature, which gives you additional security by preventing unauthorized access to the power button while your device is locked. Additionally, we have also added a button to upload crash logs directly to Memocho which makes bug reporting much more convenient.

We have also implemented the power-off-alarm service from YAAP, which is a service that makes use of Qualcomm's power-off alarm feature. This allows your device to turn on before your alarm is set to ring, making sure you never miss an alarm. Additionally, thanks to Paranoid Android, we are happy to announce that unlinked ringer streams are back.

Coming to improvements, we have the App lock. App lock is now much more accessible in settings, having moved it to the advanced security section, also incorporating a few additional fixes along with it. We have also made another improvement in the sound settings, by reorganizing the page and moving certain customization into the 'Advanced sound settings' menu.

For the apps that check SafetyNet, such as banking applications or games, we have made a few improvements that should help in running these applications on your device. The pocket-mode style has also been updated to keep up with the latest OxygenOS trends.

Finally, we have updated the themed icons for the Pixel launcher, as well as some minor HWUI improvements.

In summary, the May 2023 PixelOS Update includes the following updates:

  • Merged the May security patch
  • Switched back to the Pixel launcher (with a potential fix) and Pixel theme picker
  • Brought back unlinked ringer streams
  • Brought back the option to hide the power menu on the secure lock screen
  • Added option for haptic feedback on back gesture
  • Added button to upload crash log to Memocho for easier bug reporting
  • Minor improvements to SafetyNet/banking app hiding
  • Made App Lock more properly accessible and fixed a few issues
  • Update pocket mode style to the latest OxygenOS specs
  • Re-organized the sound settings
  • Introduced the power-off-alarm service
  • Updated themed icons
  • HWUI improvements
  • Reduced log spam
  • Other improvements

We hope you enjoyed the project! Your donations help us maintain our infrastructure and continue our work. Please consider showing your support by donating! Click Me

April 2023 Update

· 3 min read
SashaMcC
SashaMcC
Public Relations
aryan
aryan
Core Member

Welcome back to another PixelOS update! This month’s update is larger with many changes from both AOSP and our side. We’ve rebased the March QPR2 patch as well as merged the April patch. We have also rebased most of our repositories from LineageOS.

PixelOS

One of our biggest changes would be the launcher. We’ve heard your reports of the Pixel Launcher draining and heating devices. This issue seems to affect even Pixel Devices. Unfortunately, we have had to make the difficult decision to drop the Pixel Launcher in favor of the Paranoid Android Launcher for stability reasons. It still maintains the same look and feels with more customization options.

We are thrilled to announce that we have added a highly requested feature to our latest update: AppLock. This allows you to secure your apps with a password or biometric authentication, providing an extra layer of security for your applications.

More customization has been added with additional icon style, font, and icon shape options that you remember from Android 11. We have also switched our Bluetooth tile implementation that turns Bluetooth off and on with a tap and brings up a Bluetooth menu with a long press. This eliminates the need for two separate tiles.

The network indicator has been changed to a new version that fits better. Quick Settings have been made even quicker with the quick-pulldown option. A new and improved black theme implementation has been added to the Dark theme settings.

Finally, we’re happy to announce that OTA updates have returned.

In summary, the April 2023 Update PixelOS includes the following updates:

  • The March/April patches have been merged
  • Switched to the Paranoid Android Launcher
  • Added icon styles and icon shape options
  • Added ability to switch fonts
  • Added over the air updates
  • Added AppLock
  • Use Monet colors for the power menu
  • Updated the Bluetooth tile implementation
  • Updates to the network traffic indicator implementation
  • Updates to the Dark Mode implementation

For the people who still would prefer to use the Pixel Launcher, we have made a magisk module if you would still like to use it. You can find it here.

We hope these changes and improvements enhance your experience with PixelOS. Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to hearing your feedback on the new update.

February 2023 Update

· 3 min read
aryan
aryan
Core Member
Karan Parashar
Karan Parashar
Core Member

Welcome back to our latest update! We are excited to announce the release of our February 2023 update and share the changes and improvements we've been working on this past month. Our team has been hard at work, merging the latest February security patch along with some other under-the-hood changes that have been made.

PixelOS

The first change is the addition of an option to switch to an Immersive Navigation system, which brings a highly requested feature of hiding the space under the keyboard. Another much-requested feature that was missed after the QPR1 rebase was added: the ability to skip tracks with a long press of the volume button.

Moving on to the lockscreen, many enhancements have been made. The power menu can now be hidden when enabling the secure lockscreen feature. Another addition is the requirement of a password or biometric authentication to access sensitive Quick Settings tiles such as Wi-Fi and Airplane mode. Bottom keyguard shortcuts can now be picked, including a new addition of flashlight and camera shortcuts. A toggle to disable the screenshot shutter sound has also been added.

On the technical side, significant changes have been made to GMS and how we spoof devices. PropImitationHooks is now used to avoid spoofing all apps to Pixel devices, which was prone to causing issues. Instead, only the required Google apps are now spoofed to provide Pixel-exclusive features like the Google Photos and Google Search apps. GMS components are now updated from the Pixel 5 instead of the Pixel 7 Pro to avoid issues with the Pixel Launcher/ASI, and a fix to pass CTS/Play Integrity test again has been included (thanks to Dyneteve).

Lastly, we have switched to a new Network Traffic implementation, which offers more customization and fixes an issue faced by some people where the 4G+ indicator would cut out.

In summary, the February 2023 Update PixelOS includes the following updates:

  • The February patch has been merged
  • Switch to PropImitationHooks
  • Updated GMS components from the Pixel 5 (redfin)
  • CTS/Play Integrity pass again
  • Switched NetworkTraffic implementation
  • Switch to Immersive Navigation
  • Added Volume Long Press Skip Tracks
  • Allow hiding power menu on secure lockscreen
  • Require unlocking to use sensitive QS tiles
  • Allow disabling screenshot shutter sound
  • Introduce camera & flashlight keyguard affordance
  • Allow setting bottom keyguard shortcuts

;

We hope these changes and improvements enhance your experience with PixelOS. Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to hearing your feedback on the new update.

January 2023 Update

· 4 min read
SashaMcC
SashaMcC
Public Relations
info

Scroll down for information about 29 January Hotfix

Welcome back after quite a long absence, the team has been extremely busy with their personal lives because of exams, scheduling, and other personal matters, but we’ve been working hard behind the scenes and are happy to say we’ve made a lot of changes and added a lot more functionality to PixelOS (some has been long requested).

PixelOS

The first major change isn’t apparent visually, but we’ve rebased every repository we have and have switched to tracking most repositories from LineageOS. Speaking of things being rebased, we’re happy to let you know that Android 13 QPR1 has been fully merged, which brings a lot of improvements and fixes to AOSP.

Something else to thank LineageOS for, we’ve also switched to their excellent Aperture as the default camera app (unless the maintainer chooses to include another default camera app).

The GMS components have been updated using the latest versions from the Pixel 7 Pro (cheetah) and include Henrique Silva’s fix for the Pixel Launcher issues plaguing devices after the November patch.

This release also includes an improved implementation of Smooth Display for devices with higher refresh rate screens, which should help improve refresh rate switching for a smoother experience and better battery life.

Now that we’re done with the under-the-hood changes, let’s move on to the fun stuff.

Next comes some features people have been asking about for a while, and we’re glad to let you know that we’ve included the option to display network usage stats in the quick settings, thanks to ghostrider-reborn. You can also now monitor your upload and download speeds with the new real-time network speed indicator available in the status bar.

Speaking of which, we brought back a much-requested feature from our 12L release, the network permission, to control which apps get access to your Wi-Fi and cellular data and which don’t.

caution

Unfortunately, this requires a clean flash (or involves the tedious process of granting the permission to each app manually)

Some additions to the quick settings tiles have been made also, with a new hotspot toggle in the Internet menu for quick access to turning your hotspot on and off. We’ve also made the Bluetooth menu something optional and restored the original Bluetooth tile for those who prefer a quick tap to turn it on and off.

The Settings menus have had some changes to tidy things up as well, reorganising the Sound settings menu to make things a little easier to find and navigate in a way that’s more intuitive.

A pitch-black dark mode is something a lot of people really enjoy having, especially on devices with OLED displays. We’ve implemented idoybh’s improvements to the pitch-black theme so it should be working better at applying around the UI

A lot of people seemed to prefer the expandable volume menu accessible from the volume slider and missed it from PixelOS 12/12.1, some good news is that we’ve brought it back.

One new addition is an ADB root toggle in the developer options, this means you can use a built-in root alternative to Magisk that can be easily enabled and disabled at will without having to patch and flash your kernel.

Auto rotate has now become more granular as well, with configurable rotation angles available so you can choose from 360 rotation or can set it to only rotate to certain angles.

In summary, the January 2023 Update PixelOS includes the following changes and updates:

  • Network speed indicator for monitoring internet connection
  • Organized sound settings
  • Improved smooth display implementation for devices with higher refresh rates
  • Updated GMS components from the latest Pixel release
  • Improved black (dark) mode
  • BT dialog tile is now optional, with both custom and stock options available
  • Expanded volume dialog implementation
  • Hotspot toggle in quick settings internet tile

We are thrilled to announce the release of our January 2023 Update. With a host of new features, optimizations and improvements, we believe that this update will enhance the overall user experience for our PixelOS users. Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to hearing your feedback on the new update.

;

Update: 29 January 2023

We have a small hotfix update. The changes include:

  • The hotspot option has been removed from the internet dialog tile.
  • One-shot auto brightness has been added
  • Fixed an issue where dark mode conflicts with "hide pill"

Builds released after January 27 2023 will have these fixes included.

Season's Greetings

· 3 min read
Ashwin DS
Ashwin DS
Core Member

Merry Christmas! The holiday season is upon us, our hearts are thriving with excitement. The twinkling lights, and the jingling bells. The warm gatherings with loved ones! All these together contribute to the magic of Christmas.

PixelOS Banner by: Danyscape (Github | Telegram)

This year has been a rollercoaster, with many ups and downs, but Christmas is a time to forget those hard turns and congregate to find joy in the little things. Whether it's spending time with family, exchanging gifts, or simply enjoying the holiday spirit, there are so many ways to celebrate the season.

May your Christmas be filled with love, laughter, and all the things that bring you happiness. May it be a time of reflection, gratitude, and hope for a bright future.

The year 2022

As the year 2022 comes to a close, we at PixelOS would like to reflect on the past year and share some updates with our community.

In 2022, PixelOS underwent a significant transformation, evolving from a small project with limited scope and structure to a more expansive and well-organized endeavour. While the name remained the same, virtually everything else changed, including the team members, the addition of a website, automation processes, and blog pages. It was a year of growth and development for PixelOS, and we are proud of the progress we have made.

We are thrilled to report that PixelOS has seen tremendous growth in downloads and website traffic this year compared to previous years. We have had about 400,000 downloads this year (we started to properly count downloads during the tail end of the year, actual figure must have been higher), and our website has seen almost 15,000 weekly visits (not including traffic to our blog page)

We are also proud to announce that PixelOS is now actively supporting 27 devices across 6 different brands, including Asus, Micromax, Motorola, OnePlus, Realme, and Xiaomi. We are grateful to be able to work on such a wide range of devices.

Finally, we want to give a special shoutout to our growing Telegram community, which is now over 5.4k members strong. Your support and engagement have been integral to our success, and we are grateful for your ongoing involvement in the PixelOS community.

Overall, 2022 has been a fantastic year for PixelOS, and we are excited to see what the future holds. While we are proud of our accomplishments, we also recognize that there is always room for improvement and growth.

We want to take this opportunity to thank all of our users, supporters, and community members for your continued loyalty and engagement. We couldn't have made it this far without you, and we look forward to continuing this growth in 2023.

What about the December 2022 update?

Unfortunately, our planned updates have been delayed. We understand that you may be looking forward to these updates, and we appreciate your patience as we resolve any issues and get everything back on track. Be sure to keep an eye on our update channel for updates on the status of our releases. We can't wait to share what we've been working on with you.

We wish you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy new year! See you in 2023, with a new update of PixelOS!

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