Samsung releases Galaxy S II ICS source code

http://androidcommunity.com/samsung-releases-galaxy-s-ii-ics-source-code-20120319/

by jhack • 14 years ago

69 34 14 years ago

_ea1k• 14 years ago

This is really good news. I just hope the article is correct and this can actually be modded fairly easily for T-Mobile(T989) and AT&T phones.

angusgr4• 14 years ago

Download is still going, but isn't this just the standard GPL parts - ie kernel & some libraries?

(EDIT: it is indeed just the GPL parts.)

In which case, can someone explain how it's really newsworthy? Samsung have been exemplary in all their GPL compliance for all their Android releases to date.

open source code ROM builders and other modders will be able to do more advanced ports and advanced ROMs.

Well, now they can build with the latest kernel instead of the Gingerbread kernel, but does that really make much difference to anything else? Are there outstanding kernel bugs in the Gingerbread releases, or new kernel features that ICS AOSP needs to run?

Xuzz• 14 years ago

The bigger question, to me, is what drivers are included. Many of the chips in all these phones do not have specifications freely available or community-built drivers. Does this include, say, the GPU driver? Or is that still a binary blob that has to be (usually illegally) copied from the device's built-in software?

angusgr4• 14 years ago

The Mali (GPU) kernel module source is there, but not the proprietary userland libraries. So the situation is as you say.

(AFAIK the only Android manufacturer to secure binary distribution rights for GPU drivers was Google with the PowerVR GPU in the Nexus One, and that download comes with heavy restrictions - only for Nexus One, only for Android, do not redistribute, etc. I don't know why GPU manufacturers are so paranoid.)

That said, I don't really know the S2 but I'm fairly sure the Mali GPU libraries and the baseband are the only closed components in the EXYNOS platform. So it could be worse :/.

fpgeek4• 14 years ago

Yes, there are differences between Gingerbread and ICS kernels, though I don't know what they are (other than moving to a 3.x kernel). From what I understand, this is one of the reasons CM9 development has been slow in general (and particularly slow for some devices).

That being said, you're right that Samsung's prompt GPL compliance isn't particularly newsworthy. The recent, newsworthy source release is HTC's. They released the ICS kernel source for the Sensation promptly, without their typical "not until you've waited a few months and threatened a lawsuit" nonsense. Hopefully that trend continues.

wyclif2• 14 years ago

As an Android user, I do not want the TouchWiz overlay. I want the pure, unadulterated ICS UI goodness. Why doesn't Samsung "get it"? (Don't answer that).

huggyface• 14 years ago

You're a hacker purist. Most consumers are not. Many actually like the features that Touchwiz brings.

It's actually interesting in that "pure, unadulterated" Android has very heavily borrowed from Sense UI, TouchWiz, and Motoblur. Those custom skins were what really helped move the platform forward.

commandar• 14 years ago

I don't know. As somebody that was a day-one G1 customer, I think the influence of Mattias Duarte coming on board has had far more impact on the platform than any of these OEM skins. You can see the influence of Duarte's previous work at Palm all over ICS, far more so than any of the custom skins.

What I have certainly seen is manufacturers breaking baked-in functionality on Android trying to differentiate themselves. Moto managed to break both manual Exchange configuration and Facebook sync on my Droid 4, for example. It's not like those are obscure functions nobody uses.

fpgeek4• 14 years ago

In fact, that argument is laid out in more detail here:

http://androidandme.com/2012/02/news/why-androids-custom-uis...

Steko3• 14 years ago

There was recent convincing discussion that to the vast majority of the 20+ million(?) people who own the phone have no idea what ICS is and would be shocked if Samsung put out an update that completely changed the UX.

parfe2• 14 years ago

You mean the 2 line submission pointing to Gruber on daring fireball where he stated, without any citations at all, that a UI update would freak people out and cause unspecified issues? Despite the fact that multiple platforms get UI updates?

Might as well tag "So buy an Iphone" to the bottom of any Gruber post referencing android (Substitute Ipad if the post relates to tablets)

skeletonjelly2• 14 years ago

Luckily for you, you can choose. Just like I did. Sure CM9 is not 100% there but it's pretty, functional and I love it.

StavrosK2• 14 years ago

Where do you get it from? A short search has turned up nothing.

fpgeek4• 14 years ago

I'm genuinely curious, how is the ICS TouchWiz overlay a problem for you in practice?

Pre-ICS, I'll agree that the custom manufacturer widgets could create issues (performance, app consistency, etc.). However, starting with ICS, manufacturers will have to include the stock widgets as well and apps are likely to select them (to avoid these kinds of issues).

It also isn't hard to replace the TouchWiz launcher with an AOSP-based one (e.g. Apex, Nova, Trebuchet). After that, what is left and how important is it?

loverobots• 14 years ago

You do, but Samsung is a multi-billion corp and wants YOU to know that they exist...by making something of their own.

batiudrami• 14 years ago

They do get it. They want you to feel an attachment to Samsung devices, not to Android devices. They want customer's to think 'well, I already know how to use a Galaxy, so I'll get the newest one of those', rather than buying an HTC because it's the newest Android.

Samsung have been some of the best in helping get custom ROMs going on their devices, and if you want stock Android, it'll always be available to you that way.

thought_alarm• 14 years ago

Samsung has recently become the largest smartphone manufacturer in the world, yet you think they don't "get it"?

Your carrier decides which phones they will carry, and what software those phones will include and exclude. Samsung's job is to do whatever the carriers want. The carriers in return give Samsung support and precious shelf space.

Your carrier also wants you to blame Samsung and not them for all the things that suck about your phone. So well done.

wyclif2• 14 years ago

I know this. That was what my "don't answer that" was about. Sorry to be cryptic, but I'm fully aware of the politics and power the carriers exert on the US smartphone market. I don't like it, but I understand it.

donniezazen• 14 years ago

Touchwiz has a very poor UI and looks. Sense is far superior to Touchwiz.

Samsung releases Galaxy S II ICS source code

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