/e/ OS ROM

Sharad · October 17, 2020, 7:34pm

We have plan to support custom ROM and GSI dev/usage. In particular lineage+microG for the privacy-focused users. We are also having early talks with the /e/ team. However, we are still in a very preliminary stage and we certainly don’t want to drive the hype and not able to deliver. As you can imagine, our team has a lot on our plates and we don’t want to spread ourselves too thin.

Here are somethings that we will most likely get done with additional stretch goals from the OS support perspective:

Support GSIs: Theoretically, thanks to Treble, these work out of the box like Teracube One
Open source kernel
Root instructions
Stretch goal 1: Support VoLTE (IMS) on GSIs
Stretch goal 2: Support Lineage and other custom ROMs
Stretch goal 3: Working /e/ OS.

ntnsndr · December 14, 2020, 1:14am

Thanks for continuing to explore this. Given how hard it is to flash for ordinary users even for Lineage-supported devices, it would be great to have a company out there that actively supports and encourages privacy-focused alternatives.

ValdikSS · January 15, 2021, 5:33am

Teracube uses Mediatek SoC, which is problematic when it comes to custom modifications and source code availability. Although there are GSI roms available for Mediatek phones, they are not as stable and complete, and it’s harder to develop for Mediatek due to frequent lack of (SoC manufacturer-updated) kernel source, up-to-date drivers aligned with future Android versions, and Mediatek Android modifications.

Judging by the specs and information (or more lack of it) on the website, I assume that Teracube hardware is created and manufactured by an ODM manufacturer, which most likely means that the software is also created and supported by them (@Sharad, please correct me if I’m wrong). Chinese are known to depreciatingly write custom per-model software, which hardens upstreaming and unification.

I hope I’m all wrong here, but I guess /e/ won’t even accept the proposition to make an OS for Mediatek device, let alone with closed/missing sources. As far as I know, no official LineageOS exist for any phone based on Mediatek SoC, for example.

For me, alternative ROMs are not (only) about de-googling, but mostly about long-term software support. My mom uses OnePlus One from 2014, which was released with Android 4.4, but it’s still, 7 years later officially supported by LineageOS and capable of running LOS 17.1 based on Android 10.

Saijin_Naib · January 15, 2021, 12:50pm

Sharad and Teracube worked very hard to get sources for us from MediaTek.

Can you check the source tree here and see if we’re missing anything?

Also, they’re Taiwanese.

spi · January 31, 2021, 7:22pm

Hi, while waiting for my Teracube 2E I was wondring which of the listed stretch have been done or will be done Any update with regards to them?

Sharad · January 31, 2021, 8:02pm

Actually few of the stretch goals are already working:

GSIs with VoLTE working. Check out here.
There is already a custom ROM for T1. We are in touch with few custom ROM developers who will soon start work on T2e as well.

Columbcille · February 3, 2021, 1:00am

would love to see PureOS compatibility! im done with these Tech Giants and their constant listening… Terracube is a company i would love to stand behind!

spi · February 3, 2021, 9:46pm

That’s great! So - just to be sure to get it right - is the linked discussion referring to GSIs on the Teracube 2E? Or the reasoning is that since GSIs work on the T1, they are expected to work on the 2E.

Thank you very much!

Saijin_Naib · February 3, 2021, 9:55pm

More this than having TeraCube 2E specific GSIs/testing.

The general idea behind the GSI (Generic System Image) is that it should be mostly hardware/device agnostic, provided the platform is/was Project Treble compatible (though this doesn’t always hold 100% true).

More recent PHH GSIs have been behaving far better with MediaTek platforms, so the hope/idea is that this will hold true going forward.

Sharad · February 3, 2021, 11:57pm

The instructions to install the GSI and custom roms might be slightly different due to a different filesystem structure. We will get those out soon.

amy7296 · February 16, 2021, 10:50am

PureOS would be a lot harder for many reasons. However if you are interested in linux, stay tuned

privatephone · February 19, 2021, 8:58pm

Please take my money, the most important market right now is linux privacy phones, this spying bs has gone on far enough.

spi · March 16, 2021, 7:40pm

Hi @Sharad , is there an ETA for such instructions?
I am looking forward as I received 4 teracube 2E for me and my family. Still haven’t used them though, waiting for being able to install the LineageOS GSI.

Sharad · March 18, 2021, 1:03am

I’m following up with someone who was able to install GSI. Will provide instructions soon.

Sharad · March 26, 2021, 1:22am

Here you go - [Advanced users] How to install Lineage (or any) GSI on 2e

Antero · April 3, 2021, 1:10am

Thank you!

Gagan · April 13, 2021, 6:03am

Teracube 2e will soon receive /e/ OS

There are some minor bugs left, which we’re fixing as of now

Official images are being worked on ^^
LineageOS is on its way, so stay tuned!

Saijin_Naib · April 13, 2021, 1:50pm

Welcome!

Excellent news!

Any official ROM development for the One, especially since we managed to get the full device source?

ArmoredTalentlessOra · April 14, 2021, 7:26pm

This is my favorite post. I can’t wait for an official LOS build, but also excited to get to try /e/!

Gagan · April 16, 2021, 4:11pm

/e/ is coming soon for the Teracube One.
As for LineageOS on the Teracube 2e, we’re already running stable
Bluetooth Audio is a known issue, we’re on it!