Google is reviewing its approach to the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), the open-source operating system that serves as the foundation for Android. The search engine is stopping real-time publication of changes to AOSP; from now on, development of the OS is completely internalized. Google, however, is committed to publishing the complete source code of Android with each new stable version, like Android 16 expected this summer.
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Until now, part of the development was done publicly via AOSP, which allowed developers and observers to follow the changes in real time. Google does not publish all the components of Android in real time, only some of them, like the Bluetooth stack, were developed "publicly".
Google wants to simplify its development process and unify its efforts under a single private branch, which will now only be accessible to partners who have signed a GMS (Google Mobile Services) agreement. The decision, confirmed to Android Authority, aims to eliminate frequent merge conflicts between the public and internal branches, and to accelerate Android development.
Google is the main developer of AOSP. Although the project is open source, almost all of the code, new features, and architectural decisions come from Google (the company has the final say on which features will be integrated into the operating system). It is therefore a controlled open source project. by a private company. It serves many manufacturers who can use it as a basis for their overlays, like Samsung's One UI.
Ultimately, this change in the way AOSP is developed will not disrupt users' daily lives. On the other hand, custom ROM developers, as well as journalists and technical observers, are losing a valuable source of information on upcoming new features. Some will also see it as a step backward in terms of transparency for a project described as d’open source.
Source: Android Authority
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