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mercredi 19 octobre 2022

How to install OTA updates and keep root on your Google Pixel phone

Part of the beauty of owning a Google Pixel phone comes through the proper availability of firmware images that can be used to return the device to a factory state. Even if you unlock the bootloader, root the phone, or tinker a bit too much, you may find yourself looking for a last resort to restore the stock configuration before taking the monthly security updates. While many hardcore Android fans will know exactly what to do, not everyone is as adept at getting their phone updated without losing root.

If you have access to a PC/Mac and are happy to take matters into your own hands, you can easily keep root access by performing a few extra steps in addition to sideloading the OTA update on your Google Pixel. In this tutorial, we’re going to show you how.

Navigate this article:

How rooting affects the capability of installing OTA updates
How to keep root and take OTA updates on your Pixel
- Recommended method
- Quick method
Verification

How rooting affects the capability of installing OTA updates

Rooting involves modifying parts of the Android boot image so as to gain superuser access. A regular monthly OTA or “over-the-air” update is incremental in nature, which means it can’t apply the delta patch to upgrade the stock boot image due to an obvious binary mismatch in a rooted environment. While opting for the full update package is a viable solution to this problem, it will eventually overwrite the bits and pieces required for root access from the boot partition.

So for those of you who plan to get dirty with your Pixel and may need a savior down the road, we thought we’d make sure you know how to keep root access across monthly security updates. The process isn’t difficult, but it does require a few ADB and Fastboot commands.

How to keep root and take OTA updates on your Pixel

Before starting, note that this tutorial assumes you have an unlocked bootloader and are already rooted with Magisk. Moreover, make sure that you have the latest ADB and Fastboot binaries installed on your PC/Mac and that the target device can be detected by these tools.

There are a few ways to get your Pixel update to the latest official Android build while keeping root. You can restore the stock boot image of the base version, wait until your phone gets a notification that will prompt you to download any waiting updates to your phone (or sideload the update manually), then patch the updated boot image and flash it. This is a bit slower but recommended method for beginners.

A relatively quicker method to get the very latest update on your Google Pixel while keeping root is to flash the official factory image with a pre-patched boot image. Keep in mind that both methods rely on access to a PC or Mac. None of them requires you to wipe the device, but it’s good practice to backup any irreplaceable data in case something goes wrong.

Note that the Google Pixel 7 series (and devices launching with Android 13), the generic ramdisk is removed from the boot image and placed in a separate partition called “init_boot.” As a result, you need to patch the init_boot image instead of the regular boot image in order to root these devices. If you have the Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro, replace every occurrence of boot.img with init_boot.img for the tutorial below.

Recommended method

Locate the exact version number of the currently installed software on your Google Pixel phone. Navigate to Settings > About phone and note down the text under the Build number section.
Now we need to restore the untouched boot image corresponding to the installed build. As a precautionary measure, open Magisk, switch to the Modules tab, disable the active modules, and restart once before doing so.
- Depending on the method of patching, the Magisk app might keep a backup of the stock boot image. In that case, you should be able to restore them through the Restore Images option under the after the Uninstall menu of the Magisk app. Nonetheless, we recommend flashing the untouched boot.img from the factory image to avoid any unforeseen issue.
Download the fastboot-flashable factory image corresponding to the current Android build number for your Google Pixel phone on your PC/Mac. It should be named as <device codename>-<build number>-factory-<hash value snippet>.zip.
- Google hosts all of the official builds for each Pixel on its download portal. You can also take a look at our Android 13 download index for easy navigation.
Open the factory image using your favorite archive manager, locate the image-<device codename>-<build number>.zip file (yes, there’s a ZIP within a ZIP), and extract the boot.img file from it.
Install the stock boot.img for the current Android build number:
1. Make sure USB debugging is enabled on the phone and the adb devices command on the computer returns the phone’s serial number.
2. Reboot to the phone to the bootloader mode: adb reboot bootloader
3. Flash the stock boot image: fastboot flash boot <full patch of the stock boot.img>
4. Reboot: fastboot reboot
You can now force your phone to pull any waiting updates by heading to Settings > System > System update > Check for updates. Alternatively, download the latest recovery-flashable full OTA image for your model and sideload it manually.
- Don’t choose the latest factory image for upgrading, as the inbox flashing script will wipe the device by default.
Now that you’re on the latest build, it’s time to patch the boot image with Magisk for regaining root access. We have a dedicated tutorial for how to install Magisk, so take a look at it if you need any help.
Once your phone has rebooted after flashing back the patched boot image, you should be safely updated with the very latest OTA with root access.

Quick method

Download the factory image corresponding to the latest update for your Pixel phone on your PC/Mac. You can either do it from Google’s download portal or from our Android 13 download index.
Unpack the factory image using your favorite archive manager, locate the image-<device codename>-<build number>.zip file, and extract the boot.img file from it.
Patch the stock boot image using Magisk, but don’t flash it on your phone yet.
Copy the Magisk-patched boot image from your phone to your PC/Mac and rename it to boot.img.
Open the image-<device codename>-<build number>.zip file from step 2 with the archive manager of your choice and replace the stock boot image file in it with the one from step 4.
- Windows users are suggested to use 7-Zip, so that a simple drag-and-drop should be enough to push the patched file into the archive.
- Linux and macOS users can use the built-in zip utility to replace the stock boot image with the patched boot image in the factory firmware:
```
zip image-<device codename>-<build number>.zip boot.img
```
In order to remove the data wipe routine, modify the flashing script like the following:
- If you’re on Windows, then open the file named “flash-all.bat” with Notepad (or your favorite text editor), remove the “-w” parameter from the fastboot flashing segment, and save the file.
- For Linux and macOS, open the file named “flash-all.sh” with your favorite text editor, remove the “-w” parameter from the fastboot flashing segment, and save the file.
Reboot your Pixel phone to the bootloader mode and perform the flashing operation using Fastboot.
If everything goes right, the phone should reboot automatically into the latest OS version — that too with a pre-rooted boot image.

Don’t have access to a computer? While it is possible to direct Magisk to install itself to the inactive slot before taking an incremental OTA and keep root after the update, you might stumble on some unexpected roadblocks in this process. Thus, we recommend patching the boot image yourself and flashing it using a PC.

Verification

A simple way to check if you have followed all of these steps correctly is to head to Settings > About phone > Android version. You should see the exact patch and build number that you have sideloaded on your Google Pixel device.

Next, open the Magisk app from app drawer and the Magisk build number should be listed beside the “Installed” parameter, indicating that you’ve successfully managed to complete the process.

If you have any questions regarding rooting your Google Pixel phone, make sure to leave them in the comment section below.

The post How to install OTA updates and keep root on your Google Pixel phone appeared first on XDA.

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How to install Android 12 and 12L on Google Pixel and other Android devices

It’s that time of year again! Android 12, i.e. the next major release of Android is now available via stable channel. Google has also started rolling out Android 12L as a feature drop that brings several optimizations and improvements for large screen devices. For lucky owners of the Google Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL, Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL, Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 5, Pixel 5a, Pixel 6, or Pixel 6 Pro, you’ll be among the first users to see what new OS update has to offer.

If you have any of the aforementioned Pixel smartphones running and older stable build and wondering how you can install Android 12 or 12L, just scroll down as we have a tutorial ready for you. Keep in mind that Google will be providing an incremental OTA for existing beta users to move to the stable release, but they can also opt for a manual flashing. You will need a PC/Mac with ADB and Fastboot installed to successfully execute the installation process, once you have downloaded the relevant Android 12 release packages.

Alongside supported Google Pixel devices, Android 12/12L is also made available in the form of a GSI that can be flashed on a much wider range of devices. OEMs have joined in on the party as well, and you can flash Beta 1 on the following phones:

Warning: The updates are intended for developers only, so don’t install them on your daily-driver. These builds are early releases and contain bugs and other system instabilities. Even if the flashing process doesn’t necessarily wipe your device, it is highly recommended that you back up your data before proceeding. Users are advised to exercise caution.

The three methods to install the update are:

For supported Google Pixels: Sideload Android 12/12L via Recovery and ADB
For supported Google Pixels: Flashing full Factory Image via Fastboot
Any Project Treble-compatible Android device: Install Android 12/12L GSI

Method 1: Sideload Android 12/12L via Recovery and ADB

To install the stable build, you need to sideload the appropriate OTA package for your device from Recovery through ADB. This method will also work for Google Pixel devices with a locked bootloader.

Download the update .zip file on your computer from here. For convenience, you can rename this file to a simpler name and place the file in the directory where ADB is located on your computer.
Optional but recommended: Verify the SHA-256 checksum of the file you have downloaded to ensure that the file has been downloaded completely and correctly.
Enable USB Debugging on your phone — Go to Settings > About Phone > Tap “Build Number” 7 times, (optionally) enter your pattern, PIN or password to enable Developer Options, and then navigate to Settings > Developer Options > Enable “USB Debugging”.
Connect your phone to your computer. Authorize your computer connection on your phone when the prompt comes up on your phone, if this is the first time you are connecting with this ADB computer.
On your computer, run the command:
```
adb reboot recovery
```
You should see “No command” on your phone screen. Now press and hold the Power button of your phone. While you hold Power, press the Volume Up button and let go of both buttons quickly. You should the Android recovery menu.
Select the option Apply Update from ADB from the recovery menu.
On your phone, select the option “Apply Update from ADB”
On your computer, run the command:
```
adb devices
```
This should return a device serial with the “sideload” next to its name, indicating that your device is connected to the computer in sideload mode.
On your computer, run the command:
```
adb sideload "filename".zip
```
Where “filename” is to be replaced with the name of the file downloaded in Step 1
The update should install on your phone. Once the installation is complete, choose “Reboot system now” on your phone to reboot into Android 12.

Method 2: Flashing full Factory Image via Fastboot

If you have an unlocked bootloader on a Google Pixel device, you need to flash the full factory image of the Android 12 or 12L via Fastboot. Usually, this is done through a flash-all.sh or flash-all.bat script file that is included in the downloaded file, but its default configuration also wipes the device completely. You can, however, retain your data by deleting the “-w” wipe attribute from the command within the script.

Download the factory image .zip file on your computer from here.
Optional but recommended: Verify the SHA-256 checksum of the file you have downloaded to ensure that the file has been downloaded completely and correctly.
Extract the .zip file, and copy and paste the resultant files onto your ADB and fastboot folder on your computer for convenience.
Optional: The resultant files would contain a flash-all.sh or flash-all.bat script file. Using a text editor, open the flash-all.sh if you’re on macOS/Linux or the flash-all.bat script file if you’re on Windows. Find and remove/delete the -w flag in the fastboot update command. This will skip the data wipe for your phone. To avoid compatibility issues, a data wipe is recommended though.
Enable USB Debugging on your phone — Go to Settings > About Phone > Tap “Build Number” 7 times, (optionally) enter your pattern, PIN or password to enable Developer Options, and then navigate to Settings > Developer Options > Enable “USB Debugging”.
Connect your phone to your computer. Authorize your computer connection on your phone when the prompt comes up on your phone, if this is the first time you are connecting with this ADB computer.
On your computer, run:
```
adb reboot bootloader
```
This will reboot your phone into Fastboot mode.
On your Mac/Linux PC, run:
```
flash-all
```
This command executes the flash-all.sh script file, which will then install the necessary bootloader, baseband firmware, and operating system. If you are on Windows, you can simply double click the flash-all.bat file.
Once the script finishes, your device will reboot into the new OS.

Method 3: Install Android 12/12L GSI

Even if you don’t own a compatible Pixel smartphone, you can still install Google’s official GSI binaries to test Android 12 or 12L, provided your device is compatible with Project Treble. You also need an unlocked bootloader. The last thing that we need to say is that flashing a GSI will require you to factory reset your device, so be sure you’re prepared to lose app data before you proceed with this! We recommend you make an off-device backup (such as on your PC or an SD Card) in case anything goes wrong.

Download links for the official Android 12/12L Beta GSIs can be found here. Google has yet to publish GSIs based on the stable release. You should download the appropriate version based on your device’s architecture. To see which architecture your device has, run the following command:
```
adb shell getprop ro.product.cpu.abi
```
Optional but recommended: Verify the SHA-256 checksum of the file you have downloaded to ensure that the file has been downloaded completely and correctly.
Extract the .zip file, and copy and paste the resultant files (system.img and vbmeta.img) onto your ADB and fastboot folder on your computer for convenience.
Enable USB Debugging on your phone — Go to Settings > About Phone > Tap “Build Number” 7 times, (optionally) enter your pattern, PIN or password to enable Developer Options, and then navigate to Settings > Developer Options > Enable “USB Debugging”.
Connect your phone to your computer. Authorize your computer connection on your phone when the prompt comes up on your phone, if this is the first time you are connecting with this ADB computer.
On your computer, run:
```
adb reboot bootloader
```
This will reboot your phone into Fastboot mode.
As mentioned earlier, the bootloader of the target device must be unlocked beforehand.
Next, we need to disable Android Verified Boot (AVB). To do that, run the following command:
```
fastboot flash vbmeta vbmeta.img
```
Optional but recommended: Enter the following to wipe the system partition:
```
fastboot erase system
```
Flash the Android 12/12L GSI:
```
fastboot flash system system.img
```
Allow the image to flash, it could take a few minutes. Once that’s done, wipe the userdata partition:
```
fastboot -w
```
Finally, reboot your device:
```
fastboot reboot
```
Hopefully, your device should boot into the new build of Android.

Be sure to follow our Android 12 and Android 12L tags for all the latest news on the new Android version!

The post How to install Android 12 and 12L on Google Pixel and other Android devices appeared first on XDA.

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Google is reportedly bolstering its hardware division by shifting resources away from its Assistant

Google has warned employees about impending changes for months, and it has more recently started cutting costs across the company. In September, the firm canceled projects and began winding down its internal incubation project Area 120, and perhaps the biggest story was it shutting down Stadia, its online game streaming service. While more changes are undoubtedly on the horizon, a new report states that Google is shifting its strategy so that it can double down on its hardware division.

The Information by way of Ars Technica reports that while there have been sizeable cuts within the company, but it looks like most of the hardware divisions are safe. In fact, Google has recognized that the tide is turning in the Android market, with even its top competitor, Samsung, slowly losing market share to Apple. Furthermore, Google thinks that it can occupy this space by leveraging its own hardware and doubling down on its Pixel hardware lineup.

Apparently, in order to accomplish this, the firm will shift labor from non-Google devices to focus more on its own products. As for what areas are seeing shifts internally, the report states that there might be adjustments with staff working on Google TV, reassigning them to work on Wear OS and the Pixel Tablet. Furthermore, the report also seems to discuss cuts to teams working on Google Assistant for devices such as TVs, headphones, speakers, and more. As stated before, the bulk of the change will have to do with third-party manufacturers of these kinds of devices.

While this certainly looks bad for manufacturers, some will apparently be supported, like Samsung, Xiaomi, and OnePlus. Unfortunately, that’s a really small number when compared to all of the manufacturers around the world that produce Android products. Of course, these are just reports, so it remains to be seen whether we will see the ramifications of these actions in the near future.

Source: The Information
Via: Ars Technica

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mardi 18 octobre 2022

Netflix eyes cloud gaming service, opens new game studio

Today, Netflix announced its quarterly earnings, and the results were actually pretty impressive. The company has made a turnaround, exceeding its goals, adding more subscribers, and also generating more revenue. While it looks to the future, the company has started to make new moves, as it will debut a new ad-supported tier in November, and it will also be committing more to its gaming segment with plans to bring even more titles to the platform. Apparently, the company has plans to dive even deeper into gaming, announcing during the TechCrunch Disrupt conference that it was looking at cloud gaming and, most surprising, that it was opening up a new game studio.

During the TechCrunch Disrupt, Nike Verdu, who is the VP of Gaming at Netflix, shared that the company was “seriously” looking at offering a cloud gaming service. While most companies currently offer the service as a standalone product, if Netflix were to offer such a service, it would be part of the current subscription service, or as Verdu put it, a “value-add.” Competitors like Amazon have already started dabbling, with it currently offering Luna, its own game streaming service. Just recently, Google announced it would shut down its service because it hadn’t been able to attract subscribers. From what we can see, clearly, this space is not an easy one, so if Netflix were to engage, it would have to be extremely cautious.

In addition to its cloud gaming ambitions, Verdu also revealed that Netflix was going to open a brand new game development studio in Southern California. Previously, Netflix purchased game studios, but this will be the firm’s first from the ground up. The new studio will be helmed by industry veteran Chako Sonny, who was previously the executive producer of Overwatch. While this is tremendous news, it will be interesting to see just how far Netflix’s gaming journey goes.

Source: TechCrunch

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Xbox Design Lab offers customization options for Elite Series 2 controllers

Xbox Design Lab has offered customization options for Xbox controllers since 2016. But the Elite Series 2 controller was never part of the offering, leaving many gamers out of luck. Now, for the first time, Microsoft is including the ability to customize Elite Series 2 controllers, along with new customization options.

Starting today, gamers can head to the Xbox Design Lab website to customize their own Elite Series 2 Controller. The customization part is quite detailed, with the option to change the color of the body, back case, D-pad, bumpers, triggers, thumb sticks, and more. You can take things even further by swapping the D-Pad for a cross-shaped version if you want. Also, for the first time in Xbox Design Lab history, customers will have the option to customize the thumb stick base and ring, which definitely adds a nice accent of color. If you want the complete package, you can also add an engraving on the front of up to 16 characters.

The Elite Series 2 Controller is one of the best from Microsoft, constructed of high-grade materials and components and featuring numerous customization options. The rubberized grips and tensioned thumb sticks provide maximum control, especially when paired with short hair trigger locks. You can even enable a custom button mapping option and expect the controller to last up to 40 hours on a single charge. Best of all, the new Core model is quite a bit cheaper than the standard Elite Series 2 model, coming in at $50 less. Microsoft was able to accomplish this by removing some of the accessories that come packaged with the original model. But the good thing is that you can still purchase these accessories separately if you want. Microsoft offers the accessory bundle through its Complete Component Pack costing $59.99.

As a final touch to the customization process, users will be able to change the color of the Xbox button using the Xbox Accessories app as long as they also have the Xbox September update. This option will expand beyond color, giving users the option to set the brightness level as well. While you have the option to customize an Elite Series 2 controller, Microsoft still offers the ability to customize a standard Xbox Wireless controller as well. The Elite Series 2 Controller will cost $129.99, but if you want to customize it, you can pick up the controller with customization service for just $20 more. If you’re looking to customize an Xbox Wireless controller, it will cost substantially less, coming in at $69.99. If interested, be sure to head to the source link down below.

Source: Xbox Design Lab
Via: Xbox News

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Netflix doubles down on gaming, has 55 games in development

Today, Netflix released its third-quarter financial results, and it would be an understatement to say there was a lot of good news. In addition to exceeding its expected revenue for the term, the company also added over a million new subscribers, again exceeding expectations. With today’s positive news, the company also shared some of the things that it will do moving forward, like investing in more shows and movies and also expanding its gaming lineup.

While that last part might have you scratching your head, it appears that Netflix is doubling down on its game offerings. The company stated that in its first year of gaming, it was about learning the lay of the land and how its audience would react to the company’s new initiative. The service currently offers 35 games as part of its subscription plans, and it is apparently seeing “encouraging signs” of gaming leading to higher subscription retention. Because of this, the company is going deeper with gaming and currently has 55 games in development, with some of them being based on original Netflix properties. The firm states that it will be investing in games for the next few years, so it will be interesting to see where this takes us.

The company also discussed its new ad-supported tier of service, stating that it will arrive on November 1 in Canada and the United States. It will be expanding to nine other countries over the first two weeks of November, giving users around the world a new and less costly option for service. Netflix did hint that there could be an expansion of plans in the future but stated that it wanted to keep it simple for the initial launch. Furthermore, it also reiterated its plans to allow users sharing accounts to branch out to new accounts with its recently announced transfer service. What’s clear is that Netflix seems to understand its landscape, citing social media, YouTube, and other more traditional forms of media as competition to its own service. It will be interesting to see how it handles things moving forward.

Source: Netflix (Investors page)

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These are the updated cases for the new iPad and iPad Pro

Today, Apple introduced some new products, refreshing its iPad, iPad Pro, and Apple TV lineup. In addition to announcing the new iPad and iPad Pros, Apple also announced new accessories, with new Magic Keyboard Folio, Smart Folio, and Smart Magic Keyboards. So without further ado, let’s go ahead and check out all of the new accessories available.

Magic Keyboard Folio for iPad ($249)

Magic Keyboard Folio

The Magic Keyboard Folio offers protection and added functionality with its keyboard and trackpad attachment.

Buy at Apple

The Magic Keyboard Folio case is a great option for anyone that wants good protection for their new iPad. The cover comes in two pieces that protect the front and the back. In addition to protection, you also get a keyboard and trackpad. For the latest iPad, the Magic Keyboard Folio only comes in one color, white, and is priced at $249.

Smart Folio for iPad ($79)

Smart Folio

The Smart Folio comes in a variety of colors, attaches magnetically, and protects the display.

Buy at Apple

The Smart Folio is an iPad classic, offering a svelte design that attaches magnetically and protects the front display. The cover can also fold in two different ways, offering different stand configurations. The new Smart Folio comes in new colors that pop like White, Lemonade, Watermelon, and Sky. As for price, it comes in at $79.

Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro 11-inch ($299) and 12.9-inch ($349)

Magic Keyboard

The Magic Keyboard offers protection, keyboard and trackpad.

Buy at Apple

The Magic Keyboard case is a great option for anyone that wants the best of what Apple has to offer for their new iPad Pro. The cover offers protection on the front and the back and also has a keyboard and trackpad. The cover also has a floating cantilever design, enabling adjustment of the iPad for the best viewing angles. The Magic Keyboard also offers a USB‑C port for pass-through charging and comes in black and white. All of this doesn’t come cheap however, with the 11-inch model coming in at $299 and the 12.9-inch model costing $349.

Smart Keyboard Folio for iPad Pro 11-inch ($179) and 12.9-inch ($199)

Smart Keyboard Folio

The Smart Keyboard Folio offers protection and the tools that you need to be productive on the go.

Buy at Apple

The Smart Keyboard Folio provides great protection for the front and back of the iPad Pro. The viewing angle can be adjusted in two positions, and it also has a comfortable keyboard but no trackpad. The Smart Keyboard Folio only comes in black and costs $179 for the 11-inch model and $199 for the 12.9-inch model.

Smart Folio for iPad Pro 11-inch ($79) and 12.9-inch ($99)

Smart Folio

The Smart Folio for the iPad Pro offers protection for the display and can transform into a stand.

Buy at Apple

Smart Folio for iPad Pro 11-inch (4th generation) - Black

The Smart Folio is an iPad classic and makes for the perfect protective cover for the iPad Pro. The cover attaches magnetically and protects the front display. It can also convert into a stand, offering two different configurations. The new $79 Smart Folio comes in a variety of colors like Black, White, English Lavender, and Marine Blue for the 11-inch model. The $99 Smart Folio for the 12.9-inch model is available in the same colors but also adds Mallard Green and Electric Orange. If interested in any of the cases mentioned above, be sure to hit the links where you’ll find the most up to date pricing.

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