Redmi Note 7 / State of play

stanwood · 13 Apr 2021, 19:37

[Latest update: October 21 / 2021]

Following various requests from people wanting to use the Redmi Note 7 with Ubuntu Touch, I would like to share my own experience of the features that are not yet fully functional on this device. (Current status: OTA-19 stable)

I will keep this note updated as improvements are made.

My overall impression as a daily user is generally very good. The device is one of the best in terms of performance, stability and portability.
Here's the official statement of device usability:
https://devices.ubuntu-touch.io/device/lavender/

Note that the current port progress is "inactive". That means no one is working on this device anymore. This could change if a new porter wishes to continue the work.

Installation: I was fortunate enough to be able to purchase a device already running Ubuntu Touch. I know that many people experience installation difficulties, both in unlocking the bootloader, and in installing via the UBports Installer.
However, I can confirm that reinstalling Ubuntu Touch (when already installed) via the installer works perfectly.
An installation guide is available here, it might help:
https://github.com/mrdrhax/xiaomi-redmi-note-7-installation-manual

Here are the non/partially functional items on my device:

. Online charging: No charging indicator on the screen. But charging works anyway.

. Offline charging: Not functional. When device is off, by plugging the USB-C cable, it starts to charge during 15 seconds, then it automatically runs in "fastboot mode"

. Video recording: Does not work with the main camera (app camera freezes) but works with the front camera.

. Pictures camera: Maximum resolution 13 MPX (9 MPX in 16/9 mode), while the camera has 48 MPX.
Only the bottom lens is functional.
Flash and zoom are working.
HDR mode does not work (application freezes)

. Bluetooth: After switching on the Bluetooth, the device must be restarted for it to be active. Media transfer and music streaming work, but not calls to hands-free devices. Conversations are not redirected to the Bluetooth device.

. Automatic brightness adjustment: Does not work, although the option can be checked in the settings.

. Fixed in OTA-17: ̶E̶c̶h̶o̶ ̶d̶u̶r̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶p̶h̶o̶n̶e̶ ̶c̶o̶n̶v̶e̶r̶s̶a̶t̶i̶o̶n̶s̶:̶ ̶C̶a̶n̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶f̶i̶x̶e̶d̶ ̶a̶t̶ ̶e̶a̶c̶h̶ ̶s̶t̶a̶r̶t̶u̶p̶ ̶b̶y̶ ̶t̶y̶p̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶f̶o̶l̶l̶o̶w̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶c̶o̶m̶m̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶t̶e̶r̶m̶i̶n̶a̶l̶:̶ ̶

s̶e̶t̶p̶r̶o̶p̶ ̶p̶e̶r̶s̶i̶s̶t̶.̶a̶u̶d̶i̶o̶.̶f̶l̶u̶e̶n̶c̶e̶.̶v̶o̶i̶c̶e̶c̶a̶l̶l̶ ̶f̶a̶l̶s̶e̶

. Fixed in OTA-17: F̶i̶n̶g̶e̶r̶p̶r̶i̶n̶t̶s̶ ̶u̶n̶l̶o̶c̶k̶:̶ ̶W̶o̶r̶k̶s̶,̶ ̶b̶u̶t̶ ̶m̶a̶k̶e̶s̶ ̶U̶T̶ ̶b̶u̶g̶g̶y̶.̶ ̶T̶r̶o̶u̶b̶l̶e̶s̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶c̶l̶o̶s̶e̶ ̶a̶p̶p̶s̶.̶ ̶I̶ ̶r̶e̶c̶o̶m̶m̶e̶n̶d̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶l̶e̶a̶v̶e̶ ̶a̶ ̶4̶ ̶d̶i̶g̶i̶t̶s̶ ̶p̶i̶n̶ ̶c̶o̶d̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶u̶n̶l̶o̶c̶k̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶d̶e̶v̶i̶c̶e̶ ̶y̶e̶t̶

. The usage statistics on the home screen are not displayed.

. Seems to be fixed in OTA-19: ~~SD card: Occasionnaly micro sd is not recognized at device startup. (256 GB) A simple reboot fixes the problem.~~

. Notification Led: Not existing / Not working

. Apps: The app "Music recognition" does not work (green microphone button remains inactive):
https://github.com/luksus42/soundrecog/issues/7

. Unable to grant the microphone access through the web browser:
https://github.com/ubports/morph-browser/issues/399

. "IMoon" app does not store data from last session

. Notch: Same as Vollaphone, the notch can hide the time display. A fix is available here and works well on this device:
https://github.com/JamiKettunen/unity8-notch-hax

. Seems to be fixed in OTA-19: ~~Occasionally the boot time is particularly long (around 5 minutes), but this does not affect the use of the device in any way. (still occurs in OTA-18)~~

. Not tested: Hotspot. ADB access. Anbox nor Waydroid

Everything else works fine, almost no bugs. Good endurance. Very responsive GPS. Good battery life. SMS/MMS/calls/Wifi/Music/Media/Cellular data/ease of use, etc... all are perfect.
Of course this is only my own personal experience

I hope this feedback will be useful to those who are hesitating to take the plunge!

Danct12 · 14 Apr 2021, 12:51

Call echo has already been fixed on devel.

EDIT: as for the 48MP camera, the sensor is 48, but output is only 12 according to Samsung: https://www.samsung.com/semiconductor/minisite/isocell/mobile-image-sensors/isocell-bright-gm1/

stanwood · 14 Apr 2021, 16:24

@danct12 Thank you! You've made a pretty good job on this device!

Markatrafik · 15 Apr 2021, 05:21

and yet few points about the Redmi Note 7 functions ....

USSD from the dialer does't work, but python scripts in the shell OK
Compass function, does it work or not, is there any application?
GPS function. The uNav wasn't working. Is everything OK now?
IR to control home appliances, in Andorid there is an application
No charging logo/indicator when powercord is connected

stanwood · 15 Apr 2021, 16:42

@Markatrafik I'll try to answer to the following requests:

Compass function, does it work or not, is there any application?

There's this app:
https://open-store.io/app/xompass.emanuelesorce
But it doesn't work with most of devices yet. I confirm it doesn't work with RN7.

GPS function. The uNav wasn't working. Is everything OK now?

Works like a charm, at least with Pure Maps. Did you enable "Localization" in Security settings?

IR to control home appliances, in Andorid there is an application

Did you try this? https://open-store.io/app/io.guh.nymeaapp

No charging logo/indicator when powercord is connected

Correct, no charging indicator as I mentioned above. (but charges anyway). Device Must be powered on to charge.

Don't know if some of those (minor) issues will be fixed in next OTA-17 (?)

Josele13 · 18 May 2021, 18:48

@stanwood Good afternoon, I have a Note 7, yesterday I unlocked the bootloader of the mobile, the app Mi Unlock Tool detected the mobile but did not connect with Xiaomi, I tried with an older version and seems to react, I think it installed something on the phone, with the two apps I was playing, then press Unloock and unlocked at the time, the phone stayed with the MIUI logo a few minutes, restarted and was the Android in factory state, empty of everything.

Now my question... Do I have to install the Recovery?
Can I install directly from the Ubports installer?

thanks for your comments, they help a lot,

Regards...

https://c.mi.com/thread-2262302-1-0.html

stanwood · 18 May 2021, 18:51

@josele13 I guess you can go with the installer. Follow carefully the instructions. You need to be on Android 9 (not 10) to be able to install UT.

Josele13 · 18 May 2021, 18:54

@stanwood I have android 10 on my phone, in the Git hub instructions there are pictures with the Note 7 with Android 10, I don't know if I can use the installer...

stanwood · 18 May 2021, 20:20

@josele13 Well, I'm not enough skilled to answer right. Maybe ask the question on the Telegram Welcome Group
https://t.me/WelcomePlus
I wouldn't like you to soft brick your phone....

Josele13 · 18 May 2021, 20:25

@stanwood OK, now I'm looking for the orangefox twrp to install some room with android 9, thank you

Josele13 · 21 May 2021, 23:37

@stanwood
Perfect, I installed Ut on the Xiaomi Note 7, strange things happened to me, but it's done.
I created a Xiaomi account from the mobile that I have associated with gmail for verification, I inserted a sim card by associating a number, then I will get a verification SMS, then I put it in developer mode and also Usb debugging.

I used the most current Xiaomi unlock app (https://c.mi.com/thread-2262302-1-0.html) which I had placed on the Xindows 10 desktop,
I tried several times to make it work with the phone connected in fastboot, there was no response. then I downloaded an older version and tried again, I put my Xiaomi account data again and click on some sites and it installs something on the phone or computer ... I do not remember, then in the most current app I saw that he had recognized the phone and click on unlock.
the mobile that was in fastboot restarts and stays the MIUI mobile logo for a while, just boot the phone in android, but It unlocked the bootloader at the time, I've been crazy.

The mobile had been restored to factory settings, the mobile was empty.
android 10 only, with the padlock open. I check in the developer mode place and it was UNLOCKED.

I download Recovery orangefox (https://www.miui.net.in/orange-fox-twrp-for-redmi-note-7-lavender/#Key_Features) and install it on the Xiaomi Note 7 .....put in terminal…. sudo fastboot flash recovery and drag the file to the terminal, so I was left to me....... sudo fastboot flash recovery '/home/jose/OrangeFox-R10-017-RC-lavender.img'.

When I boot it says: Failed decryption of data, I press to do so and does not work, restart the phone and I don't see the Xiaomi Recovery, I do not believe it.
After asking in the telegram channel DrHax tells me that with Android 10 Ubports Installer works.
The phone is in fastboot and I reinstall the Recovey Orangefox again, I reboot the phone to Recovery and does not ask me anything like about decrypting DATA,

I connect it to the PC with Ubuntu on a USB 2.0 port, the phone is in developer mode and usb debugging enabled, the phone asks me with a popup window if I give usb debugging permissions ...I press that YES
On my PC I have already installed ADB and Fastboot , I open the terminal and put ...sudo adb devices ... and the terminal returns a number and devices , the PC recognizes the mobile.

I used the SNAP installer, it's the one that worked the first time, the Appimage told me that my computer dependencies were missing and the .deb could not find the app I needed to install.
I open the Ubports installer and it detects the mobile, which was with the Recovery open, I click on install Ubuntu 16.04/Stable, wipe data and I click it to install,
It open Firefox Browser on a page to download Lineage16..it is android 9, I download it to the desktop, I click on a box that says vendor.zip, it opens a window to find the file ( lineage-16,0-20200226-vendor.zip ), I click install ,the phone switches to fastboot and Lineage 16 is installed and then Ubuntu touch is installed.
When I see that Ut boots on the Xiaomi I was very happy,

this has happened to me,

Thank you standwood...

Josele13 · 22 May 2021, 22:59

@stanwood I would like to add , the phone works very well,

the bluetooth only works in the music app and webapps,
the GPS as in all devices, takes about 30 seconds to connect at the beginning but then during the day it locates you very fast,
the photos in vertical position come out landscape, you have to correct them on the PC, I have found the way to correct the image from the Note 7, after taking the picture vertically, go to edit photo, click on change the clarity of the photo, ...., modify a little and then save the image, now you have the image vertically, I have put the steps in the image below.
The video freezes, HDR too.
Hotspot works.... follow steps.... .... https://forums.ubports.com/topic/6203/hotspot-issue

regards...

Nico38 · 25 May 2021, 12:13

Hi, everybody.
Thanks to developpers for the good job.
I just set my Redmi Note 7 under Ubuntu Touch.
Feel good BUT :
GPS not working ! command test_gps said :
"gps interface not found :("
I used the UBPorts installer on Windows 10.
Maybe should I do it again under Linux Mint ???
I made a system update through "Development channel" but nothing new ! As I can see.
Any idea of how to solve this ?
Have a good day.

stanwood · 25 May 2021, 12:35

@nico38 Works well on my side. Try to reinstall without wipe the data.

Josele13 · 25 May 2021, 12:47

@nico38 The gps in Ut usually takes 30 seconds to 1 minute to find your position the first time, after that it does it soon.
Turn on the gps and restart the phone, this is the way to force it to work, then leave it always on, it will only work if an app asks it to.

Regards...

Nico38 · 25 May 2021, 13:21

@stanwood
Thanks a lot for your fast answer.
I'll try to re-install on Linux and let you know.

Nico38 · 25 May 2021, 13:24

@Josele13
I already restarted the phone and GPS is on.
As no GPS interface is found, no app can get it !

Nico38 · 25 May 2021, 19:49

@stanwood
Just reinstall from zero.
Same "gps interface not found".
Get the finger print that was laccking previously. Anyway its buggy.
Don't know what to do to get GPS active.
Regards

stanwood · 25 May 2021, 20:25

@nico38 Maybe a hardware issue (?)

Josele13 · 25 May 2021, 21:47

@nico38 If you go to security and privacy .....on settings...it says Location?