Pixel 3a XL experience
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Hi,
sorry for the long post, but I'd like to share my experience with the Google Pixel 3a XL, as I think it could help others make the decision when choosing a phone for the Ubuntu Touch. It will be also a little comparison with Google Nexus 5, which was my previous phone.
I bought a 3 month old phone (returned to the store) because they no longer sell a new one. I've been using the phone as daily driver for 3 weeks now and I must say I'm impressed. It's a real difference from Nexus 5.
I was a little worried at first. It still costs like a new mid-range phone and there were some posts on the forum, which made me worry about the current state of this port. In the end, everything went good.
Installation
I had to flash older Android version (as noted on the devices page), since it was updated to the latest. I used the same version as on the devices page, but downloaded it from "bonito" section, as it is the XL version ("sargo" is the base version).
Unlocking the bootloader was a little different than on Nexus 5, but I guess you have to search for tutorials and FAQs for the specific phone and Android version everytime you get a new phone.
# install tools on linux machine sudo apt install adb fastboot # on phone in android settings - enable developer mode - enable USB debug - allow OEM unlock - restart to fastboot mode # on linux machine run command and confirm it on the phone using buttons fastboot flashing unlock # download and unpack the android image and run command from within the unpacked folder ./flash-all.sh # in a few minutes it was all doneThen I used UBports Installer to install Ubuntu Touch from stable channel. I had to pick device manually, since there was an entry only for Pixel 3a and not 3a XL and I selected to wipe the device. After a while it booted into a post-install wizard.
Calls, SMS, MMS
There are some known problems with USA carriers, also depending on the phone model, but since I'm in central Europe with european phone model everything works.
I just noticed it takes some time to connect to the cellular network. It asks for unlocking the SIM like 30s after I unlock the phone for the first time after the boot. This happened almost instantly on my previous phone.
When I enable airplane mode (by mistake), it won't reconnect to the cellular network. I loose patience after 30s and reboot always fixes everything.
There are still some glitches with the calls. Speaker won't disable during the call when it was once enabled and you can't change volume during the call. But I don't usually need those features and it all seems fixable to me.
There is one issue, which I think is related to the phone itself. The other side have troubles hearing me if they don't change volume to 100%. I tested it by myself by swapping the phones and can confirm, that I could barely hear them when volume was set to 50% in a quiet room. I could hear clearly when using the old Nexus 5 and same settings.
So far only 1 person reported the problem to me and others seem to hear me clearly, but this seems to be generic issue for some/many? Pixel devices with no fix from the Google.
I had similar experience with my first Nexus 5 (European model), but it was probably faulty device, since my second Nexus 5 (USA model) had no problem.I do not use MMS, so I can't report on that.
Battery
The battery lasted 107 hours (from 100 to 3 percent) in opposite to like 20 hours on my Nexus 5. I'm not a heavy weight phone user, I do 1-2 calls a day, a few SMS, 30 min online max. Wifi, BT, mobile data and location services are disabled most of the time, but it still feels like a real freedom. It also charges really quickly.
Camera, Video
Photos seems to be better than on Nexus 5 and also after a few years I can finally watch videos I just recorded directly on the phone! This was a big trouble for me when using Nexus 5.
Related to the phone itself it seems, that camera is either closer to the edge or I just hold the phone differently, but I keep sticking my fingers in the camera veiw and this didn't happen with my previous phone.
WIFI, BT, 3G/LTE
Wifi and LTE seems to work perfectly. I can even re-connect when using mobile data. This was broken on my Nexus 5 since last two OTAs (after first usage of mobile data it reported no connection when re-enabled until the reboot).
I do not have any BT device, so I can't report on that, but from other forum posts it seems to work.
GPS, Navigation
I can get location like in a two minutes. Once they removed assisted GPS it took like 15-20 minutes on Nexus 5. Also I can run uNav with local OSM Scout Server without it crashing in a few minutes. I recently took 1h car trip with it and it worked great.
UI and others
Everything feels smooth and starts quickly. It's also big enough on XL screen, so I do not have to adjust the scaling.
I can't think of anything else, which I do with the phone and almost everything is marked as "working" on devices page, so you can probably count on that.
Oh, Tux Racer works on that nicely. It worked also on Nexus 5, but it heated-up the phone quickly.
Overall I'm impressed by the phone and the quality of the port, so big thank you @fredldotme.
I just fear, that there will be no Yumi animation during the OTA update, as recovery also looked differently (Halium 9 device), but we shall see with the nearest OTA.
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@zlamalp Hi, I just installed UT on my pixel 3a XL and I am having issues with the camera being out of focus. Any suggestions from you or anybodie else here? Is there anything I can do to solve this problem on the phone?
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@joadri said in Pixel 3a XL experience:
@zlamalp Hi, I just installed UT on my pixel 3a XL and I am having issues with the camera being out of focus. Any suggestions from you or anybodie else here? Is there anything I can do to solve this problem on the phone?
Hi @Joadri,
can you be more specific? It's like it won't focus at all or what?
If I tap the sceen before taking picture with the camera app, it will focus on the object in that place. If I want to take picture of anything in different distance, then I again tap the screen to set focus. There is no difference in behaviour from Nexus 5 and like this I get proper sharp photos.
I guess Android probably does some kind of autofocus, but I don't think there is anything like it in Ubuntu Touch.
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@zlamalp Thanks! After a short while playing with it I noticed what you're telling me. I am afraid your guess is correct. Maybe there is some limitations in UT's Camera. It would be useful to read from somebody who knows for sure.
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@joadri We do have this group https://t.me/UT_photography though I think that group is more for the quality of the pictures themselves.
Also have the same thing on OP5 so it seems a general issue. If you get no answer here there is the Support section for a wider range. -
@lakotaubp Thanks!
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@zlamalp can you please confirm receiving SMS works fine? I am seeing that I can send SMS fine but I get no message and no notification or anything when someone sends one to me. It seems more reliably broken when my wifi is ON (meaning, if I disable wifi and reboot, I will get messages, but then when I enable wifi again SMS won't come in). I too have a N5 that reliably gets / sends SMS and MMS using the same SIM (USA, US Mobile - TMobile network). I am trying to confirm if it is all Pixel 3a users that don't GET SMS with wifi on (or without... it isn't reliably reproduceable yet in my case)
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Hi @rik, SMS works fine for me, but I use phone in central Europe and have european model. As far as I know from other forum threads, problems with SMS/MMS are reported for USA models and networks. Some suggests switching to 3G or various specific APN settings to make it work.
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@zlamalp I am not expert, but I don't THINK any apn settings are used for SMS? Only for "data" which would be Internet or MMS (UT apn settings don't mention SMS)??
I have tried keeping "Cellular Data" OFF the last day and I am more reliably getting SMS. I am not confident to say 100% but so far I haven't missed a test SMS yet??
When on 4G or 3G, I am getting lots of missed SMS. Again will need more testing.
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I too installed successfully Ubuntu Touch with UBports-installer on my Google Pixel 3a XL from a Mac OSx system
I bought a refurbished Google Pixel 3a XL for 140£ (UK) and and should I need it, replacment batteries are available for 10-15£.
It's been very difficult for, specially in the understanding of the very composition of the boot loader, the screens, lock/unlock, and tools available.
I manage to install only by selecting manually the device on ubports and by flagging "erase user data
Zlamalp summary of steps is great and is a reassurance.
The final result is impressive, yet still lacking a lot of features.
Usable, 100% usable, but something that has great potential.
The more people (and developers) get on the platform, the more it will evolve.
My contribution to the installation is this.
Concepts
Abandon any hope on data while installing: sounds like a dire warning, but is just the basic. You are installing something new. Until you are familiar with it, like a good old PC, chances are you will "format and reinstall" many times. So, you are expected to lose all data on the device.
Fastboot: is a screen that appears before the operating systems are loaded - you can get stuck there, but it's fine, you can always reinstall either Ubuntu Touch or any version of the firmware of your device
Recovery Mode: is a special option you can get into after the fastboot. Best, is to get to it from android, with
./adb reboot recoveryDeveloper Mode: this an android setting - you tap 7 times on the android version (google it)
OTA images and flashing: these are usually zip files of the Android version you want to install. You will have to revert your android to an old "firmware" version. But if you use the crome installer, you will never need these. Here their location anyway (you might have to agree with Google T&Cs) https://developers.google.com/android/ota#bonito
Preparation - IMPORTANT!!!
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Chrome - it uses an integrated tool for reinsalling the OS (it's fantastic and works like a charme)
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This url https://flash.android.com/back-to-public - or more specific https://flash.android.com/build/5674421?target=bonito-user&signed=true for the specific version to install - should you crash the device, you can always recover it - this toole will allow you to reinstall the base public installation
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ubports (mine was 0.8.8-beta)
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OTA image - if you use Chrome's tool, you really won't need this
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Android SDK platform tools https://developer.android.com/studio/releases/platform-tools - download and unzip it - cd into the folder and you can run scripts straigthaway
Good to know commands
./adb devicesrun when you are logged in android, in developer mode, and usb debug is enabled - response is instantaneous - you don't need to wait for devices. Either works or something's amiss./fastboot devices- same as above, but only should you be stuck inside the fastboot./fastboot flashing unlock- to manually unlock the device
Unlocking boot loader
As zlamalp wrote (plus a bit of mine):
- on android enable developer mode - on android enable USB debug - on android allow OEM unlock - ensure device is connected and adb works with `./adb devices` - `./adb reboot bootloader` - will reboot android to the boot loader - `./fastboot flashing unlock` - this, once you are inside the bootloader, and then **follow on screen instructions to confirm**Installation
- With Chrome, flash your Pixel 3a XL device to PQ3B.190801.002 - Chrome will tell you to confirm unlocking/locking the boot loader - use volume keys to switch options and power button to confirm
- Once in Android older firmware PQ3B.190801.002, a. enable developer mode b. enable usb debug
- Open up ubports, choose manually your device, and begin installation with both 2 options flagged: wipe user data AND bootstrap
- ubports will tell you what to do next
In theory, once the device reboots, and gets past the recovery mode, as instructions on ubports will tell, you should get a blank screen with Google logo, and then you should see the Ubuntu Touch boot loader - do not touch anything and let it run.
So, great achievements.
Next will be choosing on what of the many options to contribute with
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Greetings all,
For the short read, go to the solution.
Another new member here. I went through some difficulty with a Pixel 3a XL I got from eBay on Monday but it turned into a success. I had tried to flash it roughly 20 times and to no avail, I could only get to the “Google” screen after flashing firmware and would loose connection to the phone, it would not boot into recovery mode. I would then have to flash PQ3B.190801.002 again and start over as the phone would be stuck in a boot loop at fastboot. I was using the recent 0.9.1 installer.
I tried three different linux computers and a Windows virtual machine. Tried USB-C to USB-C, USB-A to C and changed everything I could. I tried the .deb install of the installer and the Snap, and of course the Windows installer. I searched all of the forums and internet that I could and tried everything I could come up with. Locked the bootloader, unlocked it several times and ran all kinds of combinations. Flashed from the Google site in Vivaldi browser and Google browser, and flashed it manually. The ./flash-all.sh script would not work and would only return “Fastboot is to old, Download a new one” so I just ran the commands in the script and that worked for Android 9...yet nothing seemed to get me to recovery mode.
Solution:
This morning I decided to download an older installer, 0.8.8, this time an appimage, just to try it but I had to flash PQ3B.190801.002 again before doing so. This time I ticked the boxes on the Google site for “Disable verity” and “Disable verify vbmeta”, at least I think that is what they were called, I also ticked the boxes for “Force flash” and “Wipe data” which I had done several times already. I don’t think it really had anything to do with the old installer but the disabling of verifying things that got it to work, and it worked fast.
Very happy with the results. The phone flies, waydroid works well and even installed Futify which also works well. I’m happy with all functions of the phone I need so far. It’s gone much better than expected after figuring out the install.
I had seen in my internet searches that others were getting stuck on the same spot that I did, so I thought I would throw my two pennies in the hat.
Thanks for all the direction, it all helped!
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@wsanford I cannot believe I literally have just been going through the same thing. Fresh ebay second hand 3XL... latest deb beta 0.9.1 and stuck at google screen. Thankfully I found this and the 0.8.8 version worked FIRST time. Definitely something wonky with install on the later versions. Thanks mate, one happy fellow enthusiast here (Even made an account just to post this)
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@joshndroid Glad to be of any help. Things have been going much better than expected for me. I'm very impressed with the efforts to bring this to be. Last night I tried to swap the SIM card over to test drive it but the Verizon guy online couldn't get my SIM card free from my old phone, so Monday I'll have to go into the store. But, if that's the worst problem I have, I'll be happy with that. LOL
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@wsanford said in Pixel 3a XL experience:
Last night I tried to swap the SIM card over to test drive it but the Verizon guy online couldn't get my SIM card free from my old phone, so Monday I'll have to go into the store
Unfortunately I don't think you are going to be able to get calls working on Verizon
Their older network is CDMA and the newer one is VoLTE, both of which don't work as of this moment. Data should work (??) but calls and sms are probably of interest Sorry for this discouragement, could you consider a GSM-based SIM? For example, US Mobile (T-Mobile reseller) works well and is $12 / mo for unlimited calls, SMS, and 1GB data. But of course I understand if coverage may not be good for you. VoLTE work has been identified but it will be a while before it is usable. -
@rik I appreciate the heads up. I'm not picky on the carrier at this point. I'll look into T-Mobile in my area. Thanks a bunch.
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@wsanford Im on the other side of the planet...
I've just been tinkering around as yet to get it to some sort of daily ready device.
It reminds me a lot of early android tinkering... a bit of fun to it -
@joshndroid Hey it was good info though. I stopped by t-mobile yesterday and got a plan that is better than my Verizon one. It ran me 50 bucks a month but I have unlimited everything and no annual restrictions, even hot spot is working. Coverage for Eastern North Carolina seems to be great. Still no MMS but I can send and receive pictures on telegram, which my friends and I use. So, I'm daily driving, it connects to my truck just fine for calls and using futify to play music over the stereo. All is good.
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@joshndroid sorry for any confusion, I was responding to @rik , Oh yes, it is a lot of fun tinkering.
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@wsanford with the amount that you pay, I feel blessed that I pay less ($7.22). It might be that is not a plan. It's like a . . refill? I just pay for 28 days of service when I can. I'm not sticked to a plan.
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@wsanford said in Pixel 3a XL experience:
Still no MMS but I can send and receive pictures on telegram, which my friends and I use
I am sure we can get MMS to work with "fiddling" with your APN settings. Make sure you have DIFFERENT APN entries for "Data" and "MMS" entries. If they are the same APN for 2 entries then UT gets confused. Also, MMS group messages don't work, but photos do. Finally, you need to have wifi disabled to receive / send MMS (yet another shortcoming for now, hopefully we can work this out in the future to always prefer cellular data for MMS so it works with wifi on or off).
If you are stuck / confused on APN settings, please post what they currently are and we can get it sorted.
