Devices discontinued?

Lakotaubp

@james-t Those decisions have not yet been made and there is an explanation in here https://ubports.com/blog/ubports-news-1/post/ubuntu-touch-q-a-121-3871 Though to be honest given the age and spec of the Nexus 5 that might be doubtful.

Moem

@james-t said in Devices discontinued?:

which devices are under development,

It will mostly depend on the port maintainers for the respective devices. If your device has an active maintainer, you could contact them; if it does not, then that is not a good sign for the future.

wizardi3

@lakotaubp It would be nice to have VoLTE working on the Nexus 5 before you abandon it, after all it has the greatest number of Ubuntu Touch users of any single phone.

arubislander

@wizardi3 Getting VoLTE working is an ongoing process and definitely one of the things that will land in focal or beyond.

It might be possible to bring the Nexus 5 to focal, if the needed systemd patches can be applied to its kernel. If that should happen, then it would get the VoLTE update when it lands.

This is of course assuming the Nexus 5 's hardware even supports VoLTE.

Moem

@wizardi3 said in Devices discontinued?:

before you abandon it

If anyone abandons the Nexus 5, or any other device, that's the port maintainer, not the UBports devs.

kugiigi

I think Nexus 5 has a higher chance of getting focal than the Canonical devices since it has a "newer" port methods. I wouldn't hold my breath about VoLTE. It seems to be a complicated thing and if I am not mistaken, implementation is specific to certain SOCs or devices. If ever VoLTE comes to UT, newer and company-supported devices like Volla will be the priority.

James T

Thanks to everyone for the updates/clarifications.

domubpkm

Focal on the Nexus 5, any work / info about this?

stanwood

@domubpkm Officially the Nexus 5 will not be ported to Focal because it runs on Halium 5.
The minimum level for Focal is Halium 9.

Although there are unofficial ROMs for the Nexus 5, up to Android 13 (example with this LineageOS 20 ROM https://www.getdroidtips.com/android-13-nexus-5/), we would need a new build of the Halium 9 kernel layer, then patches for Focal.

Currently I have no idea if a porter has taken on this task, but I don't think so, as Nexus 5 is not a core device anymore now.

cliffcoggin

@stanwood said in Devices discontinued?:

@domubpkm Officially the Nexus 5 will not be ported to Focal because it runs on Halium 5.

That news has been expected for the best part of a year, but not confirmed until now. Sadly it marks the end of my UT experience as there is no small phone alternative to Nexus 5.

Goodbye folks, and good luck with Ubuntu Touch.

domubpkm

@cliffcoggin Nothing currently to replace the small formats of the BQ E5 HD, BQ 4.5 and NEXUS 5 for focal. It is indeed a lack, but out of the question to say goodbye to UT in my case for that.

MrT10001

@domubpkm Don't forget Nexus 4, Samsung S3 Neo+ and I have UT running sort of on A Motorola Moto E2 (XT1524). I like the smaller devices too, but the market dictates.....

lduboeuf

@cliffcoggin said in Devices discontinued?:

@stanwood said in Devices discontinued?:

@domubpkm Officially the Nexus 5 will not be ported to Focal because it runs on Halium 5.

That news has been expected for the best part of a year, but not confirmed until now. Sadly it marks the end of my UT experience as there is no small phone alternative to Nexus 5.

Goodbye folks, and good luck with Ubuntu Touch.

XperiaX is rather small compare to others and focal compatible

MrT10001

@lduboeuf It is and has a very nice display too. However a word of warning about Sony devices (UK), all the ones that have passed through my hands (and I have thought, I want to see the UT logo on that) have been ineligible for bootloader unlocking and there is no way round it (thanks Sony).

RayCulp

@Moem said in Devices discontinued?:

If anyone abandons the Nexus 5, or any other device, that's the port maintainer, not the UBports devs

I'm wondering, is there one device at any given time that is always guaranteed to be compatible with UT? Something like a reference device. Or is UT developed completely separate from any particular device, and then ported independently by individual port maintainers?

arubislander

@RayCulp For some devices a port is commissioned and/or sponsored by the vendors. This is the case with the Volla phones and the Fairphone 4.
For other devices it is much more the case of, someone with that device and the know-how wanting to see UT on running on it.

Moem

@RayCulp That's a great question and I don't know the answer!

domubpkm

@MrT10001 https://m.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_xcover_5-10718.php seems good.

RayCulp

@arubislander said in Devices discontinued?:

For some devices a port is commissioned and/or sponsored by the vendors. This is the case with the Volla phones and the Fairphone 4.
For other devices it is much more the case of, someone with that device and the know-how wanting to see UT on running on it.

Ok, but then it seems counterintuitive that the Google Pixel 3a is at 100% completion while none of the Volla phones are 100%. Why is this? I mean, they're close, but still.

arubislander

@RayCulp Because some devices are ~~easier~~ less intractable to port than others, for various reasons.