Posted past times Iliyan Malchev, Project Treble Architect
Android P Beta available at android.com/beta
As Android continues to evolve, each novel unloose of the OS brings novel features, novel user experiences, too meliorate security. It is of import that these novel releases detect their agency to mobile devices equally fast equally possible.
Yesterday, nosotros announced that the next devices, inwards improver to Pixel too Pixel 2, right away back upward Android P Beta: Sony Xperia XZ2, Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S, Nokia seven Plus, Oppo R15 Pro, Vivo X21, OnePlus vi too Essential PH‑1. Android P Beta provides an chance for developers too early on adopters closed to the the world to seek the latest Android release, exam their apps, too render feedback.
In this post, nosotros render an update to Project Treble too the technology scientific discipline that allowed us to convey Android Beta to to a greater extent than phones this year.
Building the Foundation
Bringing the novel Android unloose apace to the hands of users takes a combined seek betwixt Google, silicon manufacturers (SM), device manufacturers (OEMs), too carriers. This procedure is technically challenging too requires aligning the schedules betwixt our manufacture partners.
To cut the technical difficulties, nosotros launched Project Treble equally component of Android Oreo.
The Silicon Manufacturers
Next, to capitalize on the foundation nosotros built, nosotros collaborated closely amongst the silicon manufacturers, where the journeying of making an Android device ever begins.
Any device amongst the latest version of Android must endure based on an SoC amongst the proper software back upward for it. This software, usually referred to equally the Board Support Package (BSP), contains non exclusively the chip-specific vendor implementation, but besides all of the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) too pieces of the framework that are missing from AOSP itself (e.g., carrier-specific telephony functionality).
These BSPs are the starting signal for all device launches. OEMs adjust the vendor implementation to their hardware too add together their ain custom framework components.
While silicon manufacturers ever desire the latest version of Android inwards their BSPs, the costs possess got been prohibitive. By making it possible for newer AOSP frameworks to run on older, already-released vendor implementations, Project Treble dramatically reduces the postulate for continuous investment inwards older silicon to back upward each Android release. Silicon manufacturers possess got to produce all this piece of job simply once, rather than every fourth dimension at that topographic point is a novel unloose of Android.
Solving the Timing Problem
However, that outset fourth dimension even too then has to happen. Below is a chart, which illustrates the seek the diverse actors expend over fourth dimension equally they become through each release. You tin intend of it equally code churn or põrnikas count over time.
The nautical chart shows how at that topographic point is rattling piddling fourth dimension inwards the twelvemonth for Google, silicon manufacturers, too the OEMs to all this work. Any overlap betwixt phases causes code churn too introduces pregnant schedule risk. For OEMs who target the vacation season, it is oftentimes safer to launch on an older BSP amongst a year-old or fifty-fifty older Android version. This dynamic has been at the middle of the deadening uptake of the latest Android release, fifty-fifty on flagship devices.
To solve this, we've worked closely amongst Qualcomm, MediaTek too Samsung Electronics’ System LSI Business to co-develop their BSPs, starting amongst Android P. Their BSPs are right away gear upward for Android P on a much-accelerated schedule, reducing the overall seek significantly. These silicon manufacturers are right away able to render a stable too high-quality unloose much before than before, allowing OEMs to convey the latest innovations of Android to their customers across the globe.
This is an of import pace inwards accelerating the adoption of Android releases that convey numerous benefits to our partners, users, too Android developers. We hold off forwards to seeing many to a greater extent than partners launch or upgrade devices to Android P.
