Google wants to flash new Android version on more smartphones

Google wants developers to flash the preview of a new Android version on any smartphone that comes out with Android 9.0 Pie or higher. For that, it has created a Generic System Image that works on all devices.

To flash the Generic System Image, an Android build without Google apps based on AOSP code, phones must provide the ability to unlock the bootloader, Google says. Developers can then download, build, and flash the builds using the instructions online. Many manufacturers do not provide the option to unlock the bootloader.

The GSI is not intended for everyday use, but because it does contain the latest features and patches from Android versions, developers can already see how their apps or games work on more devices before release. This is now only possible on devices that are in the beta. Last year that was only the Pixel phones, but this year it involved more than ten different models from various manufacturers, including Nokia and OnePlus.

The feature works with out-of-the-box devices running Android 9.0 Pie or higher, as they are compatible with the new version of Treble that makes it possible. Treble is the separation between the Android framework and the software of the manufacturer itself. By separating that, phone makers and component manufacturers should be done with upgrades to new Android versions faster.

Several phones, all with a GSI build of Android 9.0 Pie