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[Update 2: 5G Moto Mod for Verizon] Motorola starts rolling out Android Pie for the Moto Z2 Force
Motorola finally fulfilled their wishes as one user already reported that he received an Android Pie update on the Moto Z2 Force.
The Moto Z2 Force is already a two-year-old device, but despite its age, it has more than capable specifications to run the latest version of Android. The smartphone features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC, 6GB RAM, a 5.5-inch 1440p display, and a microSD slot. That's why users have requested the Android Pie update for so long. Motorola finally fulfilled its users' wishes as one user reports that they received an Android 9 Pie update.
Chrome OS Instant Tethering now supports 15 more Chromebooks and 30 more Android smartphones
Chrome OS has a feature called Instant Tethering, but it has been limited to Google's own Chromebooks and phones. Now Google is bringing it to more devices.
Chromebooks are known for being lightweight and easy to use. This makes Chrome OS devices perfect for on-the-go computing. While we already carry smartphones that can connect to the internet at all times, most people don't want a separate data plan for their laptop. Chrome OS has made this easy with a feature called Instant Tethering, but it has been limited to Google's own Chromebooks and phones. Now, Google is bringing the feature to more devices.
Keyboard Mod for the Motorola Moto Z series has been canceled
The Keyboard Mod for the Motorola Moto Z series of smartphones has been canceled. Instead, the company is working on a new phone with a sliding keyboard.
Although Project Ara never saw the light of day, Motorola's Moto Mod initiative has actually resulted in quite a few successful products. Motorola's promise of three generations of support for Moto Mods means that even this year's Moto Z3 Play and Verizon Moto Z3 support Moto Mods. We've seen Motorola announce a Gamepad Mod, Wireless Charging Mod, a Smart Speaker mod with Amazon Alexa support, and more. Unfortunately, one mod that was announced at CES this year won't be released: The Livermorium Slider Keyboard Mod. The keyboard mod would have attached to any Moto Mod-compatible phone (any Moto Z device), equipping it with a dedicated sliding keyboard. The product's Indiegogo page was updated today announcing the cancellation of the product.
How A/B Partitions and Seamless Updates Affect Custom Development on XDA
You may have heard of Seamless Updates before. It involves something called "A/B partitions." What is it and how does it affect custom development on XDA?
When Android Nougat released, it had us talking about all kinds of new features. We got a newly updated user interface for starters along with long-awaited multiwindow capabilities and Vulkan Graphics API support. But one under-the-hood addition flew over the heads of most users. Android Nougat introduced "Seamless Updates" on devices that support A/B partitions. The vast majority of existing Android devices (excluding the new Google Pixel and Google Pixel XL) did not have A/B partitions at the time and thus couldn't take advantage of seamless updates. The basic premise of this feature is that the device has a second set of the system, boot, vendor, and other important partitions, and when you get an OTA update the update happens in the background while the second set of partitions are patched which lets you reboot into an updated software build seamlessly. If an update fails, you'll be kicked back to a working build, meaning companies will have fewer headaches to deal with and consumers are better protected.
LineageOS 15.1 now supports A/B devices starting with the Motorola Moto Z2 Force
LineageOS 15.1 now officially supports A/B devices starting with the Motorola Moto Z2 Force. Expect support for the Pixel 2 XL, Xiaomi Mi A1, and more soon.
One of the more exciting changes that Android Nougat 7.0 brought was the introduction of A/B dual partition scheme for devices launched with this OS version. This change tackled how Android system updates are applied to devices, with the aim to provide a seamless upgrade experience to the user where a simple and quick reboot brings them into the updated OS. This change also added the benefit of a failsafe which ensured that at least one workable booting system remains on the device during an OTA update, allowing devices to "rollback" to the older system if an OTA fails to boot.
[UPDATE: Magisk 14.2 Released] Magisk 14.1 Adds Official Support for the Google Pixel & Other A/B Partition Devices
Magisk v14.1 brings official A/B partition scheme support. Google Pixel/Pixel XL, Moto Z2 Force, and Xiaomi Mi A1 are now supported!
Update 9/29/2017: Magisk v14.2 has been officially pushed out, fixing a critical bug which broke the vast majority of Magisk modules. We strongly recommend all 14.1 users to upgrade to the newest version as soon as possible. You will be able to find the latest v14.2 in the official beta thread.