The release of the mobile platform /e/OS 2.0, aimed at preserving user data privacy, is now available. The platform was developed by Gaël Duval, the creator of the Mandrake Linux distribution. The project provides firmware for many popular smartphone models, including those branded as Murena One, Murena 2, Murena Fairphone 4/5, Murena Teracube 2e, and Murena Pixel 5, offering editions of smartphones from OnePlus, Fairphone, Teracube, and Pixel with pre-installed /e/OS firmware. The platform supports 250 smartphones.
/e/OS firmware is developed as a fork of the Android platform (using developments from LineageOS), free from dependencies on Google services and infrastructure, which allows for compatibility with Android applications and simplifies hardware support while blocking telemetry transmission to servers Google and ensuring a high level of privacy. Implicit information transmission, such as requests to Google servers for network availability checks, DNS resolution, and precise time determination, is blocked.
To interact with Google services, a package called microG is preinstalled, allowing users to avoid proprietary components while offering independent alternatives to Google services. For locating via Wi-Fi and cell towers (without GPS), UnifiedNlp is utilized, which can work through OpenWlanMap, Mozilla Location Service, openBmap, OpenCellID, lacells.db, and other alternative services. Instead of Google’s search engine, there is a proprietary meta-search service based on a fork of the Searx engine, ensuring anonymity for submitted queries.
For accurate time synchronization, the NTP Pool Project is used instead of Google NTP, and the current provider's DNS servers replace Google’s (8.8.8.8). The default web browser includes an ad and tracking script blocker. A custom service for file synchronization and application data has been developed, which can work with infrastructure based on NextCloud. Server components are based on open-source software and are available for installation on user-controlled systems.
The user interface has been significantly redesigned and includes a dedicated environment for launching applications, BlissLauncher, an improved notification system, a new lock screen, and other stylistic enhancements. BlissLauncher features a specially developed set of automatically scalable icons and a selection of widgets (for example, a weather forecast widget).
The project is also developing its own authentication manager, allowing the use of a single account (user@murena.io) for all services, which can be registered during the initial setup. This account can be used to access your environment through the web or on other devices. Murena Cloud provides 1GB of free storage for storing your data, synchronizing applications, and backups.
By default, it includes applications such as an email client (K9-mail), web browser (Bromite, a fork of Chromium), camera app (OpenCamera), instant messaging app (qksms), note-taking system (nextcloud-notes), PDF viewer (MJ PDF), task planner (opentasks), maps app (Magic Earth), photo gallery (gallery3d), and file manager (DocumentsUI).
Key changes in /e/OS 2.0:
- The application launcher interface has been updated to show the number of unread notifications, and the ability to set dynamic (live) wallpapers has been added. New application icon sets and background images have been included.
- Support for the Android Auto application has been added to connect smartphones to car infotainment systems.
- The notification regarding the licenses of installed applications has been redesigned.
- The camera interface has been integrated with a function for scanning QR codes.
- The interface for the Advanced Privacy package has been updated, providing applications with fake location data and IP addresses while blocking built-in tracking systems. A section called 'Wall of Shame' has been added to the homepage, highlighting applications that lead to information leaks and tracking.
- In the Notes application, functionality without linking to an account has been implemented.
- The App Lounge application manager has been enhanced to filter applications based on the presence of trackers, availability of source code, or use in PWA (Progressive Web Apps) mode. The ability to ignore updated session messages has been provided.
- The file synchronization package eDrive has been updated to version 1.5.
- The browser has been updated to the Chromium engine 123.0.6312.122.
- The timeline in the planner has been extended from 3 months to a year for displaying past events.
- The VoLTE icon has been removed from the call interface status bar, which was misleading to some users.
- A custom adaptive icon has been added for the PDF viewer.
- The ability to turn on the flashlight with a long press on the power button is enabled by default.
- Additional volume settings are now displayed while playing music over Bluetooth.
- The Fairphone 5 firmware features a simplified interface for selecting the preferred network type.
- Fixes from the LineageOS 20 branch, based on Android 13, have been merged. The microG package, containing components to replace Google services, has been updated to version 0.3.1.240913.
Source: opennet.ru
