The /e/OS 2.6 mobile platform, focused on user privacy, has been released. The platform was founded by Gaël Duval, the creator of the Mandrake Linux distribution. The project supports 180 smartphone models and creates firmware builds for the most popular ones. Based on OnePlus, Fairphone, Teracube and Pixel smartphones, proprietary device editions have been prepared, distributed with pre-installed /e/OS firmware under the Murena One, Murena 2, Murena Fairphone 4/5, Murena Teracube 2e and Murena Pixel 5/7 brands.
The /e/OS firmware is being developed as a fork of the LineageOS platform (based on Android), freed from the connection to Google services and infrastructure to eliminate the transmission of telemetry to servers Google and enhanced privacy. Among other things, this blocks the implicit transmission of information, such as requests to Google servers for network availability checks, DNS resolution, and time determination.
The package includes the microG package, which offers independent analogues of Google services, which allows you to do without installing proprietary components. To determine the location via Wi-Fi and base stations (without GPS), the UnifiedNlp layer is used, which can work via OpenWlanMap, openBmap, OpenCellID, lacells.db and other alternative services. Instead of the Google search engine, its own metasearch service is offered based on a fork of the Searx engine, anonymizing the queries sent.
To synchronize the exact time, instead of accessing the Google NTP server, requests are sent to servers from the NTP Pool collection, and instead of Google's DNS servers (8.8.8.8), the DNS servers of the current provider are used. The web browser has an ad blocker and scripts for tracking movements enabled by default. To synchronize files and application data, a proprietary service has been developed that is compatible with the Nextcloud-based infrastructure. The server components are based on open source software and are available for installation on user-controlled systems.
The user interface includes its own BlissLauncher application launcher, an improved notification system, a new lock screen, and a different style. BlissLauncher uses a set of automatically scalable icons developed for /e/OS and a separate selection of widgets (for example, a widget for displaying the weather forecast).
The project is also developing its own authentication manager, allowing you to use a single account (user@murena.io) for all services, registered during the first installation. The account can be used to access your environment from other devices or via the Web. Murena Cloud provides 1GB free of charge for storing your data, synchronizing applications and backups.
The included applications include: the Mail email client (a fork of K9-Mail), the Cromite web browser (based on Chromium), the OpenCamera camera app, the QKSMS instant messaging app, the nextcloud-notes note-taking system, the MJ PDF PDF viewer, the opentasks scheduler, the Magic Earth map app, the gallery3d photo gallery, the file manager, and the App Lounge application catalog.
Major changes in /e/OS 2.6:
- A beta release of a new browser-based installer using the Web USB API has been released for testing. The installer currently only works in Chromium-based browsers.
- Official support for the CMF Phone 1 smartphone has been provided.
- The first tablet under the Murena Tablet brand has been prepared, which is a Google Pixel Tablet with /e/OS firmware.
- 14 devices have had their firmware updated to the Android 117 platform.
- Added support for devices (firmware based on Android 14):
- Google Pixel 8 Pro, 8a, Fold, XL.
- LG G7 ThinQ, V30, V35 ThinQ, V40 ThinQ.
- Motorola edge 40 pro, moto g power 2021, moto g9, moto g9 power.
- OnePlus 11 5G, Nord N10.
- Realme 10 Pro 5G, Q5.
- Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G, A71, Note10 5G.
- Solana Saga.
- Sony Xperia 1 V.
- Xiaomi Black Shark, Mi 10, Mi 10 Pro.
- Xiaomi Redmi K40S, K60 Pro.
- LITTLE C55.
- The camera app has a built-in barcode and QR scanning function.
- The Photo Manager now offers a Folders tab instead of the Albums tab.
- Simplified parental control settings. Added the ability to control screen orientation changes.
- The App Lounge application manager takes into account system language settings when generating pages for sending notifications about problems and checking applications through the Exodus Privacy service.
- The browser engine has been updated to Chromium 130.0.6723.67.
- Support for installing Google apps has been restored.
Source: opennet.ru
