Yeah let me know when I can install mainline Linux.
Definitely a step in the right direction, but the fact that android uses the Linux kernel but still manufacturers keep so much proprietary... It kills me
this post was submitted on 21 Apr 2025
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They're doing this because they want to switch chrome to be android based, and they want to have desktop apps available right away since chrome doesn't have much.
Not just that - modern Androids compile apps in a VM these days to reduce the attack surface of the compiler. You can also push other services into VMs that support the main image. You could even push some vendor drivers into VMs and help keep the main kernel less of a vendor fork fest.
I mean... This is kinda close. The "Linux Terminal" app is running a full Debian install in a KVM VM. On the newest version of the app (like on Android beta or on GrapheneOS), you even have a full GUI that you can use.
In theory, we should be able to boot any mainline Linux distro in a VM, if someone writes an app for it, as AVF (Android Virtualization Framework) is just a wrapper around Linux KVM with some restrictions. (for now the built-in app only supports Debian)
It reminds me Linux in chromeOS. Do apps use Wayland or X?
"full debian install"...not sure I'd call it that. Seems apt repo is missing any chances of adding DE related packages. So maybe not full blown debian. It might have a limited repo.
Are you sure you're talking about the Linux Terminal app that's available in developer options and not Termux? For me, all Gnome things and Xfce things are present in the repos (and it's using the deb.debian.org default Debian repos, so it makes sense)
Can I plug in an hdmi cable/keyboard/mouse and use it like a desktop and is there some way I can mount the android storage? (Eg can I get access to docs/pics/downloads)
On Pixel 8 and above, you can plug in external displays, but it will only mirror your phone screen. Supposedly, Android 16 will allow you to "extend" the screen, ie. treat it as a separate screen. Also, the GUI stuff for the Linux Terminal will only drop in Android 16, so yeah, I'm stoked for that release.
Sounds awesome!
It depends of your definition of mainline Linux. You can install Linux on your phone with thanks to postmarketOS Of course only if your phone is supported.
Im not sure what you mean, like, run android on mainline linux? if that is the case you already can. Not on all devices, but I think the pixel can run mainline kernel, I know ofc you can run androidx86 on mainline, if you mean via terminal I think you can sideload mainline. At least, if you compile your own rom you absolutely would be able to.
Press X to doubt.
The root filesystem will very likely still be locked down.
That’s not what this is about at all.
With the latest Android 16 beta, you can now allocate as much storage as you want to the Linux Terminal
until recently, it was restricted to just 16GB of storage space
Yeah, but that means that not the entire storage is available like the headline implies.
VMs can’t ever do that on any OS. I don’t think that’s a reasonable expectation.
Correct. The whole thing is lauded as this revolutionary new thing but in reality it's just a bullshit VM isolated from the rest of the system. We have had that almost for as long as Android existed. Along with Termux and similar that actually can access everything.
The article is talking about storage space, not about access to files in any particular filesystem.
Previous versions of Android 15 Terminal app only allowed 16GB of space to be used by the guest system. The article mentions it.
So even if you had 128GB in your phone, previously you could only use 16GB of them in the environment Google set up for the Linux Terminal subsystem, which made it very limiting. What the article says is that now they are removing that limitation.
Doesnt even give access to the camera subsystem's embedded flash memory, essentially useless
/s?
that'd be useful to debloat the phones at the very least.
I am not sure I understand what this has to do with the article. Also, I don't see why that would be the case. I don't see much of a good reason to lock the VMs down.
You can still root pixel phones no problem, no?
Yeah. I rooted my pixle 7pro a few weeks ago.
Then I guess the root file system has never really been locked down? It was shipped stock, but they give you the option to "OEM unlock" and root. I know samsung locks their shit, but this is google that is relevant here
Yeah , I far as I know the pixel is the only Android phone that ships so you can unlock the boot loader. I installed GraphienOS, so I block or not use google accounts for anything on the phone.
Not really, several phones (bootloader) can be unlocked, but only the pixel and very few others can be relocked.. That is important for maximum physical security.
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I'd like to be able to test installing a full DE, but I made the mistake of getting only the 128GB model and so now I have always free storage issues 😅
I has 64gb so I know your pain lol
Someone who owns a fancy new phone with Android 15 or 16, could you please test if you can run GUI Linux apps on it using my X server app?
Supposedly it should work like this:
- Install and run XSDL app
- Go to home screen, open Linux terminal
- Run commands
sudo apt-get install task-xfce-desktop
export DISPLAY=127.0.0.1:0
xfce4-session
Open XSDL app again, you should see XFCE desktop environment with mouse cursor, and you should be able to launch Synaptic and install other Linux packages.
It tells me it is not compatible with my phone. Is it on fdroid? Can I sideload it from somewhere? I have a OnePlus 12 phone and it is running Android 15
Google's bullshit strikes again! All apps must be built for Android 13 or they are removed from Play Store, apparently because Google could not do the Android security correctly for the first 12 versions. Now they can emulate Linux on Android, but cannot emulate an older version of Android on Android. And I last updated my app in 2021, during Android 11 era.
Here's the link to sideload the app:
I'll try to update it on Play Store tomorrow, if my crusty build scrips will work with the new Android SDK.
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Well, this should make for some fun, new script-kiddie malware.
This is gonna be cool. Does Android 16 release in the fall?
Some time in June.
Ok. Now it won't be abandonware for me.
I'm so very lucky to have a device with linux mainline ported to it.
Linux phone user spotted in the wild! Nice! ❤❤❤
Linux tablet* :))
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