Here’s my build of LineageOS 15.1 for Raspberry Pi 3 Model B and Model B+ (bluetooth does not currently work on the new plus model). It is unofficial and unsupported by the LineageOS team. It’s for advanced users only. This build currently uses Google’s SwiftShader software renderer so graphics performance is probably not what you’d expect. This build is not meant as a daily driver and it’s certainly not suitable for media device use.
Chuwi Vi10 Plus Cube iWork8 Ultimate Huawei Y5 Motorola Moto G Nexbox A95X Raspberry Pi 3 Raspberry Pi 4 ZTE Blade ZTE Blade III ZTE Open C / Kis 3 Tags LineageOS 15.1 (Android 8.1.0). Arne Exton promises to improve the Android 8.1 Oreo build of RaspAnd for the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ computer announced on Pi Day 2018, which features a faster 1.4 GHz ARM64 processor, faster.
The project is making headlines again for a new port by Max Weninger, which brings the software to the Raspberry Pi 4. Even though the Raspberry Pi uses the same ARM architecture as most Android.
Do not mirror my builds! Please post a link to this page instead.
lineage-15.1-20180706-UNOFFICIAL-KonstaKANG-rpi3.zip
https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=1395089523397922440
md5:257ade2f567223cf792023e2d75e5b75
Sources:
Thanks:
- Google for Android Things platform
- peyo-hd and everyone who’s contributed to android-rpi
- LineageOS team & everyone who’s been working on LineageOS 15.1
How to install:
- Follow the official Raspberry Pi instructions for writing the image to the SD card (Linux, Mac, Windows).
FAQ:
Q: I can’t find developer options, why?
A: Settings -> About phone -> Click ‘Build number’ several times
Q: I have no root, why? What is that hashtag on my status bar?
A: You need enable root access under Settings -> Developer options -> Root access. Root management is now integrated as part of LineageOS’ Privacy Guard and you can manage per app permissions under Settings -> Developer options -> Manage root access. You’ll have a persistent notification in the status bar when you’re running an app that uses root permissions.
Q: Settings -> Storage shows xx GB used by system. There’s unallocated space on my sdcard. What should I do?
A: This is a 4 GB image, remaining space on your sdcard will remain unallocated. Settings app shows unallocated space as used by system which in reality it is not. You can use e.g. GParted and extend /data partition (/dev/block/mmcblk0p4) to cover the unallocated space. Resizing the partition manually will break support for encrypting /data. Format /data in TWRP recovery (Wipe->Format data) after resizing to leave required space for crypto footer.
Q: My display is not working. I can only see the rainbow screen but no Android boot animation. What should I do?
A: This build uses 1280x720 resolution by default so you need to use a HDMI display that supports it. See this page under ‘Which values are valid for my monitor?’ to see how to check which resolutions your display supports using Raspbian. If your display doesn’t support 1280x720 resolution, you can try changing values in /boot/config.txt to something it does (see this page). 720p is still the maximum resolution that is supported by the graphics drivers used in this build.
Q: I have official 7” LCD display and touchscreen. What should I do?
A: Official 7” touchscreen is supported without any modifications. You will only need to change display size under Settings -> Display -> Display size (or change ro.sf.lcd_density to 120 in /system/build.prop) to adapt to the smaller resolution.
Q: Raspberry Pi doesn’t have power button, how do I power off/reboot my device?
A: Following keyboard keys work as Android buttons: F1 = Home, F2 = Back, F3 = Multi-tasking, F4 = Menu, F5 = Power, F11 = Volume down, and F12 = Volume up. You can also use one of many third party reboot applications.
Q: How to boot to TWRP recovery?
A: There’s currently no proper way to boot between Android and TWRP, but this can achieved by renaming the ramdisk you want to boot. Execute following commands in ‘adb shell’/serial console/terminal (you can enable built-in terminal app from Settings -> Developer options -> Local terminal) and reboot your device:
If mouse cursor doesn’t appear, try replugging your mouse.
Q: How to boot out of TWRP recovery?
A: You can execute the same script in TWRP terminal (Advanced->Terminal) if you have system partition mounted (Mount->System):
Or you can flash my recovery2boot zip in TWRP.
Q: How to install Google apps?
- Download MindTheGapps-8.1.0-arm-XXXXXXXX_XXXXXX.zip and save it to your device’s internal storage or use an external USB drive
- Boot to TWRP recovery (see FAQ)
- Install MindTheGapps-8.1.0-arm-XXXXXXXX_XXXXXX.zip from your selected storage
- Wipe->Factory reset!
- Boot out of recovery (see FAQ)
Merged commits not mentioned in the changelog.
6.7. changelog:
- update to Linux 4.14.53 kernel
- add initial support for Pi 3 Model B+ (bluetooth does not currently work)
- include TWRP 3.2.2-0 custom recovery (see FAQ how to boot)
- build SwiftShader from source and update to master branch (improves graphics performance)
- add support for encrypting the device
13.6. changelog:
- update display drivers from Android Things 1.0
- add support for USB webcams (UVC) with third party USB webcam apps
- default to noop I/O scheduler
- update to Linux 4.4.136 kernel and patch known vulnerabilities (CVE-xxxx-xxxx, and more)
- Android security patch level: 5 June 2018 (merged)
7.3. changelog:
- update display drivers from Android Things DP 7
- update wifi firmware
- update to Linux 4.4.120 kernel and patch known vulnerabilities (CVE-xxxx-xxxx, and more)
- Android security patch level: 5 March 2018 (merged)
3.3. changelog:
- initial release
Previous builds:
Installing Google Android on a Raspberry Pi has never been easier. Discover how to install Android and run Android apps on your $35 Raspberry Pi computer.
The Raspberry Pi has been used in many different ways over the years by many different people, but installing Android or a Raspberry Pi has always presented a challenge.
Solutions have existed in the past, but have never worked like true Android. Recently that’s all changed. While limitations stopping Android working properly on Raspberry Pi were lifted some time ago, it’s taken until now for a build of full Android to be created by budding hackers to run on the Pi.
In this feature we're going to look at emteria.OS, the first proper Android release running on a Raspberry Pi 3B+. After that there's also some information on RTAndroid, an older solution that is still popular.
Install Android on a Raspberry Pi 3 with emteria.OS
Emteria.OS is a full build of Android available for Raspberry Pi. While you can get it for free and use it as an individual, it’s aimed more towards industry. Embedded Android devices are big business, and marrying the mobile OS with the Pi opens up a whole new world of Android in both maker projects and consumer products.
It’s been a long time coming, but finally there’s a proper way to install full Android on your Raspberry Pi thanks to emteria.OS. Based on RTAndroid (more information on RT Android is at the end of this article), this stable version is a bit more aimed towards business; however, more personal-use versions will be coming soon. Here’s how to set it up.
Step 1: Register emteria.OS
Register! You’ll need to first register an account on emteria.com – look for the Register option on the top right of the home page. Fill out the relevant details, confirm your email address, and then make sure you’re logged into your account on the emteria.OS website.
Step 2: Get the installer
From your emteria.com account you can download the installer for your system. This will burn the image for emteria.OS onto a microSD card to be used in a Raspberry Pi. On Windows you’ll have to install the installer using the setup wizard, while on macOS you’ll have to drag it into the Applications folder and run it using superuser in the Terminal.
Step 3: Flash the SD
All you need to do now is open the installer, enter your emteria.OS username and password, and select the Raspberry Pi 3 as your device of choice for installing. Next, you’ll need to select your microSD card as the installation location and then just wait – the installer will download the image and then burn it to your microSD card.
Now you’re ready!
Emteria.OS prices
- Free to test During the initial setup of emteria.OS, you’ll be asked to activate your device with a licence – clicking Next allows you to continue on with emteria.OS and use it for free. There are some limitations, however: it only stays on for eight hours at a time, and has a watermark in the corner. Perfect for testing it out with a few projects, though!
- Purchasing a licence There are full licences for purchase on emteria.com, including a cheaper ‘personal’ option and one suited for business that includes bulk-buy discounts.
Running Android apps on Raspberry Pi
Now that you've got Android running on a Raspberry Pi, you'll want to install some apps. This is easy thanks to F-Droid.
Here is how to install Android software onto your emteria.OS-powered Pi
Step 1: Start F-Droid
Find F-Droid on your home screen on in the apps menu and start it up. It won’t launch straight away as it will first need to update all its repositories – something you’ll be familiar with from installing software on Raspbian using apt-get. This might also take a while so please be patient.
Step 2: Find an app
F-Droid works very similarly to the usual Play Store on normal Android devices. There are categories you can look for apps in, and you can also search for something you like. Some of your favourite apps on Android may even be available.
Step 3: Install!
Select the app you want, then hit the install button. It’s as easy as that – F-Droid even includes some info on the apps as well. F-Droid also lets you keep the apps up-to-date, although it’s a bit more manual than the Play Store equivalent.
Three F-Droid apps to try out
- NewPipe. Play YouTube videos on your device with this small, lightweight app that doesn’t require the original YouTube app to work
- Terminal Emulator. As emteria.OS is a bit more hackable than stock Android, you’ll be able to make good use of this terminal emulator to run more advanced commands.
- Face Slim. Missing out on some social media time? Face Slim allows you to use Facebook much like the standard app.
How to sideload Android apps on Raspberry Pi
Android apps can also be downloaded and installed manually on a Raspberry Pi, by a process known as 'sideloading'.
Step 1: Use an APK
Android apps work by downloading a specific file which is then used to install the software onto the device. These files are called APKs (Android Package Kit), as that’s the file name extension (.apk). If you have the APK file, you can install an app on Android without having to go through a separate store.
Step 2: Install Netflix on Raspberry Pi Android
F-Droid specialises in free and open-source Android apps, so you may not find everything you want on there, such as Netflix. As Netflix is more concerned about you being able to watch the shows you’re already paying for, the APK for the app is available from its website. Open the browser in emteria.OS and head to Netflix.
Step 3: Run the APK
Once the APK file has been downloaded, open it from the Downloads menu. You may need to enable installing from unknown sources if you’ve turned that option off in the emteria.OS settings – otherwise it will go about installing the Netflix APK for you. It will appear in your app menu as usual, although you’ll need to perform manual updates every now and then!
Install RTAndroid on a Raspberry Pi 3
Google’s Android operating system seems like a great fit for the Raspberry Pi. Both run on ARM hardware, Android is based on Linux and Google is keen to push for the next generation of coders.
But you don’t need to wait for Google to develop the official version of Android. It’s already possible to install, and run, Android apps on your Raspberry Pi with RTAndroid.
ETA Prime has a video showing how to install RTAndroid on a Raspberry Pi 3. They demonstrate installing the operating system, and using the Google Play store to download Android apps, including games. They even demonstrate Angry Birds in action.
There are a few limitations. You can’t use a touch screen, not even the official Raspberry Pi touch display. There are also some graphical hardware acceleration issues, although the demonstration of Angry Birds seems to run fine.
See also:
How to set up RT Android on a Raspberry Pi
According to the makers: “RTAndroid is developed by the Embedded Software Laboratory at RWTH Aachen University and provides a reliable execution environment for applications with real-time requirements on common mobile devices. The platform benefits from Android’s high usability and its wide range of supported hardware.”
- Click here to view the RT Android website. You can find the installation under Downloads > Device Updates > Raspberry Pi 3.
There are detailed instructions on how to flash RTAndroid. The instructions request that you use Linux for the installation process, which you can run in a virtual environment on Mac or Windows.
The installation process seems is reasonably simple. Unzip the rtandroid download, and run the install script (pointing it to the mount point of your SD Card).
It’s unsurprising that RTAndroid works well on the Raspberry Pi 3, and we’re waiting to see if Google itself develops the operating system for the Raspberry Pi. This could offer more detailed support, including support for the Touch Screen.
In Google's Android Open Source Project (AOSP) repository, a device tree for the Raspberry Pi 3 appeared back in May. It was created by Thomas Joseph Avila, but has remained empty since then.
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