[Q&A] [DEV] Gear S: Android Port

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Q&A for [DEV] Gear S: Android Port

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minjoon0312

minjoon0312

Member
Jul 25, 2014
33
65
Lakewood
What happens to international version of Gear S?

Oh my god!! Awesome job!! I never expected to run full android on my watch!!
I'm really sorry to say this,,,
But since the CPU is not common, I wonder if I can just flash it on R750K (Exynos ver,1.0 dual core) or not :) Although your work is unbelievable, and I'm very excited to see running CM12.1 on Gear S !!!
 
biktor_gj

biktor_gj

Senior Member
Jan 25, 2008
1,408
7,008
minjoon0312 said:
Oh my god!! Awesome job!! I never expected to run full android on my watch!!
I'm really sorry to say this,,,
But since the CPU is not common, I wonder if I can just flash it on R750K (Exynos ver,1.0 dual core) or not :) Although your work is unbelievable, and I'm very excited to see running CM12.1 on Gear S !!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Are you sure it's an Exynos? A lot has been said about that, but at this point I don't believe much of anything, and I really doubt Samsung would go with two boards with two processors for the same watch. If you can try some things with sdb (non invasive) we can know it for sure:

sdb shell ls /dev/kg*

If you see something like:
Code: 
C:\Users\Biktor>sdb shell ls /dev/kg*
/dev/kgsl-3d0
You have a Qualcomm processor with an Adreno GPU

If you run:
sdb shell ls /dev/ma*
Code: 
C:\Users\Biktor>sdb shell ls /dev/ma*
ls: cannot access /dev/ma*: No such file or directory
You don't have a Mali GPU, so you don't have an Exynos processor.

If, instead it returns:
Code: 
C:\Users\Biktor>sdb shell ls /dev/ma*
/dev/mali
Then you may really have an exynos cpu...

Also keep in mind that the Gear S is advertised like a dual core, but at least mine is a Quad Core, with 2 of the cores disabled to reduce battery consumption. A simple kernel can return them to life and double the CPU power ;)
 
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minjoon0312

minjoon0312

Member
Jul 25, 2014
33
65
Lakewood
biktor_gj said:
Are you sure it's an Exynos? A lot has been said about that, but at this point I don't believe much of anything, and I really doubt Samsung would go with two boards with two processors for the same watch. If you can try some things with sdb (non invasive) we can know it for sure:

sdb shell ls /dev/kg*

If you see something like:
Code: 
C:\Users\Biktor>sdb shell ls /dev/kg*
/dev/kgsl-3d0
You have a Qualcomm processor with an Adreno GPU

If you run:
sdb shell ls /dev/ma*
Code: 
C:\Users\Biktor>sdb shell ls /dev/ma*
ls: cannot access /dev/ma*: No such file or directory
You don't have a Mali GPU, so you don't have an Exynos processor.

If, instead it returns:
Code: 
C:\Users\Biktor>sdb shell ls /dev/ma*
/dev/mali
Then you may really have an exynos cpu...

Also keep in mind that the Gear S is advertised like a dual core, but at least mine is a Quad Core, with 2 of the cores disabled to reduce battery consumption. A simple kernel can return them to life and double the CPU power ;)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Wow:good::good:
Well, I did not expected to see this result!
Samsung was lying to us...??
For SM-R750, the spec says that it has 1.0 Dual-Core Exynos CPU.
But, my watch has QUALCOMM CPU Yay :good:
Thank you for nor trusting Samsung(?) :fingers-crossed:
Now, the gear model doesn't matter! (except for Verizon and AT&T maybe? lol)
If the android boots on Gear, that would be the best watch on market right now!!!!
 

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Medic97

Senior Member
Jul 9, 2010
423
32
I'm sure it's too early to tell. But you think we will still have independent call functionality?

Also wanted to say your awesome for taking this on and I hope you can breath new life into my watch.
 
biktor_gj

biktor_gj

Senior Member
Jan 25, 2008
1,408
7,008
Medic97 said:
I'm sure it's too early to tell. But you think we will still have independent call functionality?

Also wanted to say your awesome for taking this on and I hope you can breath new life into my watch.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

What do you mean with 'independent call functonality'?

If you mean being able to use the sim in the watch, that's exactly why I'm porting full android and not wear, to de-link it from the phone. I might also make a build or two of wear just to prove the point to Samsung, but that's just an idea right now ;)

What we probably won't have is the capability to pick calls from the phone on the watch (using it as an A2DP handsfree), but we can't have everything!

Sent from my Xperia Z using XDA Free mobile app
 
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Kingdom3533

Member
Dec 28, 2014
7
1
@biktor_gj , first thanks for the amazing work you have done so far :) . I read over at the development thread that you got TWRP working on the gear s and you said that mounting partitions works. Now since the gear s seems to have a similar board to the SIII neo and a 5pin microUSB interface. Do you think it might be possible to get USB-OTG working or have you tried to mount a USB-Stick in TWRP(if the version you use supports it)? Just wondering if that could be possible :)
 
A

almony8

Senior Member
Dec 6, 2010
961
234
Google Pixel Fold
Will I be able to use a T-Mobile or even international variant of the watch on sprints network? I really want full android on this beast but I have sprint service and a sprint watch. If so I will sell my sprint variant and get a T-Mobile or international one. Any thoughts?

Sent from my Note 3 using XDA Free mobile app
 
A

almony8

Senior Member
Dec 6, 2010
961
234
Google Pixel Fold
deadlocked007 said:
No you can't sadly. Although service for people who don't have a phone line with t-mobile is $15 I think and only $5 for those who do like me. Maybe you should switch carriers?

Sent from my SM-G900T using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

T-Mobile is garbage in my area, I can't switch to then. How about an international variant? I can't make that work? I guess I could just use it through Bluetooth since I always have my phone anyway, but that kind of ruins the point of the watch

Sent from my Note 3 using XDA Free mobile app
 
L

LuisLJ

Member
Jul 1, 2015
23
3
Soo this only works for the tmobile and international variant? No att? Could it be posible to make it work on att?
 
tedkord

tedkord

Senior Member
Feb 14, 2009
484
104
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
This looks really exciting. Great work! I'm always amazed at what the developershere can accomplish (which often overshadows the original).

That said, I have a Verizon model, so I'm sure I'll never see it (or a new firmware) :(
 
hristopelov

hristopelov

Senior Member
Dec 17, 2010
180
88
i have a question @biktor_gj you or mybe the other seasoned members would know the answer of:

Ive been thinking, the $15 Gear S plan from T-Mobile, do you think it would be possible to use on a regular smartphone, if the IMEI of it is reppaced with an existing real Gear S IMEI? is that how T-Mobile and carriers whitelist the devices that plan works on?

Please any info be greatly apreciated, i have a line w metroPCS and was thinking of getting that $15 T-Mo plan for another separate line..

Thank You
 
gingerdude

gingerdude

Senior Member
Apr 23, 2012
418
105
Thanks for the recent progress report, just ordered one from eBay, I love this project. Awesome :)

Sent from my SM-T800 using Tapatalk
 
andrew.mackew

andrew.mackew

Senior Member
Mar 25, 2011
1,674
1,279
Is there any easy and plain way to verify if bootloader is or is not locked? Thanks guys :good:
 
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    biktor_gj
    biktor_gj
    andrew.mackew said:
    I am just curious if @biktor_gj is around here.. missing his, always, enriching posts and shares..
    Hope you are fine my friend @biktor_gj!
    Click to expand...
    Click to collapse
    Well, I haven't gone anywhere, but, let's just say that this tiny little girl is taking all of my time, and she's going to keep doing that for a little while ;)

    a46cd27a5799b80227f706e4c5ee863a.jpg


    Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA-Developers mobile app
    View
    18
    biktor_gj
    biktor_gj
    gingerdude said:
    I think biktor said he has some of the modem code enabled in the latest build which is taking its toll on the battery life.
    as far as settings go to extend the battery life if you find some please let me know.

    Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
    Click to expand...
    Click to collapse
    I'm currently working on bringing up battery life, it was time for round 2 :)

    If I shut down the modem, and inform the sensor controller when the watch is sleeping, along some other stuff, I'm possitive I could get to 24 hours of standby time on Wear. Now that would be amazing, wouldn't it?

    Bonus for those who read past the first line: Palm down gesture working, now you can put wear to sleep by putting your hand over the screen!

    If this is to be believed, I'm in the right direction, 2.5 hours, 12 % with tilt sensor on & wifi, that is roughly about 50% for 10 hours, but I think I can squeeze it at least a bit more :)
    d5a9a59a78b9c2d7788068ab5963d1de.jpg

    Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA-Developers mobile app
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    11
    biktor_gj
    biktor_gj
    delboi said:
    Just downloaded a few and your right it must of been the watch face I was using iv had my watch on for the past 10hrs and I'm on 47% battery so I could easy get a full day out of it cheers biktor your the man
    Click to expand...
    Click to collapse

    A small update, Full charge, 12 hours later, 54% left. Android Wear app estimating another 13hours of runtime. The scren got stuck not updating the time once in this time, so it seems that there's still some bug here and there (besides recovery display issue which I still need to track down). But so far, this is the right path :)

    On an unrelated note, I'm moving on to Slim Roms (https://slimroms.org/) for the next full Android releases. Cyanogenmod is a freaking memory and cpu hog, and the more I can slim it down, the better. Marshmallow by the way. So far not finishing the build, but that's just a matter of patching the device tree files until it builds and then clean it all up :)
    View
    7
    W
    wyldphyr3
    Flashing/Updating with Heimdall

    Since I remember someone asking about flashing the Gear S with Heimdall instead of Odin, I quickly want to share my experience here. I'm not sure if it was in this thread, but I think it fits in here.

    First of all: It works!

    I had my Gear S (SM-R750) running AW Beta #2 for some months and now I updated it to GS_WEAR_20160605 using Heimdall on a Debian testing system.
    The regular Heimdall package from Debian repositories won' t work, because it won't download the PIT file. So you will need to build it from source. And (as always) make sure you use a reliable data cable while flashing (I had to do it twice, because the process terminated during system-data flashing due to a bad cable).

    1. Install build dependencies
      Code: 
      apt-get install build-essential cmake zlib1g-dev qt5-default libusb-1.0-0-dev libgl1-mesa-glx libgl1-mesa-dev
    2. Build Heimdall from source
      Code: 
      cd ~
git clone https://github.com/Benjamin-Dobell/Heimdall.git
cd Heimdall
mkdir build
cd build
cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release ..
make
    3. Extract the ZIP file and afterwards extract the TAR archive. You will get 4 img files + the kernel image
    4. Flash (recheck the partition names on your device via heimdall print-pit)
      Code: 
      ~/Heimdall/build/bin/heimdall flash \
    --system-data system-data.img \
    --csc csc.img \
    --ramdisk2 ramdisk-recovery.img \
    --rootfs rootfs.img \
    --boot dzImage
    5. On first reboot go into recovery and wipe
    View
    6
    T
    tritus
    Thanks for your great work and have Biktor_gj in the update.zip Huawei Android for wear if you're interested
    http://xdaforums.com/huawei-watch/general/update-zip-lcb43b-to-flash-sideload-t3288958
    Thanks again for your great work
    View

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