[Sony] Xperia Open Devices Project

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jerpelea

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Nov 7, 2006
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Sony Mobile is committed to supporting the open developer community, and one way to show this is by publishing parts of our code as well as selected tools developed by our internal developers.

For some of the Xperia™ devices, we provide Android™ Open Source Project (AOSP) device configurations on GitHub. This means that the software will be open for you as a developer to use and contribute to. This is a way for us to support the open Android community, and it is also a tool for us to facilitate and verify contributions to AOSP.

If you want to build AOSP for your unlocked Xperia device, you find all the resources you need in the sections below.
http://developer.sonymobile.com/knowledge-base/open-source/open-devices/

Unified 3.10 kernel sources
https://github.com/sonyxperiadev/kernel

Project git
https://github.com/sonyxperiadev/
 

Azdian

Senior Member
Dec 23, 2009
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You said "Open source is important for us" on developer world blog... then why Sony blocks great camera features when we unlock bootloader?
This DRM protect is bad for encouraging open source community.
There will be more people if Sony doesn't use DRM protect for (at least) camera functionality.

I unlocked the bootloader, what are the features I'm missing right now?
 
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Uclydde

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Jan 20, 2013
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I'd unlock the bootloader on my Z5 in a heartbeat, but considering I'd lose the camera and screen enhancements, I simply can't. People talk about how great Sony is to the developers, but considering that we lose device functionality (PERMANENTLY) for unlocking the bootloader, I simply disagree.
 

Snaqejack

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Feb 20, 2013
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I'd unlock the bootloader on my Z5 in a heartbeat, but considering I'd lose the camera and screen enhancements, I simply can't. People talk about how great Sony is to the developers, but considering that we lose device functionality (PERMANENTLY) for unlocking the bootloader, I simply disagree.
If you make a backup of the ta partition you could always restore it and therefore restore functionality.

Skickat från min E6653 via Tapatalk
 

gamer649

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Feb 8, 2013
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If you make a backup of the ta partition you could always restore it and therefore restore functionality.

Skickat från min E6653 via Tapatalk

To make a backup of the TA you need root (last time i checked). To get root on this device currently you need to unlock the bootloader, wiping the TA partition (last time I checked).
 

Uclydde

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Jan 20, 2013
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Well by the looks of Android M we won't get locked bootloader root on it due to kernel level enforcements. But I could be wrong and somebody could figure it out and work around it.
Well considering the Z5 ships on Lollipop, all we need is a root exploit for 5.1.1, but 5.1.1 has been out for awhile, and we haven't gotten any news...
 

Azdian

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Dec 23, 2009
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Diatomix98

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And there is now way to restore the DRM keys, right?
Would custom roms have these missing features? my 1st Sony phone, and I'm really hating the experience.

Not if you did not do a backup of them which seems to be not an easy task on recent Sony smartphones from what I heard. Sorry but these features are not available on custom roms...
 

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  • 20
    You said "Open source is important for us" on developer world blog... then why Sony blocks great camera features when we unlock bootloader?
    This DRM protect is bad for encouraging open source community.
    There will be more people if Sony doesn't use DRM protect for (at least) camera functionality.
    11
    Sony Mobile is committed to supporting the open developer community, and one way to show this is by publishing parts of our code as well as selected tools developed by our internal developers.

    For some of the Xperia™ devices, we provide Android™ Open Source Project (AOSP) device configurations on GitHub. This means that the software will be open for you as a developer to use and contribute to. This is a way for us to support the open Android community, and it is also a tool for us to facilitate and verify contributions to AOSP.

    If you want to build AOSP for your unlocked Xperia device, you find all the resources you need in the sections below.
    http://developer.sonymobile.com/knowledge-base/open-source/open-devices/

    Unified 3.10 kernel sources
    https://github.com/sonyxperiadev/kernel

    Project git
    https://github.com/sonyxperiadev/
    7
    Sony Mobile is committed to supporting the open developer community, and one way to show this is by publishing parts of our code as well as selected tools developed by our internal developers.

    For some of the Xperia™ devices, we provide Android™ Open Source Project (AOSP) device configurations on GitHub. This means that the software will be open for you as a developer to use and contribute to. This is a way for us to support the open Android community, and it is also a tool for us to facilitate and verify contributions to AOSP.

    If you want to build AOSP for your unlocked Xperia device, you find all the resources you need in the sections below.
    http://developer.sonymobile.com/knowledge-base/open-source/open-devices/

    Unified 3.10 kernel sources
    https://github.com/sonyxperiadev/kernel

    Project git
    https://github.com/sonyxperiadev/

    Given the many posts w.r.t. losing DRM keys (and so the features depending on them) when unlocking the BL, may I make a suggestion for future devices:

    Think no one expects Sony to give away their intellectual property for free and no one would expect all these unique features to work with anything but the stock ROM by Sony (unless, of course, by own development/effort). But, why do we have to lose all these features just because the BL is open?! Root access obviously is very much required for any serious development and all we're asking for is these features to work with stock ROM, no matter whether BL open or closed. Hence, wouldn't it be possible for Sony to put these DRM keys on a dedicated piece of HW (e.g. DRM chip) instead of on the TA partition? I know, this may add a (very) few $ to the price, but believe that's acceptable (and doesn't make much difference anyhow).

    I personally once came to Sony devices (with the Xperia U) because of the huge developer community and all the great/fancy stuff possible. But now, seriously, I wouldn't actually buy any newer model but the Z3 or Z3 Compact because these are the latest rootable without losing any functionality. As a matter of fact, I wanted to get myself a Z5 (to replace my Z3C) but -given the non-rootable status- I simply won't. BTW, unlocking the BL of the Xperia U did not remove any and all functionality...
    6
    http://developer.sonymobile.com/knowledge-base/open-source/open-devices/

    2016-04-22: AOSP Marshmallow binaries for Android 6.0 and AOSP Lollipop binaries for Android 5.1 updated with improved connectivity, stability and camera functionality. We’ve also added the second camera actuators for Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z4 tablet. In addition, we’ve added the camera actuator for the Xperia Z5 family for Android 6.0.
    6
    Sony is doing far more for the developer / ROM community of its devices than any other OEM. The S6 and M9 won't have a good AOSP build for a while, probably ever.

    Keep it up Sony.