What? no Android support?

[n67]

Two comments:

1) Has anyone actually articulated *WHY* they would want to run Android on the Pi? That would be about the same as running Android on a desktop PC - which I see no point in. Anyway, Android's mostly for things like dating apps and Candy Crush and such things. Not really things that make sense other than on a phone.

2) The point of the Pi is to be a standalone environment. From early on, the guiding principle was that it should be something that a kid can own (outright) and be able to mess up if/when he pleases. These are conditions not true of the family desktop PC. So, having to have a desktop PC as part of the mix (in order to develop for Android) defeats the concept.

[hippy]

1) Has anyone actually articulated *WHY* they would want to run Android on the Pi?

For me it's so I can run my Android apps on a Pi without having to port those to another programming language, framework or OS. Plus it becomes another device on which I can test my Android apps if I choose to.

I don't see wanting to have Android as much different to wanting to have some particular programming language.

2) The point of the Pi is to be a standalone environment.

That doesn't mean it can't be used as an Application Engine which is how I am mostly using my Pi, how I would guess half the Pi sold are being used by commercial users, and how many makers and others are using it.

That one can program on a Pi doesn't mean one has to or would necessarily want to. They are just different use cases, equally valid. No one's suggesting people must use Android any more than they must use Windows 10 IoT or anything else. No one is against the Pi being used in the way it was intended.

[code_exec]

No clue why people would wanna run Android on an SBC. The RPi3 costs $35 and was designed to get kids into programming, not run apps that are designed for Android smartphones and tablets. The Kindle Fire doesn't use the Play Store, but is compatible with APKs, and it costs $49. If you want something cheap that runs Android apps, then I'd suggest the Kindle Fire, not the RPi. If you think running Android on the RPi will let you play 3D Android games in good quality, then think again.

Then again, a Raspberry Pi 3 with the official 7" display running a recent version of Android would be good for a basic tablet.

[n67]

Just to be clear, I have no problem with someone putting together a working version of Android for the Pi.
I'd never use it, of course, but that's just me.

It just seems pretty clear by now that it won't get the stamp of approval from the powers that be.

And, history has shown, that without that stamp of approval, it is hard to get any traction here on this forum - look at all the various Ubuntus that have been floated - and how certain high-volume posters make it their business to pooh-pooh them at every opportunity.

But, again, there's no reason why it couldn't be done. And I'm sure that, eventually, it will be.

[jamesh]

Just to be clear, I have no problem with someone putting together a working version of Android for the Pi.
I'd never use it, of course, but that's just me.

It just seems pretty clear by now that it won't get the stamp of approval from the powers that be.

And, history has shown, that without that stamp of approval, it is hard to get any traction here on this forum - look at all the various Ubuntus that have been floated - and how certain high-volume posters make it their business to pooh-pooh them at every opportunity.

But, again, there's no reason why it couldn't be done. And I'm sure that, eventually, it will be.

There's poo pooing, but there is also recomending the RPF suported OS due to it being more up to date, with clearly better support.

People can use whatever OS they like, but I'll still recomend what I believe is the best one for the job.

As for Android getting a 'stamp of approval', I supose we would if it was good enough, but a stamp of approval doesnt mean we will put time in to developing or supporting it. It just means we like it.

[raspnoobfan]

I wanted to attach a touchscreen and make a mobile tablet.

[drgeoff]

I wanted to attach a touchscreen and make a mobile tablet.

IMHO If you want to make a mobile tablet running Android, just buy a ready made one. A no-name or minor name one will be cheaper, smaller and in virtually all ways better than one you make yourself from a RPi.

[fruitoftheloom]

I wanted to attach a touchscreen and make a mobile tablet.

The Official Raspberry Pi Touch Screen works with Android Things AFAIAA, so that may be a starting point ?

https://developer.android.com/things/get-started/

[Imperf3kt]

I wanted to attach a touchscreen and make a mobile tablet.

You'll need to do more than attach a touchscreen...
You need to think about batteries, recharging, startup/shut down, weight, speakers, construction materials, and a host of other stuff, none of which are particularly beginner friendly (or cheap)

[Konsta]

I wanted to attach a touchscreen and make a mobile tablet.

LineageOS builds (viewtopic.php?f=73&t=220601 & viewtopic.php?f=73&t=220613) have support for the official Raspberry touchscreen.

[DarkPlatinum]

Lineage OS (Android for pi): https://konstakang.com/devices/rpi3/
RaspAnd by Exton(android for pi):http://raspex.exton.se/

RaspAnd costs, and is a copy of Lineage OS, thats why @konsta shut the project down

[jamesh]

Lineage OS (Android for pi): https://konstakang.com/devices/rpi3/
RaspAnd by Exton(android for pi):http://raspex.exton.se/

RaspAnd costs, and is a copy of Lineage OS, thats why @konsta shut the project down

Many people don't realise that the GPL licence means taking someone else code and selling it is perfectly legal, almost encourged. Shame the project is stalled, but when you work on an open source project, this is what you need to expect.Some people will try and monetise your work, if you don't do it first.

[Konsta]

Many people don't realise that the GPL licence means taking someone else code and selling it is perfectly legal, almost encourged. Shame the project is stalled, but when you work on an open source project, this is what you need to expect.Some people will try and monetise your work, if you don't do it first.

That's simply not true. GPLv2 (https://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licens ... .0.en.html) obligates anyone distributing a binary to release complete corresponding source code that matches the binary they're distributing. GPLv2 is actually very restrictive license and only way anyone can use GPLv2 licensed code is if they also open source all and any modifications they've made. Arne Exton hasn't provided source code for RaspAnd builds like he's legally obligated by GPLv2.

I'm coming from Android custom ROM scene where we're very much aware of GPLv2 because almost everything entirely depends on OEM releasing a Linux kernel source code for a given device. Practically every OEM operating in western markets also complies with GPLv2 (https://www.androidpolice.com/tags/kernel-source/) because they'd face legal trouble otherwise. You can't even post your work on popular development forums such as XDA if you don't comply with GPLv2 (this is pinned on each forum section: https://forum.xda-developers.com/showth ... ?t=2645321).

GPL is probably the most essential _open source_ licence. So no, you can't take someone's GPLv2 licensed open source work, turn it into closed source and sell it!