I assume it’s possible, but it seems like a huge task and I’m not sure where to start. It seems like official support ended with the loss of upstream security patches, which makes sense. I plan on using my phone strictly on trusted wifi and with non-sensitive data, so I’m not overly concerned about device security, I mostly just want it as a test device for developing applications. A side benefit of porting the OS to the device will be getting more familiar with the OS and device interfaces, which I have been meaning to do anyway as I’ll need it for some of the apps I have in mind.

I guess my questions are, where should I start? Are there particular pitfalls I should look out for? Will the lack of modern kernel security have implications for the security of apps developed for that platform? Is such a thing even doable / feasible? Should I just use PostmarketOS instead?

  • davidyarbrough@programming.devOP
    2·
    3 days ago

    I am considering that option, but part of the motivation is that I already have the device (two, actually) and I want to see what I can do with them. I don’t want to just throw away perfectly good electronics if I can recycle / repurpose them. And since it’s more of a hobby pursuit, really the only timeline is how long I can keep the hardware functional. I’ve already irreparably destroyed two phones, but I have also done a few successful screen / battery replacements, so I think I can get several more years of life out of these if I keep an eye on the batteries.

    • mlfh@lemmy.sdf.org
      5·
      3 days ago

      PostmarketOS recently added support for the Pixel 3, and I’d recommend that instead of what you’ve proposed. That gives you a great way to tinker with it alongside an active development community, without being completely on your own.

      That’s what I just did with my old 3a that was collecting dust after it went EOL, and it’s been a really fun project.

      • davidyarbrough@programming.devOP
        3·
        3 days ago

        That is a good point, and PostmarketOS is definitely one of the options in the mix. I actually didn’t know it had official support, will have to give that another spin. I have Postmarket on another device but I’ve never gotten it running on a Pixel 3.