Custom Rom Questions - Honor 8 Questions & Answers

I have been using a FRD-L14 running EMUI 4.1 (B150) for a few months and while I love having such a long battery life, I am starting to get frustrated with how much of my apps the system automatically kills in the background (alarm apps, text delay send, etc). I am considering trying out a custom ROM but have a few questions before proceeding.
1. If I make a TWRP nandroid backup, can I just reflash that at any time and revert back to my current rom without any hiccups if I have regrets?
2. I remember reading somewhere that I have to first upgrade to EMUI 5.0 before using a custom rom, this will not cause any issue with potential rollback?
3. What is the best currently available custom rom to try if I am looking for longest battery life and fewest bugs? Will the battery life come anywhere close to EMUI 4.1?
Thank you in advance!

Aren't there any official updates for the premium H8s?
Also that's quite the lengthy question and I know it's been asked before somewhere, please use the search function.
(Plus i can't remember the exact details as well)
Also battery life is **** with custom,(won't last me a day so i went back to stock) especially compared to MM (Even stock nougat is a worse) and all of them are somewhat buggy, but it depends on what you use.
Sent from my HUAWEI FRD-L09 using XDA Labs

I'm a new user of the Honor 8 with the exact same problem...
Also have the FRD-L14... wondering if any improvements/insights?
Would love to root, remove bloat, and even install a custom ROM, but all I've seen is that it can be a complete clusterf*#@ to do so. I'm just about to return this phone, its quirks are really ruining it for me.

anoukaimee said:
...... Would love to root, remove bloat, and even install a custom ROM, but all I've seen is that it can be a complete clusterf*#@ to do so. I'm just about to return this phone, its quirks are really ruining it for me.
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Click to collapse
i recommend that you return it asap! there are other phones that are way better. the good thing is that most new phones will have oreo and treble by default which is going to be mandatory in android from now on.
at worst, users will get AOSP. at best, custom ROMs that have much better functionality. i recommend saving for either a oneplus, or maybe a nokia.

thanks, I think you're right, just such a headache shopping for a bargain again. do you have any recs for phones that are similarly fast but without the intrusive bloat and which hopefully are easily rooted/support magisk mods etc? I wish the xiomi 5 series worked in the US, they sound great for the money. maybe another Chinese brand (Oppo, Meizu) that has better specs than the going rate here but can also be modded? I don't need to get it back to Amazon until the end of February (thank you, extended holiday returns), so I can wait for shipment from China. Or else a Motorola or even Nokia? need to keep under $350; significantly less would be much better.
appreciate it if you have any ideas.
---------- Post added at 03:20 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:12 AM ----------
droidbot1337 said:
i recommend that you return it asap! there are other phones that are way better. the good thing is that most new phones will have oreo and treble by default which is going to be mandatory in android from now on.
at worst, users will get AOSP. at best, custom ROMs that have much better functionality. i recommend saving for either a oneplus, or maybe a nokia.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sorry, just saw that you HAD recs. kind of intrigued by Nokia because I think they're selling at a discount to get their name out there. is there a specific model?
and is there anywhere you can still buy a OP3?

anoukaimee said:
............. do you have any recs for phones that are similarly fast but without the intrusive bloat and which hopefully are easily rooted/support magisk mods etc? I wish the xiomi 5 series worked in the US, they sound great for the money. maybe another Chinese brand (Oppo, Meizu) that has better specs than the going rate here but can also be modded?.......... and is there anywhere you can still buy a OP3?
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Click to collapse
okay, so now that you informed me about your location (US) it seems that you and i are in the same situation. i was waiting to get a 1+5t after buying a few 1+5s for various family members. they all needed updates. after thinking about it i decided to wait because 1+ lacks the one thing i desperately rely on.... EXPANDABLE STORAGE!
sadly, this is the one area where huawei really excels at. they include expandable storage on most of their phones. after htc decided to skip a US release of the U11+ it seemed that i would be forced to settle for the 1+ but thankfully there have been leaks of many new devices.
the one im looking forward to is the new redesigned sony line. from what i have read they will keep the 16:9 which i love and adopt a rear fingerprint scanner plus small bezels. the huge bezels are the only thing keeping me from buying a sony as they keep their android ROM clean with no horrible UI.
aside from sony, xiaomi is said to be releasing a few phones in the us as well. these combined with a redesign of the LG flagships. that makes for many options but, you will need to set aside a bit of money. imho, it will be worth it because all of these phones will come with oreo and treble.
for those devices that have a horrible stock rom, you can just install AOSP or any of the treble based custom ROMs. it will be great since all the latest phones have more longevity thanks to their hardware. the only limitation is software but treble will take care of that.
as far as a 1+3/t, you can find them on swappa. if bought 2 a few weeks back for $215 shipped. both were 64GB models that only needed the screen repaired. the total ended costing me about $170 each. if you have any kind of experience with repair, i recommend taking that route. i hope this helped, if you have any questions, dont hesitate to pm me. we gotta help each other out some way or another. cheers!

Related

your experiences with alcatel phones?

I am planning to buy this awesome phone
But I want to hear some user experiences, because I never have had an Alcatel before.
So....
- How is the service of Alcatel? Especially when it comes down to warranty
- Is this phone future proof? (talking bout the idol 3 5,5'')
- How about the support on XDA? ROMS, kernels, ability to root, unlock bootloader....
- Last but not least, if you had an Alcatel before, how was your experience with it?
Rene_ajax said:
- How is the service of Alcatel? Especially when it comes down to warranty
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't know it, sorry. It's my first Alcatel too.
- Is this phone future proof? (talking bout the idol 3 5,5'')
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, I dont' believe. I may mistake.
- How about the support on XDA? ROMS, kernels, ability to root, unlock bootloader....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very good.
Root and TWRP available, bootloader unlocked. Few custom Rom (only 1) for the moment, but source code delivered juste some day ago, so... I do think the phone should get a intersting rom development.
- Last but not least, if you had an Alcatel before, how was your experience with it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not concerned personnaly
I've owned an Idol 3 for about five weeks now (got it for $200 on Amazon Prime Day). It's everything I need in a handset, and I give props to Alcatel for making a prompt firmware update (in the U. S. anyway) available that addressed the Stagefright issue and significant bugs involving Google Voice and native SMS. I hope to get further updates to 5.1/Marshmallow, but even if that doesn't happen I'm more than satisfied.
I'm on T-Mobile in New Orleans, BTW.
so, at this point it is not sure if it gets updated to Android M?
Can you explain what you mean by "future proof" ? This phone has a 64 bit , Octa core, ARMv8 chip . In that respect, it has quite the latest hardware. The software it is running today - is clearly under-performing. But there is no guarantee that in future , a custom ROM (or a future Android version) , will not be able to take advantage of the latest instruction set, 64 bit architecture, and all 8 cores running simultaneously.
I think the key with considering a purchase of this phone is to keep expectations in check. It's not comparable to a flagship from one of the big name companies. The Nexus 6 I'm using has its faults, but it's way faster and smoother. It feels more solid. Plus it has the advantage of the enormous dev community and user base for ROMs, kernels, fellow users, all kinds of things. A phone like the Idol 3 is not likely to ever have more than a tiny fraction of that.
The Idol 3 is light, thin and has great whites and natural colors. Blacks aren't as deep as on some displays, but it's all tradeoffs. That light weight is worth something, too. It's one of my favorite features of the device. The sound from the speakers is surprisingly decent. I like the near stock Android ROM. Now that TWRP is available, it's simple to root. It's also plain, plasticky, occasionally sluggish. What the company's plans are as far as updating to 5.1.1 or M is anyone's guess. Same for whether or not there'll be ROMs, kernels and such.
It's a very nice phone for the money that should be usable for most as a daily driver. Just don't expect it to be something it's not.
maigre said:
I think the key with considering a purchase of this phone is to keep expectations in check. It's not comparable to a flagship from one of the big name companies. The Nexus 6 I'm using has its faults, but it's way faster and smoother. It feels more solid. Plus it has the advantage of the enormous dev community and user base for ROMs, kernels, fellow users, all kinds of things. A phone like the Idol 3 is not likely to ever have more than a tiny fraction of that.
The Idol 3 is light, thin and has great whites and natural colors. Blacks aren't as deep as on some displays, but it's all tradeoffs. That light weight is worth something, too. It's one of my favorite features of the device. The sound from the speakers is surprisingly decent. I like the near stock Android ROM. Now that TWRP is available, it's simple to root. It's also plain, plasticky, occasionally sluggish. What the company's plans are as far as updating to 5.1.1 or M is anyone's guess. Same for whether or not there'll be ROMs, kernels and such.
It's a very nice phone for the money that should be usable for most as a daily driver. Just don't expect it to be something it's not.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very good post and very true. It is a solid entry into the market at a good price. Re: upgrades... I emailed Alcatel and was told there are no plans to update to 5.1 OR 6. Not that they can't change their minds, but I'd say assume this is EOL for the phone's OS. That said, it's a good phone if you like 5.0 and can live with its bugs.
Sent from my secret lair in a hidden mountainside.

Praying (and Paying) for Root with Bounty

Coming from the Note 2, Note 3, and Note 4 Developer Edition, I'm hoping the LG V10 can be rooted and have an unlocked bootloader for custom ROMs. If not, I'll be sticking with my Note 4 DE even longer.
Update:
Verizon and AT&T V10 Pledge Sheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1d4HOXYt_dvfoJQFqc8DrGmk75T381plJQ4jnpygf1KE/edit?usp=sharing
XDA Members,
I have been trying to update the spread sheet to keep people accountable for what they had pledged. If you have installed root using Tungkick's method please donate to him. If you have donated; Thank you for keeping your word! I encourage you all to do what you had promised. Donating the full pledge amount would be very appreciated as well. So far it is looking like Tungkick is well below the estimated value of what you all pledged. Please help make things right and follow through on your end.
IF YOU HAVE ALREADY DONATED PLEASE PM ME (with your name or email that comes through when you send a Paypal payment AND what XDA user name I should tie that donation to).
When you donate it would be helpful for you to put your XDA member name in the comments.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1RKjJwtDOV-aBFjPTYHJb1PezPQvxff3y65I8qKRWJpM/edit?usp=sharing
@tungkick
FAUguy said:
Coming from the Note 2, Note 3, and Note 4 Developer Edition, I'm hoping the LG V10 can be rooted and have an unlocked bootloader for custom ROMs. If not, I'll be sticking with my Note 4 DE even longer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea same here...i will hold out a month or two after it comes out to see how the development scene will become
I kinda wonder if the buyers of this device even care about such ?
verge said v10 is for content creators and g4 is for content consumers. if anything the consumer version is what people will tinker with.
the v10 should have everything you need ottb without having to futz around.
This is isn't a competitor to the note. i'm wondering what the g pro will be like.
Why do you say it's not a competitor to the note? It's certainly a flagship+ type device? Not trying to argue, just want to know your thinking. I've been a note guy since the original, but now with the 5 and the fact that they got rid of sd storage (I'm a big fan of emulator gaming) and the removable battery, I'm shopping around. The V-10 looks to have everything I have with the note 4 (except the s-pen which is rarely used). And the V-10 has some style to it that makes it not look like every other phone out there right now.
I tend to agree, I think this is a competitor to the Note series as well. If the only competition for the Note series are phones with a stylus, that doesn't leave much.
If you don't consider this to be a competitor, just curious as to which phones you belive are?
Sent from my SM-N910T using Xparent Skyblue Tapatalk 2
tried now Low Effort root from Codefire on my LG V10
Fail
Other ideas ?
I check here everyday hoping that there is root
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk
chiikko561 said:
I check here everyday hoping that there is root
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hoping in Viet Community ...
sent from my LG V10 - F600L
I just saw in the Italy unboxing thread that the phone is vulnerable to one of the stage fright exploit, someone needs to code the exploit to gain root.
chrisrotolo said:
I just saw in the Italy unboxing thread that the phone is vulnerable to one of the stage fright exploit, someone needs to code the exploit to gain root.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this is a great idea
CVE-2015-6602 is the key for V10 root
Just curious as to what people think are the key reasons for rooting these days.
I have a note 3 and will be looking to upgrade to this when it comes to the UK.
My note 3 is rooted and I did it mainly to get more advance features for Tasker.
Now I very rarely use Tasker so don't think I will be rooting my next phone unless there is a good reason to?
Cheers
Fozza
For Titanium Backup app restoration, advanced features, choice of ROM with features or optimizations not present in stock firmwares, Xposed, adblockers on Web and YouTube, etc, etc...
You don't know why rooting? Don't do it. Or go with an iPhone... [emoji6]
gamin92 said:
You don't know why rooting? Don't do it. Or go with an iPhone... [emoji6]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No need to be an arse about it There are different levels of Android users, not everyone wants all the things you just described but doesn't mean they should be sent off to apple!
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Free mobile app
Just saying if you don't want, don't do it. OR choose a closed system. There's choice.
Wasn't pointing you personally, just saying my thoughts about it.
Android is a great OS, mainly because you've got a full access to it, and can change/customize almost everything. Not rooting it may be OK for many users, but that's jumping beside the swimming pool. Just my point, as you asked our point about rooting devices...
gamin92 said:
For Titanium Backup app restoration, advanced features, choice of ROM with features or optimizations not present in stock firmwares, Xposed, adblockers on Web and YouTube, etc, etc...
You don't know why rooting? Don't do it. Or go with an iPhone... [emoji6]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmph.
I'll say this. I have had my LG G3 for over a year and a half, that is longer than I have kept any phone since I began my Android venture with the G1. I had the G3 rooted for about 3 weeks. I have always had my devices rooted. I'll say this - though the option to root and unlock the bootloader would be very nice, I have found myself very fond of the LG UI - for a manufacturer UI skin, LG's takes the cake. Far less memory hungry than sense or TouchWiz, and the phone remains very snappy.
I have no need for root with the power of these devices now, the leaps and bounds in camera software, etc.
I think the software on these phones, while skin dependent can slow it down, has moved leaps and bounds past that of 3 years ago. There are some useful aspects of it. For instance, one major reason I and most others are looking heavily at this phone is the camera - well I have news for you if you didn't know - most of that is software driven, software that is not available on an AOSP based ROM. Sure, the phone might be a hair faster, but if you can't use the beautiful 16 MB camera on the back to it's full potential (The highlight of an amazing phone) is it even worth it?
Now, the answer might be yes to you, and it might even be a yes for me when I get the phone in my hands (if, lol), but I would bet that I am not alone in my stance, and I'm sure that there are others here that used to be flashaholics that no longer have a true need for it.
Of course, if you are using a Samsung device or HTC, sure I see a need because that OS skin is horrendous. BUT, with a phone with this hardware, with a fairly light skin, and from what I can see amazing camera software/hardware... Do you need to root this thing?
I suppose you can justify root without bootloader, however again, I do not need it thus probably won't go there.
I am not bashing you, simply stating where I come from now, and how my thoughts and needs have changed on the issue of ROM flashing in the last year with my still amazing G3.
I am only now looking for a new device because I felt this year would bring amazing devices... So far, the only two really worth looking at are the Nexus 6P - which is only available in the states through Google/Huwai, and this V10. Maybe the OnePlus 2. Maybe.
Cheers.
I'm using Xperia Z2, since mid 2014. I'm still on stock based firmware. As you stated, camera, as well as audio performance, are better with stock based roms than with aosp based roms. But there's many rom cookers taking stock brand firmware as base, but add many features, or great optimizations.
Even my wife, who doesn't know anything about android and OS stuffs, needs root. Why? Simply because there's always a bunch of bloatware, or apps not needed because you're using one for years doing the same thing in a better/more suitable way.
I agree that unlocking the bootloader isn't so useful anymore, just a flash and test junky thing. But root is so helpful in many ways. Just one thing why I couldn't use phone without root : all those terrible ads everywhere, on the web and on YouTube. Soooo annoying. Used my phone 2 weeks before rooting, I was going crazy just about ads here, ads there, ads everywhere!
Edit : installing an alternative launcher already keep you away from most of worst things of "skins" from brands.
gamin92 said:
I'm using Xperia Z2, since mid 2014. I'm still on stock based firmware. As you stated, camera, as well as audio performance, are better with stock based roms than with aosp based roms. But there's many rom cookers taking stock brand firmware as base, but add many features, or great optimizations.
Even my wife, who doesn't know anything about android and OS stuffs, needs root. Why? Simply because there's always a bunch of bloatware, or apps not needed because you're using one for years doing the same thing in a better/more suitable way.
I agree that unlocking the bootloader isn't so useful anymore, just a flash and test junky thing. But root is so helpful in many ways. Just one thing why I couldn't use phone without root : all those terrible ads everywhere, on the web and on YouTube. Soooo annoying. Used my phone 2 weeks before rooting, I was going crazy just about ads here, ads there, ads everywhere!
Edit : installing an alternative launcher already keep you away from most of worst things of "skins" from brands.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Precisely. I understand and echo everything you point out. I have always used Nova Launcher.
Yes, bloatware is a problem. However, besides that, I really don't have a need for root in general, it's just a fun thing to have and mess with. I don't like messing with my phone much anymore since I have important things on my plate, calendar, phone calls, etc.
I don't understand why people say they love ad blocker, I haven't had an issue with ads, in fact I don't see many AT ALL, and I don't have mine rooted...
I see the most in the TapaTalk app, other than that nothing really...
Root saves me the $30 a month extra I don't have to pay Sprint for Wi-Fi tether: that's reason enough for me to root all my devices.
I have always rooted every one of my devices dating back to my og. That said, it seems it's getting harder and harder to gain root on some of these new devices. Doesn't Xposed work on non rooted devices? If so, won't that along with a new launcher satisfy the craving for root? I'm asking because my next phone will probably be the V10 and I'm fearful root might not be gained.
Sent from my VS985 4G using Tapatalk

This phone is depressing! A few thoughts and ramblings...

First off let me say that I love this phone. The build quality while not the best is good enough and the materials used come together very nicely. The Moto X also has all the features I am looking for (quick charge, nice screen, stereo front facing speakers, expandable storage and unlocked and rootable!).
So why am I depressed about it?
The phone seems to not be as popular as it deserves and with that it doesn't get the massive amounts of support of other inferior devices. After owning this phone since October I have tried my hardest to grow to love the stock firmware as it is so close to google's. However (I'm not sure how many of you will agree with me here), I am very fond of CM and seeing that the Moto G 2015 has been officially supported for what feels like forever now I'm not sure the Moto X will ever be.
I know there are dedicated individuals working hard to further development projects for this device and I am very grateful for that. It just feels like the community for this phone is very small which has caught me off guard because the device seemingly has everything most people could want.
Anyways, I'm not entirely sure why I wrote this but I'd like to hear your guys' thoughts and opinions.
I agree with you that I was assuming there would be way more support for this phone and I also though it would be easier to mess with as far as rooting and such. I'm no developer or self proclaimed rooting expert but it seems like if you are on android 6.0 stock it's not that easy to get rooted or downgrade to 5.x and root. I thought being unlocked and so near stock that this would all be a breeze but ever since I unrooted and upgraded to stock 6.0 rooting again is a pretty big undertaking. I'm not complaining here I do really like the stock OS but I love messing with the OS too. Here's to hoping some time in the near future there is a solid root option for stock 6.0
When I first seen the title I was like 'really'?/But as iv read further , there's one spot on point I agree with you on...
I expected the this phone to be one of the more popular, development wise, rom wise.
So when I first came to XDA and looked in the Moto X Pure section, WOW, I was sadly SADLY surprised.
3 CURRENT ROMS. are you joking me?
I told my self once the kernel source(or whatever) was released, THAT'S when things would change, that is when the list would grow..... IT HAS NOT THO....
THIS has been a let down. When I buy a phone, I want to be sure bec to me, its a hassle to do Re-Sale on EBay or Swappa or CL, Its just a hassle, I don't want to do it, Unless I absolutely have to. SO I'm sticking with the phone I buy most likely. So I'm sticking with it.
I could have spent 100 more to get the 6p, but at that time, everyone was talking DOWN the 6p, plus its a tad too big for me, I didn't want it then. Given the unpopularity in development this phone surprisingly is, it would be nice to have the 6p, but to me, going through the resale hassle, I think I'll pass.
Lastly, to the OP of this Post. I agree on one point, its very very surprising the unpopularity of the phone STILL. It's almost unexplainable.
Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk
Ive been a long time lg and htc user prior to this.... Yes theres few roms but heres my take.... while lg g2 g3 g4 have lots of roms activities and users... Let me tell you how it works... First most of the ppl on there only complain about bugs and how they bricked their phones or complain of the hideous lg stock rom lag and interface... Then they flash bug filled. Aosp roms and complain about bugs and camera etc..... Wit moto x ppl dont have to be active in the forum bc first.. Stock rom is aosp... ....... Everything just works and feels great... And you can falsh optimized stock rom and ull have stability of stock roms+fluidness of aosp roms...(no need for users to stick around to complain... They jt flash they're rom and are of to enjoy it) You jt cant lose with this phone!!!! I appreciate the heck out of my fone and of mostly intelligent satisfied users!!!! Im my opinion this phone is second to only the nexus 6p right now.... And well the reason i have this is bc i got it for a measly 83$ on a amazing deal on ebay... Anyways. Thats alll... My opinion is complete
Edit.... Oh and ive nvr owned a phone with a signal quality even close to this one... Its baffling how much better it is then it was on my m8 or g3 or g4...
I came from the LG G4, what they did there is they got a well known Cyanogen Dev to agree to support that device if they helped him get it.
They got Codeworkx, (a great developer btw) and he jump started development right away squashing bugs left and right.
Maybe they can do that here? get a well known Developer to agree and see if they can get donations going for him.
I know things like this have gone down south before with devs not commiting and dropping/selling the device right away.
But there are good devs are there that are commited but just dont have funds to get devices.
Historically, the moto x line has never had much development. My own personal opinion is because there isn't much need: updates come fast, stock moto features are excellent, and performance tends to be very good and there is very little bloat. Other than the nexus line, where the devs have source code to work with, devices that come with good software tend to get less developer interest.
Obviously there are exceptions to this, just my observations after owning many phones over the years.
I just got the X for my dad and i believe its perfect for him (not so sure about the large display though), but he won't be messing around with ROMs and stuff.
However, I simply can't decide between this and the 5x for myself (6P is out of my budget). I love everything the X Style offers but I dread that I will soon get bored of the stock experience and crave for the bells and whistles that custom ROMs offer. The downside to flashing a ROM on the X is you lose out on Moto Display, Voice, Actions, and Assist--is that not the case? If I'm not mistaken, isn't Moto's implementation of these features significantly better than those found in CM?
I will echo what's been said and maybe add some points of my own. I love this phone I do, and maybe the fact that it has no issues is the issue but I also love seeing what else there is out there as far as rom's etc. I have yet to even root/unlock this phone because I almost see no major reason. I mean major, I know there's some xposed modules and whatnot but I used to love/hate trying out new roms just to see what they're like even with the bugs. I've moved on from the whole hack your phone scene but only because it seems to be less and less fun. Maybe the fact that the moto x pure is great as is, is the issue. No reason to really change anything. It's a good problem to have I guess.
roofrider said:
I just got the X for my dad and i believe its perfect for him (not so sure about the large display though), but he won't be messing around with ROMs and stuff.
However, I simply can't decide between this and the 5x for myself (6P is out of my budget). I love everything the X Style offers but I dread that I will soon get bored of the stock experience and crave for the bells and whistles that custom ROMs offer. The downside to flashing a ROM on the X is you lose out on Moto Display, Voice, Actions, and Assist--is that not the case? If I'm not mistaken, isn't Moto's implementation of these features significantly better than those found in CM?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Moto's implementation is MUCH better than you'll find on any rom and/or xposed module. You will not find touchless display and moto voice that work well anywhere else. Also, you can get bells and whistles by installing gravitybox on stock-based roms. I've ran cm12.1/13 on my oneplus one for nearly a year and since switching to the moto x with gravitybox, I don't miss a thing.
Google~Android said:
Ive been a long time lg and htc user prior to this.... Yes theres few roms but heres my take.... while lg g2 g3 g4 have lots of roms activities and users... Let me tell you how it works... First most of the ppl on there only complain about bugs and how they bricked their phones or complain of the hideous lg stock rom lag and interface... Then they flash bug filled. Aosp roms and complain about bugs and camera etc..... Wit moto x ppl dont have to be active in the forum bc first.. Stock rom is aosp... ....... Everything just works and feels great... And you can falsh optimized stock rom and ull have stability of stock roms+fluidness of aosp roms...(no need for users to stick around to complain... They jt flash they're rom and are of to enjoy it) You jt cant lose with this phone!!!! I appreciate the heck out of my fone and of mostly intelligent satisfied users!!!! Im my opinion this phone is second to only the nexus 6p right now.... And well the reason i have this is bc i got it for a measly 83$ on a amazing deal on ebay... Anyways. Thats alll... My opinion is complete[emoji14]
Edit.... Oh and ive nvr owned a phone with a signal quality even close to this one... Its baffling how much better it is then it was on my m8 or g3 or g4...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good points. I do wish we had a bit more variety rom wise tho.
Yeah 6p was just out my price range at the time, and also it wasnt as popular of a Choice at its launch as its been more recently.
For me specifically, I consume a lot of media, so speakers are a bit more important to me than some others, and was close to the most important feature I was looking for. I came from the htc M7, so when I heard the MXPE, I was not disappointed. As someone else said, this phone probably has the best speakers on a phone, even the 6p...... based on reviews and YouTube videos only.
Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk
Theres not much to fix on this device, if and when CM gets official, you will see more rom in the dev section.
I love this phone that it doesnt get in my way and works just how I want it, heck I dont even keep tapatalk on my phone anymore since I never need to come here look for fixes or improvements
it is just 6months of release.. i think rom numbers and kernel numbers will improve over time...also the processor is almost new...there is very less work on msm8992...
also no vendor gives updates so fast.
LGs,HTCs,Samsungs take forever to update
emoney1219 said:
I agree with you that I was assuming there would be way more support for this phone and I also though it would be easier to mess with as far as rooting and such. I'm no developer or self proclaimed rooting expert but it seems like if you are on android 6.0 stock it's not that easy to get rooted or downgrade to 5.x and root. I thought being unlocked and so near stock that this would all be a breeze but ever since I unrooted and upgraded to stock 6.0 rooting again is a pretty big undertaking. I'm not complaining here I do really like the stock OS but I love messing with the OS too. Here's to hoping some time in the near future there is a solid root option for stock 6.0
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unlock the bootloader, flash twrp through platform tools(adb-fastboot), flash chainfire supersu systemless root, it takes 10 min.
Yes, there are less ROMs compared to many other phones, but you must consider that most other phones don't come with a nearly pure Android experience. Those custom ROMs all try to focus on AOSP/CM builds that provide a pure Android experience along with extra features. This phone just doesn't need that as much.
Personally, I use to love flashing different ROMs to find the one that provides the best performance and feature set combination. This phone already has the performance, and Xposed and Layers provide all the features and custom look as desired. We also have a few solid kernels, too.
If you need a lot of ROMs, pick a phone that has a manufacturer-built version of Android that developers want to replace or a Nexus phone
Sent from my XT1575 using XDA Free mobile app
The stock ROM, rooted with Xposed and GravityBox can cover most of what a custom ROM can give you. And without the bugs.
Faint333 said:
First off let me say that I love this phone. The build quality while not the best is good enough and the materials used come together very nicely. The Moto X also has all the features I am looking for (quick charge, nice screen, stereo front facing speakers, expandable storage and unlocked and rootable!).
So why am I depressed about it?
The phone seems to not be as popular as it deserves and with that it doesn't get the massive amounts of support of other inferior devices. After owning this phone since October I have tried my hardest to grow to love the stock firmware as it is so close to google's. However (I'm not sure how many of you will agree with me here), I am very fond of CM and seeing that the Moto G 2015 has been officially supported for what feels like forever now I'm not sure the Moto X will ever be.
I know there are dedicated individuals working hard to further development projects for this device and I am very grateful for that. It just feels like the community for this phone is very small which has caught me off guard because the device seemingly has everything most people could want.
Anyways, I'm not entirely sure why I wrote this but I'd like to hear your guys' thoughts and opinions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not depressing if you have Xposed framework and VZW Unlimited Data. I may keep this phone for 1-2 years instead of upgrading every 6 months.
I agree, just got this phone the other day and i thought there'd be a lot of rom support, easy rooting, more mods, etc. Kind of a shame for a very good phone.
About the camera
My main complaint about this phone after owning a LG G4 and Galaxy S6 is the lack of the camera 2 API. Why after virtually bringing this feature on board of the Google Nexus 6 and claming that this phone have a comparable camera to last year's flagships, they take away something out, that us owners are more than capable of taking advantage. The camera is good, but could be better, and if they don't feel like doing it we should've been able to do something about it. Dumb move Motorola.
One problem with this phone is that it has to have qcoms multi Sim implementation. So you will not see (m)any AOSP based ROM's.
This because it is a lot of work to make multi Sim work. And yes the implementation of Qualcomm multi Sim is different then the aosp implementation.
You will only see CM based custom ROM's or stock based modifications. CM based ROM's because CM has a lot more resources to integrate this.
(I tried to get omnirom working, but ran into the multi Sim problem).
the design was good but i got tired of the lag and overheating, even on the s808 chip. went to the iphone 6s for 2 months then im back on droid but with a nexus 6p. best device ive had, no lag or overheating, great support. maybe the OP should consider buying it.
---------- Post added at 10:03 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:02 AM ----------
JOSE89178 said:
I agree, just got this phone the other day and i thought there'd be a lot of rom support, easy rooting, more mods, etc. Kind of a shame for a very good phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
alot of it has to do with levono buying moto and the uncertain future of the moto line. plus the fact moto seems to drop support easily.

Honor 8 a viable choice in 2017?

Hello.
I'm looking for a new phone, my budget is around 340 USD and therefore Honor 8 has really caught my eye. I'd like to ask a couple questions.
1. Is the bootloader unlock process problematic? Have you faced any issues with it or is it hassle-free? Coming from an LG device, I want to be extra careful with this.
2. I plan to have this device for a longer period of time, around 3-4 years. Is Honor 8 a viable choice, despite the fact that it will soon be a year from the release? Will it be able to hold off for that long, in terms of ROM support and general performance/usage?
3. How do custom ROM development prospects look right now for the device? From what I've seen, Huawei still hasn't released sources for Nougat. Can I expect good custom ROM support from this device?
4. How satisfied are you with your phone? Would you recommend it to me? Are there anything you don't like about the phone?
Thanks in advance.
Hi , i will just speak about question 4 ....
I had iphone7 , Huawei P9, Galaxy s7 and since 2 month : Honor 8
Yes for me you can buy this phone in 2017
It's a very good phone , very fluid, no lags, the phone is not too big , not to small, you can use with one hand . Screen is good , photo too but not like Iphone7 or Galaxy S7 . I am very happy with quick charge . For me the phone is more faster than an Iphone7, or Galaxy S7 . You can personalize like you want , You have a lot of nice themes on XDA or Google+ Emui Community . Sound is good, with headset is not like an Iphone or Galaxy s7 but to listen music is suffisant for me . VoilĂ , my advice is very good phone, just photo and music with headset can be better but stay ok for daily use .
The device is solid. Runs fast, pretty good specs, and looks nice.
Expect zero updates. Zero custom ROM support, and even rooting is a pain in the butt.
If you're into it for the dev scene, move on. If you want a half decent device for daily use, not bad at all.
Personally I regret buying it because Huawei is terrible at updates and keeping promises.
But as a daily driver device, it's fine.
Don't buy it's an alright phone but no custom ROM support is like a death sentence for a phone. This phone has been out for like 9 months and doesn't have a fully working custom ROM, that right there tells you that this phone has no future. Also who keeps wants to keep a low to mid range phone for 3-4 years? Must be in a 3rd world country!
I am happy with the phone but I'm disappointed with Huawei/Honor when it comes to updates and I am not going to buy more phones from them.
I would get something else right now, it was a good choice when it was released
Next time I will just pay 200 extra euro and get a real phone
Yeah it is a good phone but i am disappointed i expected few roms by now...i wish i could turn time back and go for xiaomi rednote 3 pro
1. Is the bootloader unlock process problematic? Have you faced any issues with it or is it hassle-free? Coming from an LG device, I want to be extra careful with this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's hassle-free.
2. I plan to have this device for a longer period of time, around 3-4 years. Is Honor 8 a viable choice, despite the fact that it will soon be a year from the release? Will it be able to hold off for that long, in terms of ROM support and general performance/usage?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Huawei offer 2 years of updates, but not monthly updates. Taking a look at honor 6 released in august 2014 - it is indeed so. Latest update for honor 6 is september 30th 2016.
3. How do custom ROM development prospects look right now for the device? From what I've seen, Huawei still hasn't released sources for Nougat. Can I expect good custom ROM support from this device?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No. Don't expect good custom ROM for this device.
4. How satisfied are you with your phone? Would you recommend it to me? Are there anything you don't like about the phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm pretty satisfied. I enjoy it's dimensions, design, performance and battery life. Games aside, it's faster than any SD820 phone and most SD821 phones (take a look at performance comparison videos on youtube), so it's definitely going to be quick enough for 3-4 years.
If no custom ROM support, lower than SD820 GPU performance and only 2 years of official updates are OK for you (as it is for me) - I definitely recommend it.
Fobos531 said:
Hello.
I'm looking for a new phone, my budget is around 340 USD and therefore Honor 8 has really caught my eye. I'd like to ask a couple questions.
1. Is the bootloader unlock process problematic? Have you faced any issues with it or is it hassle-free? Coming from an LG device, I want to be extra careful with this.
2. I plan to have this device for a longer period of time, around 3-4 years. Is Honor 8 a viable choice, despite the fact that it will soon be a year from the release? Will it be able to hold off for that long, in terms of ROM support and general performance/usage?
3. How do custom ROM development prospects look right now for the device? From what I've seen, Huawei still hasn't released sources for Nougat. Can I expect good custom ROM support from this device?
4. How satisfied are you with your phone? Would you recommend it to me? Are there anything you don't like about the phone?
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can easily get a code from Huawei to unlock the bootloader, but there's not much point to rooting the phone with development on it pretty nonexistent.
The hardware is really nice. The phone's a great size, the CPU is a beast, the GPU kind of sucks (but that doesn't matter if you're not playing new/demanding games on it like me), but the security updates are TERRIBLE. The most recent software update for the US version of the phone came out in the beginning of January. So we're almost four months into the year and the December 1st security patch is the most recent one available.
If you'd be happy with Nougat 7.0/EMUI 5.0 in a year from now and don't do anything that having security up to date matters it's fine, but otherwise I'd look elsewhere.

I'm starting to hate Xiaomi

First of all, they rushed the Oreo update with tons of severe bugs and the beta testing was open to a number of complete random Joes most of whom could never do their job properly.
Secondly, they now cancelled the second Oreo update without any announcements.
Thirdly, there's zero communication with/from them - there no official Xiaomi employees/representatives either on miui or xda-dev forums, they never reply to your questions in Twitter.
This was supposed to be an exploratory OEM device running Android One - instead we've got a big f***ing mess.
To add insult to injury there are no kernel sources four months after the device release. EIS/Camera2API are still not enabled in any builds. Low light camera performance is simply horrible. There's white noise for headphones which most likely will never be solved since this phone has a broken amplifier which should have never passed QA/QC.
I'm never buying anything again from this company.
And it's not like Nougat releases were bugs free - there were at least a dozen of serious bugs. And Android System/OS power use is still enormous. Seems like Xiaomi simply doesn't care.
I think that you are not correct. Phone is just amazing for that price range.
Beautiful design, excellent response and many many good things.
Im on January update now rooted, with framework reset and don't have one bug.
For camera they should make better software. Because Gcam can make excellent photos compared to stock. But never the less phone is just great.
Good job xiaomi.
janchaman said:
I think that you are not correct. Phone is just amazing for that price range.
Beautiful design, excellent response and many many good things.
Im on January update now rooted, with framework reset and don't have one bug.
For camera they should make better software. Because Gcam can make excellent photos compared to stock. But never the less phone is just great.
Good job xiaomi.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looks like you don't use this smartphone at all or use it for a handful of functions because it has tons of bugs. I'm glad you like it though.
i got oreo 1st update, bug only on packet data notification.
Sent from my Mi A1 using Tapatalk
What you've pointed out is very true. I also think a lot of randos are in the beta program, but then again the beta program is entirely USELESS if there is no communication with the dev team. The individual devs too can't do anything until the source arrives, which Xiaomi claims is taking time "to make it better" which can be read as "our kernel is still not good enough" I'm not surprised that the ROMs are buggy. There is huge potential for Mi A1, but software and Xiaomi cripples it.
After source kernel is released though, I expect it to have the best and most optimal software. Until then it's just a waiting game.
I think you miss the point that you bought a cheap 200 bucks device. Tons of bugs ??? Not really. Oreo is ok, if you can help yourself a little bit. Other expensive brands have update and even hardware issues too. Just sit back and chill. The perfect device and perfect support ? Have fun to wait for it
birdie said:
First of all, they rushed the Oreo update with tons of severe bugs and the beta testing was open to a number of complete random Joes most of whom could never do their job properly.
Secondly, they now cancelled the second Oreo update without any announcements.
Thirdly, there's zero communication with/from them - there no official Xiaomi employees/representatives either on miui or xda-dev forums, they never reply to your questions in Twitter.
This was supposed to be an exploratory OEM device running Android One - instead we've got a big f***ing mess.
To add insult to injury there are no kernel sources four months after the device release. EIS/Camera2API are still not enabled in any builds. Low light camera performance is simply horrible. There's white noise for headphones which most likely will never be solved since this phone has a broken amplifier which should have never passed QA/QC.
I'm never buying anything again from this company.
And it's not like Nougat releases were bugs free - there were at least a dozen of serious bugs. And Android System/OS power use is still enormous. Seems like Xiaomi simply doesn't care.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And still no kernel sources yet
No kernel sources..we just lost the lineage OS devices as he lost his phone ???
There are some setbacks but come on every OEM is doing the same thing with their customers, you can't specifically say about a1. Btw the kernel sources still not released is a big blunder committed by Xiaomi.
Working great for.my wife.
I do recall the noise on social media and forums demanding the update before Jan. 1. I think Xiaomi have learned a lesson and decided to say less to temper expectations. The complaints do suggest that the update was not ready, and they should have just let folks harass them on social media and various sites and ignored them until it was ready.
birdie said:
First of all, they rushed the Oreo update with tons of severe bugs and the beta testing was open to a number of complete random Joes most of whom could never do their job properly.
Secondly, they now cancelled the second Oreo update without any announcements.
Thirdly, there's zero communication with/from them - there no official Xiaomi employees/representatives either on miui or xda-dev forums, they never reply to your questions in Twitter.
This was supposed to be an exploratory OEM device running Android One - instead we've got a big f***ing mess.
To add insult to injury there are no kernel sources four months after the device release. EIS/Camera2API are still not enabled in any builds. Low light camera performance is simply horrible. There's white noise for headphones which most likely will never be solved since this phone has a broken amplifier which should have never passed QA/QC.
I'm never buying anything again from this company.
And it's not like Nougat releases were bugs free - there were at least a dozen of serious bugs. And Android System/OS power use is still enormous. Seems like Xiaomi simply doesn't care.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, just stop crying!
Nobody made you to buy xiaomi!
It was a small company that became larger than old Not Chinese companies, they sell good stuff, their QC is better than in other companies.
A1 is first not MUI phone. It takes time to things well. I use android O and have no problems at all.
About a camera, you can't get Leica or Samsung camera for 150$!!!
Want a good camera? Buy Huawei, Samsung, iPhone... Pay 700$ and don't write things you don't understand...
BTW, if you won't buy xiaomi stuff, xiaomi won't beg you to do it!
yanleites said:
OK, just stop crying!
Nobody made you to buy xiaomi!
It was a small company that became larger than old Not Chinese companies, they sell good stuff, their QC is better than in other companies.
A1 is first not MUI phone. It takes time to things well. I use android O and have no problems at all.
About a camera, you can't get Leica or Samsung camera for 150$!!!
Want a good camera? Buy Huawei, Samsung, iPhone... Pay 700$ and don't write things you don't understand...
BTW, if you won't buy xiaomi stuff, xiaomi won't beg you to do it!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The point isn't that the device is bad, the problem is that i could be far better than how currently is.
The camera isn't great at all, but it could be better by simply activating api2 in build.prop, how much does it cost to xiaomi? Maybe it don't give a f**k about this device.
Bugs, they could be less, of course with kernel sources there will be even Ron development.
The dac is absolute s**t, i can't understand all the reviewer that said it was stunning, the hissing sound isn't a minor issue
Update, really xiaomi, really? Releasing buggy and early update should be you marketing strategy. It suck , just in case someone is reading this.
Lack of communication on Twitter or xda, they even haven't said that all otas are blocked, xiaomi you are acting like a ****.
Give them a break man! They have to release a phone every 2 minutes, that's hard! I'm a first time user of xiaomi, bought it because of Android one. Hey, mistakes were made! It's my last phone for sure , now I can't do nothing more than try to enjoy this and hope for custom ROM devs fix everything (if the phone survives that long)
To OP (and others who identify themselves): Boohoo, this phone is not perfect, boohoo, Xiaomi never again, boohoo. Again? Seriously? Isn't there something more meaningful what you can do in your life? I don't know..did you maybe consider buying another phone where you'll actually be happy and you could move on? Being in constant pain and frustration with Mi A1 is not good for your health.
I have no idea what's about here.
For my needs this phone is perfect. Yes, perfect, so I bought 3 of them for me/wife/daughter.
I was happy with Nougat and now I'm happy with Oreo Jan patch.
For now I just wait for sources and custom ROM avalanche to squeeze every bit of software from this hardware.
Bottom line, as usual YMMV.
The only thing that I hate Xiaomi for is that the Mi A1 xda forum is full of idiots reposting and spamming, instead of developers showing their amazing work which could be done with the kernel sources out.
Hating Xiaomi have become mainstream here, you cannot say you love this phone anymore. How many thread do we need for hating Xiaomi and bugs discussion.
I have to say that my Oreo doesnt have major bugs, only minor bugs, i still can wait for the fix. Battery life incredibly better than nougat, it stay more than 24 hours for me.
If you have major bugs like wifi or call problem, just bring it to service centre, I'm sure they can help. Or you can use Nougat while waiting for stable Oreo (UI is quite the same). MiFlash tools is very easy to use too. (I think you need to backup your data if you want to downgrade because of difference encryption)
I think because of this phone so easy to unlock/relock bootloader (without wiping data) plus with magisk undetectable root, its impossible to tell which bugs (in xda & MIUI forum) came from root or unroot device. I'm not saying all the bugs came from root device, but it make it worse. Maybe that cause Xiaomi panic and pull back update, just maybe.
I didnt see when someone post a bug and the first question is "did you unlock bootloader?" every bugs post usually follow with hating this phone. All I want to see is workaround for the bugs while waiting it to be fix.
I hold my update for 2 week because of all these bugs post, but after I update my phone, its not that bad. Those thread are not reliable anymore. Why?
Welcome to the club..
And on cue paid xiaomi trolls arrive to say Xiaomi is god, buy another phone.. ???
Sell the phone & buy another.. Thats the only option.. Mi's inhouse development team is sh*t.. I don't think there's hope for this phone..
neojith said:
Welcome to the club..
And on cue paid xiaomi trolls arrive to say Xiaomi is god, buy another phone..
Sell the phone & buy another.. Thats the only option.. Mi's inhouse development team is sh*t.. I don't think there's hope for this phone..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
See? This why people who has working phone remain silent. you cannot share something good about this phone. In the end all these threads become less and less informative. Anyway, if you think there is no hope, why you still here?
If You buy a phone for $150-$200 You really can't be that stupid/naive that You expect same build quality, same camera, same support, same update interval, same bug fix speed, etc as a $600-$900 phone??
Software development is expensive and cheap phones doesn't pay big dev teams!
This phone is my sixth "cheap China phone" and second Xiaomi and I can promise that the updates are miles better than from many others in same price range!
I don't have any major "bugs" or bigger annoyances in my phone (currently running Oreo Dec 1 2017) and it works great as my daily driver.
The small issues are there yes, but please show me a phone in same price range that's free from bugs.
So from my point of viev: A1 is good phone for that price!

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