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Replicant (operating system)

Topic: Software

 From HandWiki - Reading time: 11 min
Short description: Free software version of Android
Replicant
Replicant logo
DeveloperDenis Carikli, Joonas Kylmälä, Fil Bergamo, Paul Kocialkowski[1]
OS familyAndroid (Linux)
Working stateCurrent
Source modelOpen source
Initial releaseMid-2010; 14 years ago (2010)
|Final release|Latest release}}6.0 0004[2] (June 3, 2022; 2 years ago (2022-06-03)) [±]
Package managerAPK
Kernel typeMonolithic (Linux)
UserlandBionic C library,[3][4] mksh shell,[5] native core utilities with a few from NetBSD[6]
LicenseApache License 2.0, GNU GPLv2, and various other licenses
Official websitewww.replicant.us

thumb|Replicant 6.0 on Samsung Galaxy Note II. thumb|An example of phone information in Replicant, including a brief hardware description

Replicant is a free operating system (OS) based on the Android mobile platform that intends to replace all proprietary Android components with free-software counterparts.[7][8] It is available for several smartphones and tablet computers.[9] It is written in the same programming languages as Android (from which it is forked indirectly). The modifications are mostly in the C language;[10] the changes are mostly to the lower-level parts of the OS, such as the Linux kernel and drivers that use it.

The name Replicant is drawn from the fictional replicant androids in the Blade Runner movie.[7] Replicant is sponsored and supported by the Free Software Foundation[7][11] and partially by NLnet.[12][13]

History

The Replicant project started in mid-2010 with an effort to consolidate various initiatives attempting to produce a fully free-as-in-freedom Android derivative for the HTC Dream device. The original team consisted of Bradley M. Kuhn, Aaron Williamson, Graziano Sorbaioli and Denis ‘GNUtoo’ Carikli.[14][15][16][17] The project quickly led to the writing of replacement code for the non-free parts that were required to make HTC Dream functional. The first component to be replaced permitted audio to work without a proprietary library. Replicant originally provided its own FOSS application repository, which was later replaced by F-Droid.[18][19][self-published source][20][self-published source] In June 2022, Replicant announced they had removed F-Droid.[21]

The Radio Interface Layer software that handles communication with the modem was replaced by free code, thus making the telephony part usable. A library handling GPS was then adapted from free code that was originally written for another phone[22] and permitted HTC Dream to have GPS working with Replicant.[20][self-published source]

Early versions of Replicant were based on Android Open Source Project code, while versions 2.2 (April 2011) and later used CyanogenMod as their base in order to make supporting more devices easier.[23][24][25] In a blog post on February 1, 2017, the Replicant project said that the future versions of Replicant will be based on LineageOS, as the CyanogenMod project was discontinued.[26]

As development continued, many members of the original Replicant team retired from the project, making Denis "GNUtoo" Carikli the only remaining member from the original team still actively working on the project. In April 2011, Paul Kocialkowski decided to get involved with the project and gradually became the main Replicant developer, after successfully porting it to the Nexus S and Galaxy S devices.[1][27][28]

In 2014, however, Replicant was criticized for lagging behind. "While CyanogenMod is up to 4.4.4, Replicant is still stuck on Android 4.2. CM runs on just about everything, but Replicant is only supported by a handful of devices ranging from two to four years old. Plus, while Replicant aims to replace the proprietary drivers, it doesn't actually have a complete stack of drivers for any device."[29] When the smartphone operating systems efforts of others, like Mozilla, failed to gain traction, Replicant continued.[30]

Replicant is sponsored and supported by the Free Software Foundation,[7] which also hosts Replicant's source code.[31][32]

Releases

The following table lists the major releases of Replicant:

Version Release date Based on Notes
2.2[33] 26 April 2011 Android 2.2 "Froyo" N/A
4.0[34] 15 November 2012 Android 4.0 "Ice Cream Sandwich" Five updates have been released; the last one, 0005, was released on September 29, 2013.[35]
4.2[36] 19 January 2014 CyanogenMod 10.1/Android 4.2.2 "Jelly Bean" Four updates have been released; the last one, 0004, was released on September 1, 2015.[37]
6.0[38] 7 May 2017 LineageOS 13.0/Android 6.0.1 "Marshmallow" Three updates have been released; the most recent one, 0003, was released on December 10, 2017. Two release candidates for 0004 have been released. RC2 was released on July 22, 2020.[2]
10[39] N/A LineageOS 17.1/Android 10 Replaced graphics driver for improved performance.
{{{2}}}

Security

In March 2014, Replicant developers found and closed a vulnerability present in a wide range of Samsung Galaxy products that allowed the baseband processor to read and write the device's storage,[40] sometimes with normal user privileges and sometimes as the root user depending on device model. Replicant's lead developer Paul Kocialkowski claimed it was a backdoor,[40][41][42][43][22] but this was contested by Dan Rosenberg, a senior security researcher at Azimuth Security, who said there was "virtually no evidence for the ability to remotely execute this functionality".[44] There is some evidence of similar exploits of Apple hardware that did not involve operating system software, and the "methods detailed take direct advantage of Apple’s “firmware” or permanent software programmed onto the device, usually by the manufacturer."[45] The founder of Ubuntu previously expressed similar concerns.[46]

Development

On January 3, 2013, the project released Replicant 4.0 SDK as a fully libre replacement to Android SDK.[47] The Replicant SDK was released in response to Google updating the license for add-ons and binaries under a proprietary agreement.[48] Replicant's SDK was discontinued on April 28, 2017 in favour of the free SDK packaged by Debian.[49]

Hardware support

Supported devices

Scope of the Replicant project has been gradually expanded to include support for new devices, starting with the Nexus One, Nexus S and Galaxy S. As of January 2014, the following devices are supported, with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth requiring proprietary firmware in order to work:[9] The number of supported devices was doubled with version 6.0 in 2017.[50]

Device Device Class Codename Replicant version 2D graphics 3D graphics Sound Telephony Mobile Data NFC GPS Sensors Camera Wi-Fi Bluetooth
Nexus S Smartphone crespo 4.2 Yes No Yes Yes Yes Proprietary[51]
free userspace 		No Yes Yes Proprietary Proprietary
Samsung Galaxy S Smartphone galaxysmtd 4.2 Yes No Yes Yes Yes N/A No Yes Yes Proprietary Proprietary
Samsung Galaxy S2 Smartphone galaxys2 6.0 Yes (fast) No Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Proprietary Proprietary
Samsung Galaxy Note (original) Smartphone n7000 4.2 Yes (slow) No Yes Yes Yes No No Yes No Proprietary Proprietary
Galaxy Nexus Smartphone maguro 4.2 Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes No Proprietary Proprietary
Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) Tablet p3100 4.2 Yes (fast) No Yes Yes Yes N/A No Yes No Proprietary Proprietary
Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1) Tablet p5100 4.2 Yes (slow) No Yes Yes Yes N/A No Yes No Proprietary Proprietary
Samsung Galaxy S3 Smartphone i9300 6.0 Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes (back) / proprietary (front) Proprietary Proprietary
Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Smartphone n7100 6.0 Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes (back) / proprietary (front) Proprietary Proprietary
Goldelico OpenPhoenux GTA04 Smartphone gta04 4.2 Yes No Yes Work in progress Work in progress N/A Yes Work in progress Work in progress Proprietary Proprietary

Device requirements

  • The device must be supported by LineageOS/CyanogenMod officially (better) or via 3rd party repos[52]
  • There must be a way to flash images (via bootloader or recovery) using a free program
  • The kernel must not be signed: the bootloader must not check the kernel signature
  • The kernel sources must have been released
  • The network type must be GSM, no CDMA phone can be supported for now

See also


References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "People - Replicant". Redmine.replicant.us. http://redmine.replicant.us/projects/replicant/wiki/People. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Carikli, Denis (3 June 2022). "New Replicant 6.0 0004 release and Replicant 11 status.". https://blog.replicant.us/2022/06/new-replicant-6-0-0004-release-and-replicant-11-status/. 
  3. ↑ "Replicant". replicant.us. http://redmine.replicant.us/boards/39/topics/8283. 
  4. ↑ "android/platform/bionic/". https://android.googlesource.com/platform/bionic/+/master/libc/. 
  5. ↑ "android/platform/external/mksh/". https://android.googlesource.com/platform/external/mksh/+/master. 
  6. ↑ "android/platform/system/core/toolbox/". https://android.googlesource.com/platform/system/core/+/master/toolbox/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 McAllister, Neil (26 July 2013). "FSF passes collection plate for free Android clone Replicant". https://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/07/26/fsf_replicant_fundraising_campaign/. 
  8. ↑ [cbronline.com/news/fire-os-google "Amazon's Fire OS Burned by Google, says EC. Is It Really a Rival?"]. 2019-09-02. cbronline.com/news/fire-os-google. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Replicant Status". http://redmine.replicant.us/projects/replicant/wiki/ReplicantStatus. 
  10. ↑ "Replicant Developer's Guide". http://redmine.replicant.us/projects/replicant/wiki/DeveloperGuide. 
  11. ↑ Sharwood, Simon (23 January 2017). "Stallman's Free Software Foundation says we need a free phone OS". https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/01/23/free_software_foundation_high_priority_projects_list_2017/. 
  12. ↑ "NLnet; Graphics acceleration on Replicant". https://nlnet.nl/project/Replicant-graphics/. 
  13. ↑ "NLnet; Finish porting Replicant to a newer Android version". https://nlnet.nl/project/ReplicantUpdate/. 
  14. ↑ "Replicant: distribution Android 100% libre". LinuxFr.org. September 20, 2010. http://linuxfr.org/news/replicant%C2%A0-distribution%C2%A0android-100%C2%A0libre. 
  15. ↑ Byfield, Bruce. "Replicant: The Struggle for Free Mobile » Linux Magazine" (in en-US). http://www.linux-magazine.com/Online/Features/Replicant-The-Struggle-for-Free-Mobile. 
  16. ↑ "Musings on Software Freedom for Mobile Devices - Bradley M. Kuhn ( Brad ) ( bkuhn )". http://ebb.org/bkuhn/blog/2010/03/04/mobile.html. 
  17. ↑ "FSF launches fundraising program for Replicant, the fully free Android-based mobile OS" (in en-US). 2013-07-25. https://sdtimes.com/android/fsf-launches-fundraising-program-for-replicant-the-fully-free-android-based-mobile-os/. 
  18. ↑ Puttergill, Rowan (3 October 2011). "Replicant: Making Android truly free". Memeburn. Burn Media. http://memeburn.com/2011/10/replicant-making-android-truly-free/. 
  19. ↑ Currie, Andrew (24 August 2011). "F-Droid, the Android app store for freedom beards.". http://openattitude.com/2011/08/24/f-droid-the-android-app-store-for-freedom-beards/. 
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Par aKa (10 October 2011). "Le projet Replicant ou Android totalement libre présenté par PaulK". Framablog. http://www.framablog.org/index.php/post/2011/10/10/replicant-android-google. 
  21. ↑ GNUtoo (June 3, 2022). "New Replicant 6.0 0004 release and Replicant 11 status. | Replicant" (in en-US). https://blog.replicant.us/2022/06/new-replicant-6-0-0004-release-and-replicant-11-status/. 
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Constantin, Lucian (2014-03-13). "Flaw gives backdoor access to some Samsung Galaxy devices" (in en). https://www.computerworld.com/article/2488608/flaw-gives-backdoor-access-to-some-samsung-galaxy-devices.html. 
  23. ↑ Manuel Jose (July 2013). "A Fully Free Android based Mobile OS? FSF is Aiming for the Skies with Replicant Project". techdrivein.com. http://www.techdrivein.com/2013/07/replicant-fully-free-android-mobile-os-fsf.html. 
  24. ↑ Rohan Pearce (March 10, 2012). "Replicant developer interview - Building a truly free Android". techworld.com. http://features.techworld.com/operating-systems/3343370/replicant-developer-interview--building-a-truly-free-android/. 
  25. ↑ Daniel Fuller (August 10, 2016). "Replicant FOSS Android Project Hits Marshmallow". androidheadlines.com. https://www.androidheadlines.com/2016/08/replicant-foss-android-project-hits-marshmallow.html. 
  26. ↑ "Replicant 6.0 development updates". February 2017. http://blog.replicant.us/2017/02/replicant-6-0-development-updates/. 
  27. ↑ "Replicant developer interview - Building a truly free Android - Interview - Techworld.com". Features.techworld.com. http://features.techworld.com/operating-systems/3343370/replicant-developer-interview-building-truly-free-android/. 
  28. ↑ Klint Finley (October 30, 2013). "The Quest to Build a Truly Free Version of Android". wired.com. https://www.wired.com/2013/10/replicant/. 
  29. ↑ Ron Amadeo (July 29, 2014). "The great Ars experiment—free and open source software on a smartphone?!". arstechnica.com. https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/07/exploring-the-world-of-foss-android-can-a-smartphone-be-open-source/. 
  30. ↑ Klint Finley (December 9, 2015). "Mozilla Is Giving Up on Its OS for Smartphones". wired.com. https://www.wired.com/2015/12/mozilla-pivot/. 
  31. ↑ Kocialkowski, Paul (July 1, 2015). "Replicant source code hosting and RMLL 2015". Replicant. http://blog.replicant.us/2015/07/replicant-source-code-hosting-and-rmll-2015/. 
  32. ↑ John Gold (January 17, 2017). "Free Software Foundation shakes up its list of priority projects". networkworld.com. https://www.networkworld.com/article/3158685/open-source-tools/free-software-foundation-shakes-up-its-list-of-priority-projects.html. 
  33. ↑ "Replicant 2.2 SDK Available". April 26, 2011. https://blog.replicant.us/2011/04/replicant-2-2-sdk-available. 
  34. ↑ Kocialkowski, Paul (November 16, 2012). "Replicant 4.0 0001 images release". https://blog.replicant.us/2012/11/replicant-4-0-0001-images-release. 
  35. ↑ Kocialkowski, Paul (October 1, 2013). "Replicant 4.0 0005 images release". https://blog.replicant.us/2013/10/replicant-4-0-0005-images-release. 
  36. ↑ Kocialkowski, Paul (January 22, 2014). "Replicant 4.2 kicks out!". https://blog.replicant.us/2014/01/replicant-4-2-kicks-out. 
  37. ↑ Kocialkowski, Paul (September 2, 2015). "Replicant 4.2 0004 images release". https://blog.replicant.us/2015/09/replicant-4-2-0004-images-release. 
  38. ↑ Wiedmeyer, Wolfgang (May 13, 2017). "Replicant 6.0 released". https://blog.replicant.us/2017/05/replicant-6-0-released. 
  39. ↑ "RE: Question about replicant 9". June 25, 2020. https://redmine.replicant.us/boards/21/topics/15609. 
  40. ↑ 40.0 40.1 Kocialkowski, Paul (12 March 2014). "Replicant developers find and close Samsung Galaxy backdoor". Free Software Foundation. https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/replicant-developers-find-and-close-samsung-galaxy-backdoor. 
  41. ↑ Paul Kocialkowski. "Samsung Galaxy Back-door". Replicant Wiki. http://redmine.replicant.us/projects/replicant/wiki/SamsungGalaxyBackdoor. 
  42. ↑ "Replicant Developers Find Backdoor In Android Samsung Galaxy Devices - Phoronix". https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTYyODE. 
  43. ↑ "Technoethical S3 phone with Replicant - Technoethical". https://tehnoetic.com/tehnoetic-s3-phone-replicant. 
  44. ↑ Goodin, Dan (14 March 2016). ""Virtually no evidence" for claim of remote backdoor in Samsung phones". Condé Nast. https://arstechnica.com/security/2014/03/virtually-no-evidence-for-claim-of-remote-backdoor-in-samsung-galaxy-phones/. 
  45. ↑ Jack Crosbie (March 23, 2017). "Wikileaks: The CIA Has Been Spying on Apple Users for Years". inverse.com. https://www.inverse.com/article/29430-wikileaks-vault-7-cia-dark-matter-apple-iphone-mac-hacking-program. 
  46. ↑ Lucian Constantin (March 18, 2014). "Proprietary firmware poses a security threat, Ubuntu founder says". pcworld.com. https://www.pcworld.com/article/2109267/proprietary-firmware-poses-a-security-threat-ubuntu-founder-says.html. 
  47. ↑ "Replicant 4.0 SDK release | Replicant project". Replicant.us. January 3, 2013. http://replicant.us/2013/01/replicant-4-0-sdk-release. 
  48. ↑ "What's up with the Android SDK? - Paul Kocialkowski's coding blog". Code.paulk.fr. January 5, 2013. http://code.paulk.fr/article0008/what-s-up-with-the-android-sdk. 
  49. ↑ "There won't be a Replicant 6.0 SDK because there is already something better". Replicant.us. April 28, 2017. http://blog.replicant.us/2017/04/there-wont-be-a-replicant-6-0-sdk-because-there-is-already-something-better/. 
  50. ↑ "New Replicant 6.0 Update Doubles the Number of Supported Devices" (in en-US). 2017-09-18. https://www.xda-developers.com/replicant-6-0-update-doubles-devices/. 
  51. ↑ "Nexus S (I902x)". http://redmine.replicant.us/projects/replicant/wiki/NexusSI902x. "free userspace, proprietary loaded firmware" 
  52. ↑ "TargetsEvaluation - Replicant". https://redmine.replicant.us/projects/replicant/wiki/TargetsEvaluation. 

External links



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