Google Accused of Gatekeeping Security Patches for Non-Pixel Devices
Google's handling of security patches for Android devices has raised concerns among developers and users. GrapheneOS, an organization that creates custom firmware for Android devices, has accused Google of 'gatekeeping' security patches to the standard Android platform code from other manufacturers. According to GrapheneOS, some of these extra patches touch standard Android platform code that runs on non-Pixel devices.
The issue is not just limited to security patches. GrapheneOS also claims that Google has withheld new developer APIs from AOSP (Android Open Source Project) for the first time in over a decade. This means that developers who want to use these APIs on their devices are unable to do so until they receive permission from Google.
In addition, GrapheneOS has encountered compliance issues with GPL source requests. They requested sources for a build (CD1A.260905.001.A1) on September 1, but access only came through more than two weeks later. This is not an isolated incident and raises concerns about Google's commitment to open-source principles.