Google Tightens Grip on Pixel Source Code, Slowing Custom ROM Development

Google has quietly changed how it handles source code for Pixel phones, making it harder for developers to build custom ROMs. The company now requires a manual request through Google Forms and waits weeks for a response before sending a Google Drive link with the necessary code.

This change affects kernel developers who lose visibility without step-by-step update history to trace bug fixes. Custom ROM projects, such as GrapheneOS, face multi-week delays waiting for kernel files, grinding their security patches and new Android ports to a halt.

The shift in policy may have significant consequences for Pixel owners who rely on custom software for its privacy-centric features. Alternative operating systems like GrapheneOS rely on early code drops to test and port new Android updates ahead of time, but multi-week delays mean these custom ROMs could lag far behind standard Pixel updates.