Google Axes Live AOSP Commits As Android Development Goes Fully Private

For the last decade and a half, Google has developed most of Android in a way that allowed the public to track new commits in real time. Much of the work was done in public-facing channels. Now, however, the company is moving all development to an internal branch.

AOSP Loses Live Commits as Android Development Goes Fully Private, But It’ll Still Remain Open-Source

Historically, Android has been developed in two main branches for over sixteen years: an internal branch, accessible only to Google and select companies with a Google Mobile Services (GMS) license, and the open, public branch known as AOSP (Android Open Source Project). With this change, AOSP will no longer receive live updates; it will only see commits once the final version is ready.

While this doesn’t affect Android’s open-source status, it does make the development process less transparent. Companies like Samsung and Xiaomi, which have GMS licenses, will still have access to internal branches, but independent developers and the general public will have to wait until the final release to see the changes.

Even with this, there isn’t a lot that is changing. For one, it doesn’t affect the normal user, but even without that, Android had been developing most of the functionality in the internal branch, with some aspects like the kernel or Bluetooth being open to public channels.

According to the company, the reason for this change is to streamline the development cycle and to keep Android’s updates in line with AOSP since it had traditionally lagged behind the internal branch. It will also help the company reduce issues with merging code.

Google says the transition will take effect next week, though an official announcement is still pending.

This is all we know for now, but rest assured that we will keep you updated as new information becomes available.