Following the release of Android 16, Google did not provide the Pixel hardware repositories and device trees typically essential for custom ROM developers. This omission sparked speculation that the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) might be discontinued. Google has denied these claims, confirming that AOSP remains active.
On Tuesday, Google published the Android 16 source code to AOSP but excluded the Pixel device trees and related code used to adapt Android to Google’s hardware. This marks a departure from previous releases.
The absence of Pixel hardware repositories, which include device trees and driver binaries, complicates custom ROM development and may affect security researchers working on vulnerabilities.
Android VP and GM Seang Chau clarified on Wednesday that AOSP is not ending. Google reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining AOSP updates going forward.
The Android team suggested this change signals a shift away from providing Pixel-specific device trees. Instead, AOSP aims to deliver a “reference target” that is hardware-independent, including from Google devices.
Developers have relied on projects like Cuttlefish—a virtual device available on GitHub—and Generic System Images (GSI) built from source for development and testing. Google plans to continue supporting these flexible, affordable reference targets.
While Google remains dedicated to AOSP, custom ROM developers may face increased challenges due to these hardware repo changes.