Google has reportedly replaced automatic Pixel kernel-source downloads with a manual request system, creating weeks-long delays for open-source developers building custom ROMs and security updates.
Google has reportedly made Pixel kernel source less accessible to open-source developers by replacing automatic public downloads with a manual Google Forms request process. Developers now reportedly have to wait for Google to provide the requested source through Google Drive, with GrapheneOS saying that what previously took hours can now take weeks.
The change affects the Linux kernel source required by custom ROMs to build, test, debug, and maintain alternative operating systems. GrapheneOS also says Google is providing the source as a single file without an accessible step-by-step update history, making it harder for developers to trace changes and bug fixes.
The delays can hold up independent Android ports, kernel testing, and security patches. GrapheneOS could be particularly affected, as its releases for Pixel devices depend on receiving and testing the relevant kernel source before updates can be completed.
Google previously went beyond GPLv2 requirements by publishing Pixel kernel source with its full commit history, along with device trees and driver binaries. That openness has narrowed since Android 16, when Google moved AOSP’s reference target from Pixel to the Cuttlefish virtual device and stopped supplying Pixel device trees and driver binaries.
The change also follows Google’s move towards twice-yearly AOSP source releases. GrapheneOS says its upcoming Motorola phones will avoid the issue by working directly with Motorola and hosting their own code.
Google has not yet explained the reason for the manual process or whether it plans to reduce developer wait times.
