Here at XDA we rely on device makers abiding by the General Public License v2 (GPLv2), the license which governs the Linux kernel on which the underlying kernel on Android devices is based on. This license entitles the public the right to see any modifications of the source material (in this case, the Linux kernel), and requires Android device makers to publish the kernel source code that matches the binaries of any shipped devices. However, many device makers fail to abide by the GPLv2. A recent example is Xiaomi, which last week finally released kernel sources for the Xiaomi Mi A1, 4 months after the phone’s launch, and only after XDA and other outlets called them out for it.
Now, it appears that another company is running afoul of their obligations to meet the requirements under the GPLv2. HMD Global, the company that licenses out the Nokia branding for its license of smartphones, has yet to either provide any kernel sources for their devices. Furthermore, the company still hasn’t provided a bootloader unlock method for any of its devices even after initially promising they would allow for unlocking devices “one at a time”.
We would unlock one model at the time. What device would you unlock first?
— Mikko Jaakkola (@MikkoLJaakkola) September 29, 2017
This statement was several months ago, and since then, there hasn’t been any official word. At the same time, the company also claimed that they were “respectful” for both the legal and the “moral obligations” of GPL, and that kernel source release was already a “work in progress”.
HMD Global is respectful for both legal and moral obligations of GPL. This work is already in progress and completed very soon.
— Mikko Jaakkola (@MikkoLJaakkola) September 29, 2017
Yet, there is still no sight of kernel sources. HMD Global’s delays are not only a violation of the license agreement (which can be actionable in a court of law), but they work against the interests of the developer community and violate the spirit of open source development. XDA and the broader Android developer community urge HMD Global and Nokia to release the kernel sources for all Nokia devices, as they are obligated to do so.
Via: AndroGuider
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