path: root/android/images/armv8-android-fvp-lsk/HOWTO_releasenotes_armv8-android-fvp-lsk.txt

h2. About the Linaro Android Release for FVP (Multi-arch 64-bit)

The Linaro Android release for FVP is based on a snapshot of the Android AOSP master taken on the 1st June. The build contains multi-arch support allowing full use of the 64-bit ARMv8-A architecture and supports both 64-bit and 32-bit applications. Java-only applications will run as 64-bit in the supplied configuration with no modification. The release uses Linaro Stable Kernel version 3.10 and runs on FVP Base AEMv8 model 0.8 build 5202 and later. The sources are built using Linaro GCC version 4.9.

The ARMv8-A reference software stack combined with the Juno ARM Development Platform (ADP) provides the ARM ecosystem with a foundation to accelerate  Android availability on 64-bit silicon. The availability of this port is the culmination of a broad architecture enablement program carried out by Linaro, ARM and the ARM partnership. ARM partners will now have access to an AOSP file system with support for both 64-bit and 32-bit apps, together with a broad range of supporting material including the ARMv8-A FVP models, open source toolchain from Linaro and supporting documentation.

For those with access to the FVPs, this release can be used to examine the internals of the Android Open Source Project in a running system. Application developers, particularly those working in Java, will also be able to use develop some applications via the recently announced Android 'L' preview SDK. 

It should be noted that this is an early software preview and not all 3rd party applications will run correctly at this time. Performance is limited due to the ART runtime running in interpreted mode, more recent versions of the AOSP tree have now enabled this and future monthly builds will feature much better performance, along with wider compatibility as the baseport and AOSP matures. Next month's build in particular will improve as the ART backend compiler is enabled along with some recent optimizations.

The Android AOSP software provided in this release is functionally tested with CTS version 4.4 and the CTS results are shared with members. The BIONIC component is validated with Android BIONIC tests. Android Monkey tests were run for stress testing. Multi-arch support has been validated using examples provided in Android NDK.  Detailed CTS results are made available to members seperately through the Juice mailing list.

The Linaro Android releases for FVP appear monthly. Sources are also made available so you can build your own images (see the "Building from Source tab":https://releases.linaro.org/14.06/android/images/armv8-android-fvp-lsk/#tabs-2). 

A build for the Juno ARM Development Platform is available "here":http://releases.linaro.org/14.06/android/images/armv8-android-juno-lsk

p. Android AOSP Patches - Summary :

The following list of patches developed by ARM and Linaro engineering teams were applied to Android AOSP dated June 1st 2014 to get Android booting to UI on ARMv8 Fast Models. These patches can be found on Linaro's Android Git repositories. Few of these patches have been submitted to AOSP and being tracked for acceptance.

* "build boot files and generate tarballs":https://android.git.linaro.org/gitweb/platform/build.git/commit/6a33bdf27388be96ed49b7eea4ee3f1ca90700e8
* "set default runtime and zygote property in device config files":https://android.git.linaro.org/gitweb/platform/build.git/commit/2f9ad5ea5eb6ce50d17a600f1df3403bb1e7c60d
* "Increase timeouts":https://android.git.linaro.org/gitweb/platform/frameworks/base.git/commit/4776a5761247eca5750f52757d85bb060570b126
* "Fix resolution issues for Juno.":https://android.git.linaro.org/gitweb/platform/frameworks/native.git/commit/ffa8b0c201615095f6783bc763b0bab9dbea9e33
* "AArch64: force SurfaceFlinger to use last egl config":https://android.git.linaro.org/gitweb/platform/frameworks/native.git/commit/bba5860061cb0119ec8d08da766a3c58b51f9fe4
* "Don't use memset to clear the framebuffer on arm64":https://android.git.linaro.org/gitweb/platform/hardware/libhardware.git/commit/d3080813c4284cd9a700bdc86bf3ee7807b8ceb4
* "Increase timeouts for slow platforms":https://android.git.linaro.org/gitweb/platform/libcore.git/commit/c2ae1bd6b1879071a4ca0f0b3507f695759ebab9
* "Don't write to the tty in init to avoid the cursor":https://android.git.linaro.org/gitweb/platform/system/core.git/commit/3e1977b8f719cc4e652902d7cd2331893d74ac6d
* "Quick and dirty utility to sync the system clock on Juno":https://android.git.linaro.org/gitweb/platform/system/core.git/commit/60d4dfae50a65980b34f28639b468aa8bddea271
* "bionic libc test: make it can be compiled for 64 bit":https://android.git.linaro.org/gitweb/platform/system/extras.git/commit/fcfff0a2c6e95e9e8e0643b4a4e495be60b1189c

h2. Where To Find More Information

More information on Linaro can be found on our "website.":http://www.linaro.org/

h2. Feedback and Support

Subscribe to the important Linaro mailing lists and join our IRC channels to stay on top of Linaro development.

** Linaro Android Development "mailing list":http://lists.linaro.org/mailman/listinfo/linaro-android
** Linaro Android IRC channel on irc.freenode.net at @#linaro-android@

* Bug reports should be filed in Launchpad against the individual packages that are affected. If a suitable package cannot be identified, feel free to assign them to "Linaro Android project":http://bugs.launchpad.net/linaro-android/+filebug.
* Questions? "ask Linaro":http://ask.linaro.org/.
* Interested in commercial support? inquire at "Linaro support":mailto:support@linaro.org

h2. Fixed in this release

* NONE

h2. Known issues

* CTS failures are observed for few packages. Detailed CTS report is available to members for reference.