Through the magic of software engineering, the 11-years old Samsung Galaxy S2 was able to run a modified version of Android 12. This hocus-pocus was performed by the software developer rlNanDO, who ported LineageOS 19.0 to the ancient Samsung flagship.
This OS is based on the open-source version of Android 12, and even though it’s a much lighter version of Google’s popular mobile operating system, it still requires substantial hardware resources. The Samsung Galaxy S2 debuted back in 2011 with a modest dual-core Exynos 4210 processor and 1GB of RAM.
All is not good with the port though - hence the (sort of) part in the title. Here’s the complete list of the current state of the port:
Working: - RIL (Phone/SMS) - Audio - Bluetooth (audio & headset) - Wifi - IMEI - Touchkeys - Hardware encode/decoder - Display - DRM, for e.g. Netflix - Selinux enforced - BitGapps - Magisk v23.0 - FM Radio (using Spirit2)
Working-ish/WIP: - BLN - Camera Pictures, one time only and crashes after second use until reboot. - Sensors, sometimes works
Not working/known issues: - AGPS - Camera Videorecording - PowerHAL - LiveDisplay - MicroG support
Brazilian YouTube channel Technoblog managed to replicate the port
Looking at the list above, it’s still pretty amazing that a device that’s less powerful than a modern smartwatch can run Android 12. Normally, we strongly advise against such operations, and putting a custom ROM on your phone is almost always a bad idea tied to another string of bad ideas (rooting the phone and unlocking the bootloader, albeit not always), but in this case, we’re talking about a phone that’s 11 years old. So, if you want to take a shot, and you have a spare Galaxy S2 lying around, there are instructions on the XDA forum.
Mariyan, a tech enthusiast with a background in Nuclear Physics and Journalism, brings a unique perspective to PhoneArena. His childhood curiosity for gadgets evolved into a professional passion for technology, leading him to the role of Editor-in-Chief at PCWorld Bulgaria before joining PhoneArena. Mariyan's interests range from mainstream Android and iPhone debates to fringe technologies like graphene batteries and nanotechnology. Off-duty, he enjoys playing his electric guitar, practicing Japanese, and revisiting his love for video games and Haruki Murakami's works.
Recommended Stories
Loading Comments...
COMMENT
All comments need to comply with our
Community Guidelines
Phonearena comments rules
A discussion is a place, where people can voice their opinion, no matter if it
is positive, neutral or negative. However, when posting, one must stay true to the topic, and not just share some
random thoughts, which are not directly related to the matter.
Things that are NOT allowed:
Off-topic talk - you must stick to the subject of discussion
Offensive, hate speech - if you want to say something, say it politely
Spam/Advertisements - these posts are deleted
Multiple accounts - one person can have only one account
Impersonations and offensive nicknames - these accounts get banned
Moderation is done by humans. We try to be as objective as possible and moderate with zero bias. If you think a
post should be moderated - please, report it.
Have a question about the rules or why you have been moderated/limited/banned? Please,
contact us.
FCC OKs Cingular\'s purchase of AT&T Wireless
Things that are NOT allowed: