Last week, Google officially rolled out the new Android 7.0 Nougat to Nexus 6, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus 9, Nexus Player, Pixel C (laptop).
However, former flagship phone Nexus 4 is no longer eligible to receive firmware update, as the Google phone's software support warranty has expired. Users, who are still hanging to the 2012 device, you are in luck. XDA Developer Forum's recognised programmer, who goes by the moniker, Zaclimon, has come up with the Nougat-based AOSP (Android Open Source Project) ROM compatible with the Nexus 4.
It is 234MB in size and has no hint of bloat-wares. ASOP ROM brings all the goodies of Nougat including night mode, bundled notification, improved battery optimisation, multi-window options and numerous other value-added features to enhance users' experience.
Also read: Android 7.0 Nougat released: 16 key upgrades of Google's new mobile OS update over Marshmallow
That being said, this AOSP ROM is an experimental version and has some bugs in it. Users are advised to read all the instructions provided below, before going ahead with the installation.
Working:
- Audio
- Wi-Fi
- Bluetooth
- RIL
- H/W Acceleration
- USB
- GPS
- NFC
- I haven't checked everything...
Semi-Working:
- Brightness slider (Disable adaptative brightness in order to use it)
Not Working:
- Camera
- Sensors (Accelerometer, proximity sensor, etc)
Prerequisites (things to remember before installing Custom ROM):
- This new Android Nougat AOSP ROM has to be installed on the LG-Google Nexus 4 (aka Mako) only; if tried on other devices, it might get bricked [To check your device model: Go to Settings >> About phone >> model number]
- Make sure the device is rooted before going ahead with custom ROM installation
- Installation of custom ROM requires clearing of memory in the smartphone, so make sure to back all the data by installing Clockwork Mod (CWM) Recovery/ TWRP in the smartphone.
- Make sure you have installed USB drivers in the PC, or else your phone (Google Nexus 4) will not be recognised by the computer.
- Make sure your device has more than 80 percent battery, or else there is chance of smartphone getting temporarily bricked if the installation process is interrupted mid-way.
- Though installing custom ROM improve the device's performance and UI experiences, it makes the company warranty void and they will no longer be liable to provide updates in future [users can restore warranty by flashing the device with stock-ROM].
[Disclaimer: This procedure is very technical and should be performed by a person with sound knowledge of rooting (or manual software installation) Android devices. If the step-by-step installation process is not followed properly, there are chances of the smartphone getting bricked or being permanently irreparable. IBTimes India cannot be held responsible for any damage or claims from readers if the procedure does not yield the required results or if the smartphone is bricked. Hence, users are advised to proceed with caution.]
Tutorial: Step-by-step installation procedure of AOSP Android Nougat ROM on Google Nexus 4 via TWRP (Team Win Recovery Project)-
Step 1: Download Android Nougat AOSP ROM in to your PC.
[Scroll to find the downloadable files]
Step 2: Connect Google Nexus 4 to the computer
Step 3: Place the Android Nougat AOSP ROM into the phone's storage memory.
[Note: Users are advised to paste the .zip file in the storage root folder, not in any other folder.]
Step 4: Turn off device and disconnect it from PC
Step 5: Perform Recovery mode sorties by long pressing Volume (Down) + Power buttons
Step 6: Once entering the TWRP settings menu, clear phone's memory (full) by selecting 'Wipe' option. Once done, select – 'Swipe to Factory Reset' perform factory reset
Step 7: Return to TWRP settings and tap 'Install' by the selecting .Zip file in the phone's memory downloaded from PC
Step 8: Come back to TWRP menu setting to approve the installation by tapping 'Swipe to Confirm Flash'
Step 9: Flashing of the custom ROM begins and after few minutes, a message 'Successful' appears on the screen, thus completing installation.
Step 10: If faced with boot loop problem, navigate back to TWRP settings, and select 'Wipe cache/dalvik'. This procedure will help resolve any issue with regard to custom ROM installation
Downloadable files:
Google Nexus 4 AOSP ROM: HERE (build date: 28/08/2016)
Google Apps: HERE
USB Driver: HERE
[Credits: XDA Developer Forum and Zaclimon]
