Updated

Updated · Android Authority · Jul 8

LineageOS Launches Browser Flashing Tool, Starts Android 17-Based LineageOS 24 Development

Updated

Updated · Android Authority · Jul 8

LineageOS Launches Browser Flashing Tool, Starts Android 17-Based LineageOS 24 Development

Q: As 3G networks disappear, are new LineageOS-supported Samsung phones becoming unusable for making actual phone calls?

Yes—on many Samsung models, LineageOS can now be a poor choice for actual voice calling in places where 3G has been shut down. The core issue is not LineageOS’s new summer update itself, but Samsung’s closed, proprietary VoLTE/IMS stack. LineageOS can support these phones for installation, updates and general Android use, but it often cannot provide working VoLTE on Samsung hardware. Without VoLTE, a phone must fall back to older networks for calls. That fallback is disappearing. As 3G networks are being retired, and 2G is either weak, limited or also being phased out, Samsung phones running LineageOS may struggle to place or receive calls reliably. Reported symptoms include the device dropping from 4G to 3G or 2G during a call attempt, failed call setup, poor audio and loss of service. In some regions, that can make the phone effectively unusable as a phone, even if data and other features still work. This problem is especially serious for users in countries that have already shut down 3G or are close to doing so. It is also more acute on Samsung than on some other brands because Samsung’s telephony implementation is harder for custom ROM developers to support. So the practical answer is yes: new Samsung devices added to LineageOS support may still be unsuitable for users who need dependable calling, unless that specific model has confirmed working VoLTE under LineageOS. Buyers should verify per-device VoLTE support before switching.

3 articles · Updated · Android Authority · Jul 8

LineageOS rolled out a browser-based flashing tool through its download portal, letting users install the ROM via Fastboot, ADB and Samsung’s Odin protocol.
The project said the tool is meant to simplify setup rather than replace manual steps, with device-specific instructions in the LineageOS wiki still required.
Its redesigned Updater app now uses Material 3 Expressive, shows each build’s Android Security Bulletin level before installation, and streams A/B OTA packages by default to cut storage use and speed installs.
On the platform side, LineageOS said it has adapted to Android 16’s quarterly security patching model while continuing monthly patch testing for current releases and backporting fixes to older branches.
Looking ahead, development of LineageOS 24 based on Android 17 is underway, alongside newly added support for more devices across Samsung, Motorola, Sony and Xiaomi.