Motorola has just released the kernel source code for one of its newer smartphones, the Moto G5S Plus. The kernel source code is now available on Github for developers to download and play around with, and even use to build custom kernels and custom ROMs for the mid-range smartphone from Motorola. This comes just after Motorola released the kernel source code for the Moto Z2 Play, yesterday.
Motorola is typically pretty good at releasing kernel source code for its smartphones. Now the source code may not get released instantly after a launch or announcement from the company, as is the case here with the Moto G5S Plus, but it does happen eventually. Now this isn’t something that Motorola has to do, but it is nice for it to be done. Even though Android is open sourced, and Google does make the code for the operating system public, partners like Motorola, don’t actually have to make its own work open source. Motorola is one of the few manufacturers that does this, and custom ROM and kernel developers definitely like the fact that Motorola does open source its code. The Moto G5S Plus was announced last month, but it still is not available – and perhaps won’t ever be available – in the US.
Releasing the kernel source code means that developers cooking up custom ROMs and even custom kernels will be able to make some better custom ROMs than before. Seeing as they won’t be flying blind, basically, when it comes to the kernel. This is important because there is some code in the kernel that helps the Moto G5S Plus work better with its own hardware, so having it available is great for developers. Now for most Moto G5S Plus users, this isn’t going to change much of anything. Unless you are one that wants to flash a custom ROM onto your Moto G5S Plus, it actually won’t change a single thing. So most users don’t even need to worry about this. But those that want to check out the source code, can do so at the Github link below.