Nexus 7 (2013) factory images and binaries released
Much noise was made about Google delaying the release of factory images for the new Nexus 7. The issue was so big that Android Open Source Project maintainer Jean-Baptiste Queru decided to quit his post as the head of the AOSP team. Qualcomm seems to be the reason for such delays, with the company apparently blocking the release of the factory images due to proprietary binaries of theirs for the Snapdragon chipset sitting inside.
Fortunately, that entire episode was much more short-lived than we imagined it would be. The 2013 Nexus 7’s factory images have finally been posted to the internet, binaries and all. The typical user won’t care or need these, though it’s important news for those who like custom ROMs. This will allow developers to get down and dirty with the device to create the awesome works of art known as CyanogenMod, Paranoid Android and the like.
We’re not sure what this means for JBQ’s initial reaction, but folks should take solace in knowing that the community outcry from the events that transpired likely had something to do with getting the ball rolling on having these drivers and images available. If you’re a developer and need these, grab them now from Google’s developers’ site. If you’re a user, keep your eye on the destination from your favorite ROMs for new goods in the days and weeks to come.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]