Android has an active community of developers and enthusiasts who use the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) source code to develop and distribute their own modified versions of the operating system.[142]
These community-developed releases often bring new features and updates
to devices faster than through the official manufacturer/carrier
channels, with a comparable level of quality;[19]
provide continued support for older devices that no longer receive
official updates; or bring Android to devices that were officially
released running other operating systems, such as the HP TouchPad. Community releases often come pre-rooted and contain modifications not provided by the original vendor, such as the ability to overclock or over/undervolt the device's processor.[143] CyanogenMod is the most widely used community firmware,[144]
and acts as a foundation for numerous others. There have also been
attempts with varying degrees of success to port Android to iPhones,
notably the iDroid Project.[145]
Historically, device manufacturers and mobile carriers have typically been unsupportive of third-party firmware
development. Manufacturers express concern about improper functioning
of devices running unofficial software and the support costs resulting
from this.[146] Moreover, modified firmwares such as CyanogenMod sometimes offer features, such as tethering, for which carriers would otherwise charge a premium. As a result, technical obstacles including locked bootloaders
and restricted access to root permissions are common in many devices.
However, as community-developed software has grown more popular, and
following a statement by the Librarian of Congress in the United States
that permits the "jailbreaking" of mobile devices,[147] manufacturers and carriers have softened their position regarding third party development, with some, including HTC,[146] Motorola,[148] Samsung[149][150] and Sony,[151] providing support and encouraging development. As a result of this, over time the need to circumvent hardware restrictions to install unofficial firmware has lessened as an increasing number of devices are shipped with unlocked or unlockable bootloaders, similar to Nexus series of phones, although usually requiring that users waive their devices' warranties to do so.[146]
However, despite manufacturer acceptance, some carriers in the US still
require that phones are locked down, frustrating developers and
customers.[152]
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