The problem with using Android 8 instead of Android 7 is that a large number of the portable Android HD music players currently in use are based on the Samsung Exynos 7872 SoC which only supports Android 7. What essential features did you require from Android 8 that wasn’t available in Android 7? The primary differences between 7 and 8 were performance oriented and these were focused on automating optimizations that could be done manually on 7 such as cache deletion and background execution limits. I’m not sure everyone is going to replace their 2 year old Portable HD players for $500-$1000+ to run Roon Arc. You should try to find a way to support Android 7 if at all possible since I’m sure people with the previous generation devices would rather manage their devices manually than to buy a new device.
We require API Level 28 (Android 9.0) because that’s when they introduced AMediaExtractor_setDataSourceCustom. This is not a requirement that we can avoid, unfortunately.
I think the versioning question is more relevant toward manufacturers of DAP. Many are still pushing out players running OS that are now 7 and 8 years old. Some are even charging utterly ridiculous prices for the pleasure. Consumers have choice, if people have paid stupid money for a shiny DAP running an old OS then I’m not sure what that’s got to do with Roon / Arc developers.
I can understand using lower end SoC for longer battery life but effectively limited the version of Usable Android OS
@brian Thanks, that makes more sense now. The only info I found stated that you required Android 8 which was primarily an optimization of 7. Perhaps someone can update the FAQ to clarify what is required by Roon vs. Roon Arc and why.
Thanks,
D
The DAP manufacturers are limited by the SOCs available from chip makers like Samsung and are almost always driven to lower their prices due to market competition so any charging unnecessarily high prices for any reason are not selling much product. They are using the cheaper SOC’s with older Android OS’s in order to make a profit in a market with low margins.
When looking at the DAP market, some companies still do charge on the high / luxury end for units running legacy OS.
Consumer should assess / accept the risks that this brings at point of purchase.
Is there a valid technical reason that ARC on Android requires Android 9 or later? Many of us have recent devices that still run lower versions, particularly Android 7 and 8. I’m feeling a bit left out here…
Any chance that a lower version could be supported, please?
Android 8 was released in 2017. It’s not surprising that at some point old hardware/software is not supported anymore.
I recently upgraded from an S7 to an S23 for FREE without having to even change plans. Using Android Auto to connect in the car. If you get an option from your mobile service carrier to do this upgrade you might want to, there were no hidden fees or charges.
It’s not that old technology is being replaced in this market. Most portable media players are based on SOC technology which runs older versions of Android is because it’s cheaper and smaller for them to implement. It’s all about profit in the device market since margins are so low.