As a manufacturer of Android handsets, Samsung has agreed to release the source code for all devices powered by Google’s popular mobile OS. The latest handset exposed to the world is the recently released Epic 4G. The source code let loose by Samsung has the underlying Android OS for Sprint’s latest and greatest smarthphone, minus all the proprietary content which includes, among other things, Samsung’s TouchWiz UI.
To the average consumer, this underlying codebase is a bunch of un-intelligible files that have little to no value. In the hands of a seasoned developer, though, the source code may form the basis for custom ROMs and other content designed specifically for Sprint’s second WiMAX handset.
To get knee-deep in the Epic 4G code, you will need to point your browser to Samsung’s Open Source Release Center. Click on mobile in the navigation bar and download the source code files which are available in zip format. The Epic 4G is also known as the SPH-D700 and a quick in-browser search should help you find the correct entry.
While you wait for those custom ROMs to arrive, check out our hands-on review (with video) of this high-end WiMAX smartphone.
[Via Android Central]