Google has released the General System Image (GSI) for the second major quarterly update of Android 15 QPR2 Beta 1, which includes the new Terminal app. It can be activated in the device settings. However, it is not working yet, according to Android Authority.
Terminal will download, configure, run, and interact with the Debian instance on the virtual machine.
Here's a first look at Android's upcoming all-in-one Terminal app, which downloads, configures, runs, and interfaces with an instance of Debian running a virtual machine!
Currently, the Debian images are hosted on a Googler's GitHub, but Google plans to host these images… pic.twitter.com/nMVwPRrQO9
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) October 30, 2024
The Terminal app uses the Android Virtualization Framework (AVF), a feature that Google introduced in Android 13. Initially, AVF was only designed to provide security when compiling code. However, in Android 15, Google has significantly improved it, allowing it to run full-fledged graphical operating systems such as Chrome OS.
Unfortunately, Google does not intend to allow Chrome OS to run on Android devices, but it does plan to allow developers to run Linux applications in virtual machines, which is why it created this application. It is not yet known whether other vendors besides Google will release Terminal, but it is worth noting that many Android devices already support AVF, and more will follow in the near future.
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