Google shifting to “upstream first” Linux kernel approach for Android features

Google's Android had been notorious for all of its downstream patches carried by the mobile operating system as well as various vendor/device kernel trees while in recent years more of that code has been upstreamed. Google has also been shifting to the Android Generic Kernel Image as the basis for all their product kernels to further reduce the fragmentation. Looking ahead, Google is now talking of an "Upstream first" approach for pushing new kernel features. Google's Todd Kjos talked today during Linux Plumbers Conference around their Generic Kernel Image initiative. With the Android 12 GKI, most of the vendor/OEM kernel features have now either been upstreamed into the Linux kernel, isolated to vendor modules/hooks, or merged into the Android Common Kernel. They are going to pursue an "Upstream first development model for new features" in making sure new code first lands into the mainline Linux kernel rather than aiming straight for lodging within the Android source tree. Google is also committing to "Work towards upstreaming all out-of-tree patches in Android Common Kernels."