Motorola using build.prop incorrectly

[Mikel4]

Hi

Hopefully this reaches the right people.

When I use Chromecast, rather than calling my phone a Moto X, it calls it an XT1058.

I believe this is because Motorola uses the "model" field in build.prop to mean the model *number*.

However, according to the developer guide at http://developer.android.com/reference/android/os/Build.html, it should be the user-visible model *name*.

(Compare this against, e.g. the Nexus 5, where the model field says "Nexus 5".  Presumably that's the way Google intended the field to be used.)

Could you please look into this, at least for your future devices?

Thanks

[crystallet]

Just out of curiousity, where would you put the model number?  The phones are not identical across carriers.

[Mikel4]

I'm just guessing, but either nowhere, or in the product field.

There seem to be basically three main labels: board, device, product.

As far as I understand it, you'd use a different board name for each different SoC, or each SoC+radio combination.  In the case of the Moto X, this might be x8, or x8msm8960, or a made-up name, but this one doesn't seem too important.

Then a different device for each group of products with the same name, e.g. ghost.

Then a different product for each variant within that group, e.g. XT1058.

Note that none of the above is intended to be shown to the user.  Presumably if you really need to show the user a different name -- and I'm not sure why you would -- then I'd look into setting model=Moto X (AT&T), etc.

But If I were Motorola, I'd look at what Google did for the Nexus 7 (2013) and the Galaxy Nexus, which have a bunch of different combinations and permutations, and try to do the same.

[crystallet]

May I ask... why is what they're currently doing an issue?

[Apaulct]

I'm curious too, @crystallet, how does this effect the average user?

[obiwan2000]

So far as my limited knowledge extends, the build.prop file is not accessible to non-rooted users. It seems a popular subject for hacks/tweaks etc. which are outside the purview (and TOS) of these forums.

[Mikel4]

When you connect to Chromecast, it shows an identification banner at the top for a few seconds that says "Motorola XT1058 (Mikel)". Changing the model in build.prop from a model number to a model name would result in a better user experience.

[Mikel4]

@obiwan2000, I'm not talking about rooting, I'm asking if Motorola can fix a bug.

[obiwan2000]

Point taken - sorry for the implication -  If your intention is to make a suggestion for an improvement I would suggest taking a look here https://forums.motorola.com/posts/209985238e . This is mostly a peer forum - an idea, even a good one, may not get the attention from a Motorola employee that it deserves.

Good Luck 

Mikel said:

@obiwan2000, I'm not talking about rooting, I'm asking if Motorola can fix a bug.View original

[MattForumsMngr]

I'm sympathetic -- there are too many places where devices show up under non-intuitive names. It's gotten better in some places, like many BT devices, but no better in others.

I can at least ask about this.