Yotaphone 2 Usage, Tips & Hints

[kacir]

Originally Posted by tracey1

However, I noticed, you mentioned a 'complete firmware installer' in a previous post you just had to copy to the phone, is that correct ?

My phone came from China with 4.something version of Android.
I have updated to 5.0 using Windows 7 computer and an official installer from manufacturer.
You download some big files to your Windows PC, connect the phone using USB cable and run the installer. It will take a *long* time to flash the phone. I was scared I bricked it because it looked like nothing is happening, but I left it connected and the firmware update finished somehow.

Updating to 6.0 is a little bit more involved, because the firmware is only officially available for Russian version of phone, not the Chinese ones that were sold from China for fire-sale prices. I have no desire to update to 6.0.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by tracey1

I'm hesitant to risk bricking the phone since it's still very new. Flashing also sounds like a lot of work with no garantuee of success

However, I noticed, you mentioned a 'complete firmware installer' in a previous post you just had to copy to the phone, is that correct ? That sounds a lot less complicated than the lenghty guide from xda that I posted.

See this post at xda developers.

Use the yotaphone2-user-full-RU1.1.47.zip.torrent file to download the full update using a bittorrent client.

Then install ADB and use adb sideload to install the full update.


(I managed to destroy the electronics of my yotaphone by dropping it into water. So I had to disassemble it and move the innards from a yotaphone 2 with a destroyed screen to it. That yotaphone was still on Android 4.4.3. I'm now waiting for my phone to reboot - "Android is upgrading...")

[tracey1]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

See this post at xda developers.

Use the yotaphone2-user-full-RU1.1.47.zip.torrent file to download the full update using a bittorrent client.

Then install ADB and use adb sideload to install the full update.


(I managed to destroy the electronics of my yotaphone by dropping it into water. So I had to disassemble it and move the innards from a yotaphone 2 with a destroyed screen to it. That yotaphone was still on Android 4.4.3. I'm now waiting for my phone to reboot - "Android is upgrading...")

This is great news. I mean the link, not the fate of your YP obviously.

From what I just read, this is an official flash update provided by the people of Yotaphone ? Because otherwise I was thinking about directly contacting the people at Yotaphone for an official Firmware installer as kacir suggested in a previous post

some questions though : is it safe to directly update from Android 4.3 vor 4.4 to Marshmallow and skipping lollipop altogether ?

And what was ADB again ?

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by tracey1

This is great news. I mean the link, not the fate of your YP obviously.

From what I just read, this is an official flash update provided by the people of Yotaphone ? Because otherwise I was thinking about directly contacting the people at Yotaphone for an official Firmware installer as kacir suggested in a previous post

some questions though : is it safe to directly update from Android 4.3 vor 4.4 to Marshmallow and skipping lollipop altogether ?

And what was ADB again ?

As far as I can tell, it's an official release from the manufacturer. ADB is "Android DeBugger", I think. It's a command-line program run on a computer connected to an android phone.

As far as I know, it's perfectly fine to update directly to the latest firmware.

[tracey1]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

As far as I can tell, it's an official release from the manufacturer. ADB is "Android DeBugger", I think. It's a command-line program run on a computer connected to an android phone.

As far as I know, it's perfectly fine to update directly to the latest firmware.

I went through the first page of the thread and apparently it's only aimed at the Yotaphone 201, the international version and not 206 which is my version. I guess I will have to contact Yotaphone one way or another.

[tracey1]

Well, looks like there is a problem now. I was not able to install apps from differrent sources anymore despite allowing it in the settings so I decided to do a factory reset. Now everytime I turn on the phone, Yotahub appears, I have to click on something written in chinese, then I dont know what the hell it is that's happening because everything is in chinese.

[pdurrant]

Was this after doing a firmware upgrade?

(Not that I have any suggestions, I'm just curious.)

[tracey1]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Was this after doing a firmware upgrade?

(Not that I have any suggestions, I'm just curious.)

It wasn't.

[tracey1]

Update : I used my tech expertise and solved it through shaking the phone or randomly clicking on the screen several times (not sure which of the two did it ). At least now I can install apps from other sources again. You still can't install apps that need Google play services though.

Honestly, at this point I'd be fine without a flash as long as I could Google play services to work which I suppose is not possible

[pdurrant]

My YD201 is at Android version 6.0.1 and has the Google Play Store installed and working.

[tracey1]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

My YD201 is at Android version 6.0.1 and has the Google Play Store installed and working.

Is this the YP you recently took apart that was set at Android 4.3. ? If so, how did you do it, did you follow the guide you posted? Assuming you have the Y206 and flashed it to be 201.

[pdurrant]

It is the one I took apart and reassembled from spare parts. I don't know whether it was a YD206 or a YD201. I bought both back in 2016 when they were going for under £120.

[tracey1]

Anybody know how to activate mirromode in another way than the usual one if latter option isn't working anymore ?

[Schnipps]

I'm thinking of buying a 2nd hand Yota 2, in 2020. I have the device in front of me, but since I don't own it I can't do extensive testing.

All you longtime Yota users - can you clarify if mirror mode totally works on Android 6, or is it "app based" like the Yota 3 has, and doesn't allow mirroring the desktop anymore? What I've read isn't 100% clear on that point.

What's better regarding mirror mode and reading on the back screen (with custom apps like Moon or Librera?) - staying on Lollipop or upgrading to the "latest" Marshmallow?

[kacir]

Originally Posted by Schnipps

All you longtime Yota users - can you clarify if mirror mode totally works on Android 6, or is it "app based" like the Yota 3 has, and doesn't allow mirroring the desktop anymore? What I've read isn't 100% clear on that point.

What's better regarding mirror mode and reading on the back screen (with custom apps like Moon or Librera?) - staying on Lollipop or upgrading to the "latest" Marshmallow?

I have received my Yotaphone 2 during the big sale with 4.XY version of Android. I have updated it with 5.0.
I did not have the courage or a motivation to update it to 6.0. Besides, there was not an official installer for 6.0. Even the update to 5.0 was a highly adrenaline adventure, I thought I have bricked the phone. It took quite a long time for update to install and for phone to work its thing.

The mirror [on Yotaphone 2] works for any app. This is not per-app feature, it is provided by the phone and I think the apps are not even aware they run on a different screen.
I have never had an opportunity to see Yotaphone 3, but from what I have read there is no system-wide mirror mode, it has to be programmed into the app.

I have tried a few of my favourite Android apps for reading [on the back screen] and at the end I have reverted back to the built-in Yotareader. The thing is, I use the phone mainly as a pocketable e-ink reader and I like having a reading app always-on as a default gadget screen on the back screen. Most of the time I use the phone as a reader I use back side, most of the time I use it as an backup GPS or to run some Android stuff, I use the AMOLED screen. For making actual phone calls I use an ancient Nokia.