Huawei P8 Lite (huawei-alice)

Features
Flashing It is possible to flash the device with pmbootstrap flasher.	Partial
USB Networking After connecting the device with USB to your PC, you can connect to it via telnet (initramfs) or SSH (booted system).	Works
Battery Charging and battery level reporting works	Untested
Screen Display works. Ideally with sleep mode and brightness control.	Works
Touchscreen	Works
Multimedia
3D Acceleration	Untested
Audio Audio playback, microphone, headset and buttons.	Untested
Camera	Untested
Connectivity
WiFi	Works
Bluetooth	Untested
GPS	Untested
Modem
Calls	Untested
SMS	Untested
Mobile data	Untested
Miscellaneous
FDE Full disk encryption and unlocking with unl0kr.	Untested
Sensors
Accelerometer Auto screen rotation works in desktops e.g. Phosh or Plasma Mobile	Untested

Huawei P8 Lite
	; P8 Lite with XFCE4
Manufacturer	Huawei
Name	P8 Lite
Codename	huawei-alice
Released	2015
Type	handset
Hardware
Chipset	HiSilicon Kirin 620 (Hi6220)
CPU	4x 1.2GHz Cortex-A53
GPU	Mali-450 MP4
Display	720x1280 IPS LCD
Storage	16 GB
Memory	2 GB
Architecture	aarch64
Software
Original software The software and version the device was shipped with.	Android 5.0.2
Extended version The most recent supported version from the manufacturer.	Android 6.0
postmarketOS
Category	downstream
Mainline Instead of a Linux kernel fork, it is possible to run (Close to) Mainline.	no
pmOS kernel The kernel version that runs on the device's port.	3.10.108
Unixbench score Unixbench Whetstone/Dhrystone score. See Unixbench.	2193.0
Device package	device-huawei-alice
Kernel package	linux-huawei-alice

Users owning this device

Bastindo (Notes: cracked screen, bootloader unlocked with PotatoNV)
Blender Addict
Hacker420 (Notes: Dying battery and dead WiFi/BT.)
Hazel609
Jojo autoboy (Notes: Technically a Huawei Y6II (CAM_L21))
Kaloyan Donev (Notes: Fried WiFI/Bluetooth, broken trances for power on button)
Knuxify (Notes: unlocked with PotatoNV, dead wifi/bluetooth)
Notnoelchannel
Unx (Notes: Ported)
Werti (Notes: PMOS installed, but freezes after splashscreen)

How to enter flash mode

Fastboot - hold Power + Volume Down

Recovery - hold Power + Volume Up

Bootloader

The bootloader can be unlocked using PotatoNV. To unlock the bootloader, you will need to disassemble the device.

The back cover is attached with clips, and can be taken off with some fiddling. There's a bit of glue around the battery, but you can remove it by wedging in a plastic card. See the iFixit teardown guide for this device for more detailed instructions.

The test point for the device is located under the bottom metal shield and speaker. You will need to remove them to get to it - the shield (and the top speaker screws) are standard Philips-heads, the bottom ones are torx. See the photo at the bottom of the page. Short down the two points marked in red with a pair of tweezers to activate it.

Follow the guide in the PotatoNV README to unlock the bootloader. Select the Kirin 620 bootloader. Note that you need a Windows PC to run the PotatoNV software. Make sure you install the testpoint drivers.

It's also possible to unlock the bootloader without opening the device by following this bootloader unlock guide on XDA developers. Effectively, the process is just downgrading to Android 5 then rooting the device then getting the OEM unlock key that way. PotatoNV should work better, though.

Installation

Init the device trough pmbootstrap (Manifacturer: Huawei, Device: alice)

Insert your SD Card into your computer

Execute lsblk to find your SD Card's device name (usually mmcblkX)

Execute pmbootstrap install --sdcard="/dev/mmcblkX" Select the device and not a partiton. This will delete all the data on the device you have selected, repartiton it and install the system to it.

Plug the SD Card into the device.

Boot the device into Fastboot mode by pressing Power+Volume Down

Execute pmbootstrap export and navigate to /tmp/postmarketOS-export

Execute fastboot flash boot boot.img

Execute fastboot reboot or hold down Power to exit Fastboot mode.

Known Issues

Kernel is ancient. Kernel reports can_graphical=false. Only lightdm works because of this, with a workaround that can be found here.

Serial console

According to schematics, UART should be available on the test points:

The schematics also mention some JTAG pins, however they appear to be hidden behind the shielding, and are on the other side of the motherboard (not the one that's immediately accessible after taking off the back cover). TODO.

Mainline status and components

It may be possible to mainline this device, as its SoC is supported in the mainline kernel.

Element type	Element	Notes
Chipset	HiSilicon Kirin 620 (Hi6220)	DTS in mainline
Graphics	Mali-450MP4	Seems to have a node in the DTS?
Charger	HI6521/BQ2419X	BQ24190 is supported in mainline
PMIC	HI6552	Appears to be supported in mainline
Touchscreen	CYTTSP5	Supported in mainline.
USB switch	FSA9685	Not supported in mainline
NFC	NXP PN547	Supported in mainline
Audio codec	MAX98925, TFA9895	Supported in mainline
WiFi, Bluetooth	BCM4343/HI1101
Accelerometer	ST_LIS3XH/ROHM_KX023	Both supported in mainline (first one not exactly, but should be the same as other ST accelerometers in mainline). Second one is confirmed to be used.
Proximity/light sensor	TAOS_TMD27723	Variant of the TMD2772 which is supported in mainline
Compass/magnetic	AKM09911	Not supported in mainline
Hall effect sensor	AK8789	Not supported in mainline
Primary camera	OV13850	Mainline has support for an OV13858
Secondary camera	OV5648 (foxconn)	Supported in mainline
Display	BOE NT35521	Mainline has a driver for a similar panel in a Sony device

There are many cameras (OV5648, IMX134, S5K4E1GA, OV13850, IMX328, OV8856, IMX219, HI843S) and displays (OTM1902B, OTM1282B, NT35521, LPM070W425C) listed in the defconfig; these were present on my device.

Getting the camera/display used on your device

$ cat /sys/k3_camera/pri_sensor && echo ""
$ cat /sys/k3_camera/sec_sensor && echo ""
$ cat /sys/class/graphics/fb0/lcd_model

Gallery

Test point location