Devices running were likely flagship or high-mid-range devices released between 2018 and 2020. This includes high-profile hardware such as the Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL , the Pixel 3a series, and various Samsung Galaxy models. For these devices, 4.14.116 was not just a random number; it was the engineering baseline that allowed them to support features like the Pixel Visual Core and advanced power management.
Even as Android 16 moves toward Linux kernel version 6.12 , 4.14.116 remains relevant in the legacy and mid-range device sectors. It represents a period where the community learned the limitations of monolithic kernel builds, leading to the modular, GKI-driven future seen in modern Pixel devices. For developers, compiling this kernel often involves specialized toolchains like aarch64-linux-android-4.9 and Clang-based builds, preserving a unique era of Android’s technical heritage.
Vulnerabilities that have been patched in later 4.14 subversions (like .300 or .320 ) are completely exposed on .116 . This includes:
Why is this specific version so often cited in Android documentation and custom ROM development? The answer lies in Google’s "Android Common Kernel" (ACK) initiative. android kernel version 4.14.116
Specifically, this kernel version included patches for variants of Spectre (including Spectre V4, Speculative Store Bypass) and Meltdown. It also included fixes for "Stack Clash," a vulnerability that allowed attackers to execute arbitrary code by jumping the stack memory.
, therefore, points to a specific snapshot in time: the 4.14 kernel with 116 rounds of cumulative fixes applied after its initial release.
Android's kernel is based on the mainline Linux kernel , with Google adding specific patches to handle mobile-centric needs like power management and hardware abstraction. Version 4.14 was a primary LTS version for years, and the .116 update brought thousands of changes accumulated over nearly eight months of development. Even as Android 16 moves toward Linux kernel version 6
Typical devices that shipped with or were updated to kernel 4.14.116 include:
Android 4.14.116 is not just a standard Linux kernel; it is an Android Common Kernel (ACK) that incorporates thousands of patches specific to the mobile environment. These additions focus on energy-aware scheduling (EAS), low-memory killing (LMK), and wake locks—features essential for smartphone battery life and performance. For instance, developers working with Huawei's HarmonyOS 2.0.0 or Qualcomm-based devices utilized the 4.14.116 base to ensure compatibility with their proprietary silicon while maintaining the stability of a mature LTS branch. The Bridge to Modern Architecture
The format x.y.z follows standard Linux kernel naming conventions: Vulnerabilities that have been patched in later 4
Android 8.0 introduced Project Treble, which modularized the OS. But it was Android 9 and 10—running kernel 4.14 by default—where Treble matured. Kernel 4.14 was the first version where Google mandated that vendor implementations (proprietary hardware drivers) be separated from the main kernel image (via the "vendor partition"). This forced OEMs to stop heavily forking the kernel, making updates theoretically easier.
In Android kernel source trees (especially from CAF, AOSP, or OEMs like Qualcomm), a tag such as 4.14.116 may be accompanied by a local version string (e.g., -solid or -solid-text ) to indicate a specific branch, build, or vendor modification. "Solid" could be an internal project name or a custom string inserted via CONFIG_LOCALVERSION .
The Android kernel is based on an upstream Linux Long Term Supported (LTS) kernel.
This version sits at a historical turning point. Prior to 2019, Google typically branched its Android common kernels by cloning the latest LTS kernel and adding massive "Android-specific" patch sets. Version 4.14 was one of the last major iterations before the introduction of the Generic Kernel Image (GKI), which began to take hold with version 5.4. Consequently, version 4.14.116 is characterized by:
