The Samsung Galaxy Tab S11’s productivity features have been enhanced by its support for Google’s Linux Terminal app, allowing it to function as a powerful Linux computer, thanks to its large OLED display and Samsung-exclusive multitasking features.
Google introduced the Linux Terminal app earlier this year, enabling users to run full-featured Linux programs on an Android device by booting a Debian virtual machine (VM), a popular Linux distribution. This allows users to send commands to the VM, accessing a range of power-user and developer tools not natively available on Android, effectively transforming compatible devices into portable Linux PCs.
However, access to the Linux Terminal app is not universal across all Android devices, with two specific requirements for compatibility. The device must run a version of the Android Virtualization Framework (AVF) that includes support for the Terminal app, introduced in the Android 15 QPR2 update released in March. Additionally, the device’s chipset must support the operation of “unprotected” VMs, allowing the host operating system to access the VM’s memory.
This technical requirement is the primary reason for the discrepancy in support among different devices. For example, all Google Tensor-powered Pixel devices and some Exynos-powered Samsung devices support the app. Samsung’s own foldable phones illustrate this chip-level dependency, with the Snapdragon-powered Galaxy Z Fold 7 not supporting the Linux Terminal, while the Exynos-powered Galaxy Z Flip 7 does.
The Galaxy Tab S11 series, powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ chip, raised questions about MediaTek’s chipset compatibility. The tablet runs Samsung’s One UI 8, based on Android 16, satisfying the software version prerequisite. It was confirmed by Reddit user NSuknyarov that the Linux Terminal app functions correctly on the new tablet, answering the question of MediaTek’s compatibility.
Currently, the Terminal app on the Galaxy Tab S11 does not support graphical Linux applications out of the box, but this functionality is expected in a future software update. Users can manually enable graphical app support by following instructions documented by Reddit user LeftAd1220.
The Galaxy Tab S11 is not the first tablet to feature Linux Terminal support; the Google Pixel Tablet was the first. However, the Tab S11 provides a more powerful processor, more memory, and native display output, making it a versatile portable computer when combined with Samsung DeX.
The implications of this development extend beyond the Tab S11, with the new Xiaomi 15T series, also powered by a MediaTek chip, being compatible, pending the Android 16-based HyperOS 3 update. This suggests that the Linux Terminal app will likely function on any Dimensity 9400-powered device running Android 16, unless manufacturers intentionally block it. It remains to be seen if older MediaTek chips will receive support.
Samsung plans to roll out One UI 8 to the Dimensity 9300-powered Tab S10+, which may provide insight into older chipsets’ compatibility. The article concludes that Qualcomm may need to incorporate support for unprotected VMs into its future Snapdragon chips to prevent Snapdragon-powered device users from being excluded from these productivity advancements.
