You can't hide from the pickaxe

    $ git log --oneline -SKEY_INFLATE_SIGNAL_STRENGTH_BOOL | tail

    $ git log --oneline -Sconfig_inflateSignalStrength | tail

    43c14d198479 Add config to artificially inflate number of bars

[1]: https://android.googlesource.com/platform//frameworks/base/+...

The 2017 commit has these code changes:

     private int getNumLevels() {
        if (mConfig.inflateSignalStrengths) {
            return SignalStrength.NUM_SIGNAL_STRENGTH_BINS + 1;
        }
         return SignalStrength.NUM_SIGNAL_STRENGTH_BINS;
     }
  
  ...
  
         } else if (mCurrentState.connected) {
            int level = mCurrentState.level;
            if (mConfig.inflateSignalStrengths) {
                level++;
            }
            return SignalDrawable.getState(level, getNumLevels(),
                     mCurrentState.inetCondition == 0);  
      

If the flag is false, use reported level and default number of bins.

Since both numerator and denominator are bumped up, is it really malicious?

Based on this commit at least, personally, I feel such logic could be due to a decision to shift from levels starting from 0 to levels starting from 1 at the UI level.

Or perhaps to make levels consistent between different operators, some of whom were using 0-based while others used 1-based.

I haven't gone through later commits or latest versions. So my opinion's limited just to this original 2017 change.

I'm surprised they even display the name and email of the person responsible for doing it. If I were forced to make such a change that I knew would be publicly displayed, I'd do everything possible to disclaim it (such as mentioning the one who actually requested it.)

I applaud your inventiveness

(but I still would love to know how does one hide from git blame)

(file renaming?)