Linux Phones more privacy less control
Even for the smartphone world today there is a duopoly made up of two main players Apple and Google, these two are the only companies that today together boast around 98% of the entire smartphone market, as for PCs or laptops that have Windows pre-installed, even for smartphones it is not possible to choose an operating system, in fact, to be honest we are not even system administrators when we buy an Android or iPhone smartphone, this means that we do not have complete control of our device, exposing ourselves to a series of dangers.
Are there alternatives to these smartphones?
The answer here is more complex, one could say "NI", if in fact the PC and laptop world has seen a leap forward in Linux for smartphones there is still a long way to go, although there are feeble attempts by some companies to produce Linux mobile phones that are also compatible with Android apps the road has only just begun and after Google's latest statements regarding independent and open source developers who will be forced to register on the Google platform to publish apps on the Google Play store, the battle seems to be even more tiring.
Even if these are the premises, let's see what the market currently offers in terms of Linux alternatives. I deliberately left out considering alternatives such as LineageOs, GrapheneOs which are still based on Android.
1. JOLLA
In first place I consider the Jolla C2 Community smartphone, although with many limitations, in my opinion it is the mobile phone that comes closest to everyday use, based on SailfishOs which derives from Linux Mer, an operating system which in turn derives from MeeGo developed by Nokia and Intel.
It must be said that SailfishOs can also be installed on Sony Xperia phones so it is not necessary to have the C2 community, however the operating system is more optimized.
The Jolla C2 allows the installation of Android applications via F-Droid or Aurora Store, but some apps still do not seem to work even if there is the possibility to install Google apps.
It is the phone that I chose to try after installing several custom Android ROMs including LineageOS, LibreMobileOS, E/ however if you want to take away the excessive power of Android you have to make drastic and courageous choices like using a Linux phone.
Among the features of Jolla compared to other devices is the low price of 299 euros to take the C2 home.
1. Operating System
Operating System: Sailfish OS 5.0, an open source and privacy-oriented mobile operating system developed in Finland.
Updates: Free software support and security updates for at least 5 years.
Software Subscription: Includes 12 months of Sailfish OS subscription, required to receive future updates and commercial components. After the first year, you can renew your subscription to continue receiving updates.
Android App Support: Powered by AppSupport technology, it lets you install and run Android™ apps, with options like microG for a Google-free experience.
2. Processor and Performance
Chipset: Unisoc Tiger T606 (UMS9230).
CPU: Octa-core ARM Cortex-A75 (2x 1.6 GHz) + Cortex-A55 (6x 1.6 GHz).
GPU: Mali-G57.
RAM: 8GB.
Architecture: aarch64.
3. Storage
Internal memory: 128 GB of storage (eMMC type).
Expansion: Support for microSD, microSDHC and microSDXC cards.
4. Display
Size: 6.52 inches.
Resolution: 1600 x 720 pixels (HD+).
Type: IPS TFT LCD, 16.7 million colors.
Pixel density: 269 ppi.
Screen-to-body ratio: ~73.5%.
5. Battery
Capacity: 4000mAh.
Type: Li-Po (non-removable).
Duration: Designed for excellent daily autonomy.
6. Cameras
Main rear: 64 MP.
Front (selfie): 16 MP.
Secondary (ultra-wide angle or depth): 8 MP.
Current status: Some camera drivers do not work properly on alternative systems (e.g. postmarketOS), but are fully operational on Sailfish OS.
7. Connectivity
Networks: LTE+ (4.5G), VoLTE supported.
Wi-Fi: 802.11ac.
Bluetooth: 5.0.
GPS: Support present, but some users report functioning problems.
USB: Type-C (partial OTG support).
Audio: 3.5 mm headphone jack.
SIM: Dual SIM (nanoSIM), dual standby mode.
Modem: Working with modified version of oFono; Known issues with calls, texts, and mobile data in unofficial environments.
8. Design and Dimensions
Dimensions: 179 x 78 x 8.5 mm.
Weight: Not specified, but similar to the Reeder S19 Max Pro S.
Color: Grey.
Notes: Large device, not suitable for narrow pockets; Designed for one-handed use.
9. Other Features
Fingerprint sensor: Not explicitly mentioned; probably absent.
Sensors:
Accelerometer: present, but with not always stable operation.
Ambient light, proximity, magnetometer, barometer: some not working in unofficial environments.
Haptics: Working haptic feedback.
Warranty: 2 years for hardware defects.
10. Assembly and Collaboration
Manufacturer: Reeder (European partner).
Origin: Designed by Jolla, a Finnish company, as a reference device for the Sailfish community.
Notes: Based on the Reeder S19 Max Pro S, with software customization and Jolla branding.
2. PinePhonePro
This type of mobile phone, although it has many qualities that make it attractive in terms of privacy such as the removable battery, the physical blocking of the camera, wifi, bluetooth etc., has major hardware limitations, in fact, despite many Android mobile phones, the hardware appears poor while its cost remains high.
On the software side, it is possible to install Postmark OS, SailfishOs or other Linux roms, however there is no compatibility with Android apps which are currently essential since they have not yet been developed for Linux.
the cost of a pinephone is around €599.99 which is a really high price for its features
Screen: 6-inch in-cell IPS screen with 1440x720 pixel resolution, 18:9 ratio, with Gorilla Glass 4™ protection
Operating system: Sailfish OS (pre-Beta version) installed on eMMC and megi's RK2AW on SPI-Flash
Chipset: Rockchip RK3399S
CPU: 6-core 64-bit SoC with 4 ARM Cortex-A53 cores and 2 ARM Cortex-A72 cores
GPU: Mali T860MP4
Internal storage: 128GB eMMC flash storage
RAM: 4GB LPDDR4
Storage expansion: Support for microSD cards (SDHC and SDXC, up to 2TB)
Main camera: 13MP Sony IMX258 sensor with LED flash
Front camera: 8MP OmniVision OV8858 sensor
Audio: mono speaker and 3.5mm audio jack with stereo microphone
Connectivity: LTE-FDD and LTE-TDD on global bands, WCDMA, GSM, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS with A-GPS and GLONASS
Ports: USB-C 3.0 with USB host support and DisplayPort alternate mode for video output
Sensors: accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, and magnetometer/compass
Vibration motor: present
Privacy switches: to disable LTE (including GPS), Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, microphone, camera and headphone jack (to enable UART output)
Battery: 3000mAh removable Li-Po battery
Charging: 15W (5V 3A) fast charging via USB Power Delivery
Dimensions: 160.8mm × 76.6mm × 11.1mm
Weight: 215 grams
SIM: Nano-SIM (PinePhone Pro Explorer Edition) or Micro-SIM (depending on version)
3. FuriPhone FLX 1
Another mobile phone that is decidedly more interesting on a hardware level than the PinePhonePro is the FuriPhone which contains both the characteristics of the previous ones by combining privacy with truly excellent hardware, however the cost compared to the Jolla rises to a good 550 dollars even if to have greater privacy it could be an acceptable expense.
1. Operating System and Software
Operating system: FuriOS, based on Droidian (derived from Debian), with optimized interface.
Software approach: Privacy-centric, without Google services; support for Linux, Android and Ubuntu apps via a single app store.
Virtualization: Multi-boot and KVM support to run other operating systems.
Updates: Long-term support guaranteed
2. Hardware Performance
Chipset: MediaTek Dimensity 900.
CPU: 2x Cortex-A78 at 2.4 GHz + 6x Cortex-A55 at 2.0 GHz.
GPU: Mali-G68 MC4.
RAM: 8 GB LPDDR4X (dual channel).
Storage: 128GB UFS, expandable up to 1TB with microSD.
3. Display
Size: 6.7 inches.
Resolution: 1600 x 720 pixels (HD+).
Type: IPS LCD.
Refresh rate: 90Hz.
Protection: Asahi Dragontrail Glass.
4. Cameras
Main rear: 20 MP, f/1.8.
Macro: 2 MP, f/2.4.
Front (selfie): 13 MP.
Drivers: Optimized hardware compatibility thanks to libhybris and Halium
5. Battery and Charging
Capacity: 5000mAh.
Type: Non-removable Li-Po battery.
Charging: 18W via cable (USB-C 2.0).
Energy Management: Optimized for performance and durability.
6. Connectivity
Networks: 5G (SA/NSA), 4G LTE, 3G, 2G.
Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax).
Bluetooth: 5.2 with A2DP and LE.
SIM: Dual SIM (nanoSIM), or SIM + microSD.
USB: Type-C 2.0.
Audio jack: Absent.
Waterproof: Splashproof (not underwater).
7. Design and Physical Security
Dimensions: 170 x 76 x 8 mm.
Weight: 201g.
Materials: Polycarbonate frame, glass back.
Keys: Metallic.
Hardware Switches: 3 physical switches to disable microphone, camera and modem/GPS.
8. Other Features
File system: Support Android apps (.apk) via manual installation.
Kernel: Based on Android (Halium) with proprietary drivers for maximum hardware compatibility.
Indicative price: 550 USD.
In my opinion these are the most mature and most accessible projects in terms of costs, there are other projects like Librem, Volla phone but the costs go up and in my opinion it's not worth it, even projects like Graphene OS don't excite me given the use of Google phones, however it is an alternative.
What is important to know is that these cell phones are currently not for everyone but that we should all start to worry more about having alternatives to the commercialized systems otherwise it will be difficult to avoid certain drifts.
