There are some projects (postmarketOS and half a dozen people forking it for other distros) trying to get kernel and drivers worked out, Linux is still sadly lacking at a bunch of the best tricks Android and IOS use to save power (most notably freezing applications), we’ll get there eventually.
The Halium stuff +Ubuntu ports works if all you’re worried about is privacy and as you said have a supported phone.
Postmarket can’t make it through the morning on a charge. Halium is Android kernel and drivers and also has power issues if you decide to run android apps. Neither one can do anything with NFC.
But they do exist. It does give me hope that people are actively working on these projects, useless for daily driving or not. In a better timeline we’d have more than 2 properly viable mobile OS options.
Yeah, I guess I came off more negative than hopeful. Supposedly on of the big phone makers is partnering with someone doing pocket linux, and there’s Furi, Jolla and Volla. The real shining star is the EU rights causing (many/most/all?) phones there to be able to be unlocked and open to flashing.
But open for the US is getting much more rare, and with oneplus’ recent hardware fuse breaking on flashing, I’m just feeling like (amongst many other things here) we’re losing the battle to privacy and open hardware.
Nah, you’re good bud 👍.
Honestly, while I am hopeful, it’s hard to be positive about the current state of alternative mobile OS. Everything not based on android feels like a proof of concept. We’re at the early adopters stage, but I can’t bring myself to get on board when there’s not really a great option. And device support, I already have my current daily driver, plus my old phone as a backup, and the phone before that too. None of which are supported by any of the projects, and even as something to play around with I can’t bring myself to buy ANOTHER phone. 🤷
Yup, and getting fewer every day.
There are some projects (postmarketOS and half a dozen people forking it for other distros) trying to get kernel and drivers worked out, Linux is still sadly lacking at a bunch of the best tricks Android and IOS use to save power (most notably freezing applications), we’ll get there eventually.
The Halium stuff +Ubuntu ports works if all you’re worried about is privacy and as you said have a supported phone.
Postmarket can’t make it through the morning on a charge. Halium is Android kernel and drivers and also has power issues if you decide to run android apps. Neither one can do anything with NFC.
But they do exist. It does give me hope that people are actively working on these projects, useless for daily driving or not. In a better timeline we’d have more than 2 properly viable mobile OS options.
Yeah, I guess I came off more negative than hopeful. Supposedly on of the big phone makers is partnering with someone doing pocket linux, and there’s Furi, Jolla and Volla. The real shining star is the EU rights causing (many/most/all?) phones there to be able to be unlocked and open to flashing. But open for the US is getting much more rare, and with oneplus’ recent hardware fuse breaking on flashing, I’m just feeling like (amongst many other things here) we’re losing the battle to privacy and open hardware.
Nah, you’re good bud 👍.
Honestly, while I am hopeful, it’s hard to be positive about the current state of alternative mobile OS. Everything not based on android feels like a proof of concept. We’re at the early adopters stage, but I can’t bring myself to get on board when there’s not really a great option. And device support, I already have my current daily driver, plus my old phone as a backup, and the phone before that too. None of which are supported by any of the projects, and even as something to play around with I can’t bring myself to buy ANOTHER phone. 🤷