Post #2579344

2026-05-07 20:03 UTC

The software for linux phones is pretty much there. Gnome and KDE mobile are surprisingly capable. There’s built in apps for every basic thing you’d need on a phone like a dialer, SMS app, camera, etc. plus all the normal apps adapted to work with mobile like the calculator and maps apps. The only real limitation is with the hardware. I have no idea why all new linux phones launch with specs from a decade ago. You can get a better experience by flashing ported Postmarket OS to an Android phone like the Nothing phone or a OnePlus 6t. It shouldn’t be like that, no idea why it’s impossible to just have a linux phone with decent specs and a good camera on par with modern flagships.

Replies (6)

@utopiah@lemmy.world 2026-05-08 07:31

Because Linux phones with proper hardware are sold at 1k and hundreds of people want to but that, not thousands or millions and thus they don’t actually get built. Couple of attempts just lasttear didn’t pan out.

Open ##2579343
@ozymandias117@lemmy.world 2026-05-07 21:17

Linux phones try to build from upstream Linux, and the major phone SoC vendors HATE upstreaming their code. They believe every character in their source code is absolutely top secret. A middle ground I wish was considered more is taking Google's kernel and the vendors DLKM partition/DTB/DTBO for hardware support, and putting a GNU userspace on top. This has had problems in the past, because vendors would modify syscall tables such that they don't match userspace anymore, but with GKI, I think we're closer to that being a possibility

Open ##2859104
@Squizzy@lemmy.world 2026-05-07 20:27

100% I got a pixel, secondhand, to allow for gOS. All I want is a linux phone that takes good photos that I feel is secure. I need it to launch android apps in sandbox instances too but I understand that is possible. Linux phones are always missing modern stuff be it fast charging, nfc, decent compnents, etc. Love a tablet too, the pixel tablet with speaker stand is ideal if it wasnt the devils products.

Open ##2859105
@lemmyng@lemmy.world 2026-05-08 01:49

"You can get a better experience by flashing ported Postmarket OS to an Android phone like the Nothing phone or a OnePlus 6t" Can you relock the bootloader when flashing Postmarket OS to those phones? The only other OS that allowed for relocking the bootloader after flashing on certain phones was DivestOS, and unfortunately it went the way of the dodo.

Open ##2859106
@muusemuuse@sh.itjust.works 2026-05-07 20:43

Give me a flx1s with usbDP alt mode and usb3 and I’ll switch today.

Open ##2859107
@Reygle@lemmy.world 2026-05-07 21:02

Glad to hear it, as years back with the Pinephone, I had a.. worse than that experience. It was not good.

Open ##2859108