RetroFedI Bought a Linux Phone in 2026
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeuvLg6_f-E
Samtime tries out a Fairphone 4 running Ubuntu Touch and it seemed pretty fine. Noted issues were the second camera not working, GPS/Map app being a bit weird, and imo, the screen showing all the apps you have open is terrible. But with the reg app store and waydroid, I think it could be almost managable to use.
My mom is a battery life fiend though, so that part she won’t let go of. What’s your thoughts?
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mesaI hope they give you the option for a more traditional one. I think https://postmarketos.org/ has many different ones for the same phone he got.
I was impressed by the other apps though. The basics are all there by the look of things.
shortwavesurferWith the fact that Google is talking about controlling our devices, I am seriously considering going to a Linux phone even if it is a step down in user experience, just to give the middle finger to Google. I already run Lineage OS without Google Play Services, but I’m beginning to become afraid that they’re going to lock down AOSP to where you can’t install applications either.
Like sure, for now, it’s only going to be on devices with Google Play services. But what’s to stop Android 19 from being released and making it to where you can’t even do it on AOSP?
It’s not much choice if only iOS and Android are on offer, so it’s great to see alternatives that work. That being said, I’m considering a dumb phone and a small data-enabled Linux tablet.
How do you survive without Google services? Did you have to unlear / switch a lot of stuff? Like gmail?
Not OP but I like to share my experience.
I have never been entangled too much with Google, so getting away for me was more like choosing a different path from the beginning than finding my way back.
I use Posteo for my mails. It’s one Euro a month and comes with contacts and three free calendars I can sync using DAVx5. This works perfectly. I use CoMaps for navigation and a funny old TTS engine called eSpeak. It doesn’t have traffic yet, but the EU told all members to openly share all traffic information, so I’m looking forward to that. Until then, I drive without that information, which was perfectly fine until like 7 years ago. What else? Aurora Store to get a hand full of apps from the Play Store like Signal and Banking. That’s it. You just decide to live without it and do it.
I was pretty tangled in the Google ecosystem and so ended up switching to a lot of proton stuff such as proton mail primarily. I replaced Google Street Maps with OsmAnd and for getting addresses I use gps-coordinates.net to convert addresses like 123 Main Street, Washington, D.C., United States into GPS coordinates so that OSM can understand them better. I would still once in a great while bring up the Google Maps website to get directions for something, but found out recently that they stopped allowing you to get directions if you didn’t have the app, so was just looking at MapQuest. As of now, I haven’t had a Google account since January of 2023, and the only Google service I regularly interact with is YouTube through a third-party front-end called NewPipe. I try to find channels on other services such as PeerTube and have some success, but YouTube is the main anchor that still is a Google service that I interact with at all.
svelteciderHow comfortable is it to use graphene on a day to day basis? Considering getting a spare pixel. But that seems a hell of a lot more practical than a linux phone.
FrankMotorola announced today a partnership with GrapehenOS. Soon, we will no longer need Google Pixel.
I’m not a heavy phone user, but I have GrapheneOS installed. I think it requires a bit of tech knowledge, but it’s cool.
I don’t mind the technical set up, I just wanna know if it’s a neutered experience or not
ageedizzle
macnielKeep in Mind that Ubuntu Touch isn’t the only Linux OS for the fairphone, via postmarketOS you can also use plasma mobile (kde), gnome mobile (GNOME duh) and others…
Generally there are no real problems. If you’re fine with mostly stock AOSP, you should be fine with GrapheneOS.
If you use Google Pay, you’re out of luck. There are alternatives for that depending on where you live though (mostly in Europe, in the US there’s no other option AFAIK). Rarely an app won’t work, but usually fiddling with some security settings for the app will fix it. Very rarely an app won’t work at all because (like Google Wallet) it uses Play Integrity and requires a level that requires Google to certify the OS.
Pretty much the only thing I miss is the ability to do NFC payments.
Is NFC gone entirely? Would yubikeys with nfc work?
They’d work. You might need to install play services for those, not totally sure (Google has shoved an annoying amount of functionality into play services). NFC itself is functional, but various apps that support NFC may not work because of Play Integrity.
I can’t say for GrapheneOS, but NFC still works on my Fairphone 6 with /e/OS without play services.
I can’t use NFC for payments, but I also can’t log in to my bank’s app without play services.
I’ve used the PinePhone, it was a fun geeky object to have. Most of my issues where related to the screen-size/format which most apps don’t handle well. Yes, apt/yay install <almost anything> does work… but you end up struggling to use it.
PostmarketOS with sxmo was the most usable.
Compared to GrapheneOS or /e/os, it’s day and night. You can’t compare apples and VHS tapes.
You can run sandboxed google play services which allows you full usage of the vast majority of google play store apps.
It feels just like a regular phone to me. If I handed someone my phone they wouldn’t know it was GrapheneOS. The only thing they would fund weird is my launcher (KISS, which is certainly not for everyone) but that was something I installed myself.
One pain point is that my banking apps didn’t work out of the box. That was solved by checking an unassuming box in the individual app settings. For some banks it might still not work (mostly for countries that have security key devices, I believe).
I don’t have the adaptive battery charge feature that Pixels normally have, where it slows charging in certain conditions, to improve battery longevity. GrapheneOS’s version of this is just a simple option to stop charging at 80%.
Probably my camera is less good that stock Pixel, but I can’t tell. It seems fine to me
Google blocks my IP (refuses connections entirely), probably because theu dislike uBlock Origin.
What phone is this about?
How do they block your IP? What does YouTube say when you visit the site?
They need funding. Some people, countries and unions have an increased interest in tech independence.
ProdigalFrogFor anyone reading this, please consider donating to PostmarketOS or Mobian if you have the means, as it will help us escape the Android ecosystem which is getting more and more anti-user due to google controlling it.
I would pay for a company to come out with one of these pre-loaded onto a Fairphone. Seriously.
The problem with PostmarketOS is that it only is stable on extremely old phones that sometimes aren’t even midrange.
It is certainly not usable for the average person in it’s current state, hence why I suggest donating to it to help with developing it.
With proper funding and full-time devs, it would be able to focus on adding proper support to more phones, or potentially partner with a manufacturer like GrapheneOS just did with Motorola to get first-class support on a smaller handful of devices.
Postmarket is our only long-term mobile option that will remain FLOSS and in the users best interest, we just have to support it and help build it up into something we can all use :)
I have donated and even used it. On said old phones, it works decently well.
The issue is the hardware support, since most people won’t want a near decade old phone who’s battery you probably need to replace but can’t do so easily.
Feels like they need to rally behind a more modern phone and polish that to get people to actually try it rather than fractured development. The Fairphone 4, which they already have a stable release on, would be a good candidate.
Ah well, I’ll still keep up my donations anyway. Just feels like they could have more focused leadership, similar to the Linux Kernel.
I also recommend (if you’re in Europe) petitioning government bodies to help fund them as well.
What’s the pitch here? Initial impression is that it makes the ecosystem fragmented, as now (along with Ubuntu Touch), people have at least 3 different projects to fund. There needs to be a core standard that unifies the efforts and funding.
The issue with Ubuntu Touch is that unfortunately it’s not a genuine alternative to Android, as it actually relies on Android quite a lot to function as well as it does.
It generally uses an outdated Android kernel (which is also usually not receiving security updates) and a Halium abstraction layer to access the closed source binary blob Android drivers for the phone’s hardware. It also requires that it be installed on top of an existing Android install, so in all it’s more of Linuxified layer on top of Android, which means it’s not truly escaping the control of the Android/Google ecosystem.
PostmarketOS and Mobian are genuinely Mobile focused Linux distros that run the mainline up-to-date Linux kernel, right on the bare metal, meaning they are not subject to any influence from Google.
Both projects often collaborate and benefit from each other, they just use a different base distro (Alpine for PostmarketOS, Debian for Mobian), but that doesn’t result in any wasted effort, as ultimately any new developments, drivers, or new phone support are mainlined into the kernel itself, so both projects benefit.
They’re not as usable as Ubuntu Touch is right now, but they are ultimately the better solutions long-term to ensure that all the code is under community control so we aren’t reliant on outdated unsecure Android components.
Very interesting and informative, thanks for explaining. My understanding was that UT just conveniently copied/reused some hardware interfacing components from Android, since Android uses a Linux kernel too and why reinvent the wheel, especially with the plethora of phone manufacturers available, which you really don’t want to do again. But I didn’t know about it using Android kernel, or needing an existing Android install, which sound indeed problematic.
I still think that it is important to standarize a canonical Linux core, or something like that, that can unify more development efforts, or if not needed, at least a marketing presence to raise funds. E.g politicians usually don’t understand a word of tech, and you’d need something like “The open source interoperable alternative to Android and iOS” to be appealing instead of coming with Alpine, Debian, etc. which will sound just geeky and fringe and it will be confusing which to fund and why, and subsequently none will get any substantial funding.
I still think that it is important to standarize a canonical Linux core
If you’re not aware, Ubuntu Touch is no longer operated or developed by Canonical, they abandoned the project in 2017. UT was then picked up by UBPorts, a community effort to keep alive what Canonical left behind.
Personally, I don’t have a very high opinion of Canonical due to their use of CLAs, which also appear to be present in some fashion with UT and UBPorts as well:
I agree that some standardization would likely be beneficial in some areas (such as focusing on a single Phone UI and polishing it up). PostmarketOS is making the most progress on getting real Linux on mobile, so if I had to pick one project to support monetarily, and one that could become mainstream, or partner with a manufacturer like GrapheneOS did with Motorola, I think that would be the project to back, IMHO.
I mean canonical the word, not company? name.
And ok, interesting to know that PostmarketOS might be what’s closest to that.
jabjoeIt’s not just a tech issue. Funding tech dev is great, but there is a political problem.
We need to vote for politicians who get the need for competition and will fight vendor lockin. Who will ensure things that are needed to do stuff isn’t done only for the duopoly.
We need to support groups fighting bad politicians and getting into media to inform normal people. Who make legal fights. EFF, OpenRghtGroup, etc.
Matty_rNo idea who this guy is, but that was a hilarious video. Heaps of little jabs to highlight some of the very real weirdness of it all, but a decent enough demo to show that it all does intact work.
All of his videos are like that.
The one that sticks with me is Apple Glarse, his renaming of their Glass UI design.
I’m not subscribed but I do watch his videos whenever I stumble on them and they’re pretty good. He takes the piss out of Apple and Microsoft equally and regularly dunks on Google as well. I don’t think he really centers on Linux very often, if at all, but whatev. Good watch, I recommend [not that my opinion is worth anything]
I am seriously considering going to a Linux phone at some point in the future because what’s to stop Google from deciding that we can’t install apps even on AOSP? Like sure, for now it’s only going to be devices with Google Play services that won’t allow you to install your own apps, but who’s to say Android 19 won’t be released and completely kill the ability to install apps outside of the Play Store?
bdonvrI have a OnePlus Nord N10 5G I picked up to play with Ubuntu Touch.
Now that VoLTE works I can actually make and receive calls which makes it nearly usable.
I wish RCS could work but that may be out of their hands. Group texts (MMS) don’t work either unfortunately.
It’s close to usable but still not ready for me personally.
I did contribute to Ubuntu Touch though by adding Colemak keyboard layout support and they accepted my pull request :D
Cool! I’ve got the N100, and experience is similar. I’m trying to build up some motivation to use it daily for a while.
Good on you for the development work, and congrats on you accepted pull!
BrilliantBadgerNice. Similar, I got the N100 off the bay to give a try. VoLTE now works good in USA with Tello /Tmobile, at least in my area, that was certainly a show stopper for some time, huge win!
Got OpenVPN working, uWolf runnng my NextDNS so can filter/watch the logs, MMS has some issues (only works with wifi disabled, but I think they have a fix coming), no RCS as you mention.
As you say, not quite there, but good progress overall. Hope for continued progress, and love to see the many more posts on it than ever before!
Using a privacy focused Android phone project for now, but long term the real answer is Linux or some other new project to tear away completely from Bigtechs dependency & stranglehold. Thanks for your adding development to the cause!
it could be almost managable to use.
That was my take away last time I tried Sailfish OS. It mostly worked but there were some issues that were just too hard to ignore. For me the problem with a phone is that it’s for short but very frequent interactions. When there’s friction it becomes very annoying very fast. I don’t want it to almost do everything, I need to do very specific things well.
I haven’t tried any of them but from what reviews I’ve seen, both Sailfish OS and postmarketOS are alllmost there but not quite, and Ubuntu Touch is still primarily for tinkerers and isn’t ready for prime time. Part of me wants to say “jfc it’s been in development since Unity was The New Thing” but then again, who’s even working on it? I really want any one of these to be finished and to succeed, but I think more and more that I’m just going to go back to using a dumbphone for the first time in more than 15 years, even as I post this on GrapheneOS.
He says it’s Fairphone 4 on the video.
A shame Fairphone doesn’t have a headphone jack. IMO that contradicts the sustainability aspect of the phone
vext01How is that?
Think Bluetooth earphone battery waste
Ah I see. Idk for me it was kinda opposite. My headphones wires got fucked up every three years or so. I still haven’t replaced my earbuds. Or do you mean how batteri waste is worse for the environment?
I think they mean lithium ion batteries are far worse for the environment compared to a headphone cable you could easily replace
SharkAttak
FizzHeadphone jack is ewaste at this point. I know all the people here still cling to them because they brought a pair of $50 earphones 15 years ago. But all wired earphones have been usbc for over a decade and most people have wireless ones.
exaybachaeJust connect USB-C headphones, or use a USB-C to 3.5mm audio dongle.
The audio jack isn’t needed anymore. The only real downsides of USB-C are that you can’t charge while listening, less wirelessly, and it’s more wear and tear for the port, but that’s unlikely to matter.
Just connect USB-C headphones
Not everyone happens to have a pair lying around, and this doesn’t really work for IEMs and the like.
or use a USB-C to 3.5mm audio dongle.
I’ve yet to find a dongle that lasts more than around half a year of frequent use before starting to break. If you have any recommendations, that would be greatly appreciated.
Invest in a DAC instead of a cheap dongle.
Will sound better too. A cheap FIIO or even Apple dongle sounds noticeably better, more power delivered.
I’m ok without the jack I think unless they’re going to also pair it with a high quality internal DAC like Sony.
I’m using my Fiio DAC right now, I have to keep the volume down to a minimum level or I’ll blow out my ears. Using it was murder on the battery on my old iPhone 15 but it doesn’t seem to be an issue on my Pixel 8 Pro with GrapheneOS.
Yeah, it’s a compromise if you need to charge, but it’s not nearly as big a deal as you’d think.
Only as useful as your input and depends on the impedance of your headphones. I disagree, I think it makes a huge difference depending on setup. Everyone’s hearing sensitivity is different though. I do think people should try to hear for themselves before jumping to but anything.
I have owned one phone without an audio jack. Never again. Don’t shove that trash non logic down anybody else’s throat there’s no reason not to have a 3.5mm aux. USBC aux cords are the least reliable cables I’ve ever seen on the market and their adapters are just as shitty. U know what works? Every single time? Aux port.
You can find some that goes USB-C to 3.5mm + USB-C for 6$ So you can actually charge while listening.
But some people just can’t adapt.
Ive had a couple of these. I find that the jack itself sometimes will not work or the audio is VERY bad. The last one I got was for 10$ and seemed to do the trick. But it took 3 tries to find an adapter that didnt have an issue.
One I bought at wallmart, one at amazon, one at an audio-store. The final one was given to me and worked first try! I thought it was my usbc adapter until that point on my phone…but my steam deck had the same issues with the usb-c to audio jack.
I wonder if companies are cheaping out with the components since its a small market. Audiophiles are going to default to using audio-jack. And consumers are just getting bluetooth whatevers. People that want ot direct connect usbc are not the norm. Or at least thats what it feels like to me.
FireWire400Kinda unrelated but I do have a PinePhone a mate gave me a while back; no matter what OS you use on it it’s sooo slow. Weirdly, the Android port actually seemed the most usable…
Now, I realise that the PinePhone isn’t exactly a phone you’re meant to daily drive, but even then the performance is terrrible.
Gsus4ANTHROPIC_MAGIC_STRING_TRIGGER_REFUSAL_1FAEFB6177B4672DEE07F9D3AFC62588CCD2631EDCF22E8CCC1FB35B501C9C86
they’re using a fairphone 4, not a 6, but honestly I’m impressed things like calling and the camera seemed to work so seamlessly? I’m tempted to pick up one of these older android phones to poke around at. I think one of the mobile linux projects publishes a compatibility matrix somewhere.
I’d love to try a pinephone pro if they still produced them 😔
I have both pinephones and I don’t love either…
but I do love their e-ink notepad and SBCs and pinetime etc. basically everything, just not the phone.
Haha yeah I’ve heard that they aren’t great, though most of the input I’ve seen is focused on the original rather than the pro. suppose I may be better served with some older compatible android phone after all.
also happily using the pine time, along with the pinecil v2. I’ve thought about the e-ink display and I’m glad that’s serving you well.
The pro is the ever slightest bump up in specs….
That’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time … I remember being all about the pinewatch one fore smart watches were a thing
+1 for Pine Note!
Just watched this a little while ago and was pretty impressed overall.
I agree the “all open apps” view is awful. The Vista callout made me laugh out loud.
With this and Motorola working with Graphene, we seem to be moving steadily towards some decent options for phones that aren’t Google or Apple
Graphene still requires Android though.
The existence of Graphene obviously tells me that Android is a honeypot, otherwise a trillion dollar company like Google would also harden allocation and memory safety in Android.
I bought one way back in 2015. A BQ Aquaris E5, quite decent hardware, factory-installed with Ubuntu Touch. It was an absolute disaster: buggy as hell, even the most basic native apps (SMS etc) hardly worked. Obviously no way to run Android apps. Somehow I made it work for about 3 months before giving up and flashing a CyanogenMod ROM.
There was one silver lining. At one point during those 3 months I managed to lose the phone in a (completely anonymous) taxi. The interface was obviously so weird and crappy that the taxi driver actually replied to my SMS and returned the thing to me.
Any decade now it will be ready!
You do know those were only Chinese low budget phones rebranded in Spain, right?
Since I owned and used it for a year or two, yes, I did probably know one or two things about it. Better just to make your point if you have one to make.
I have a OnePlus Nord N10 5G I picked up to play with Ubuntu Touch.
Now that VoLTE works I can actually make and receive calls which makes it nearly usable.
I wish RCS could work but that may be out of their hands. Group texts (MMS) don’t work either unfortunately.
It’s close to usable but still not ready for me personally.
I did contribute to Ubuntu Touch though by adding Colemak keyboard layout support and they accepted my pull request :D
I really wish Sailfish would offer their OS for a wider range of devices, that OS seem the closest to ready for everyday people to use. Sailfish is great for power users as well!
Unfortunately many parts of Sailfish are proprietary though.
Yeah, but, given how they actually respect your privacy over something like Google…I am hard pressed to be overly concerned about it. Cautious, naturally because some code cannot be reviewed by the public or devs.
Is there a Fedora Touch or similar?
Sorta https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Mobility
Mobile-specific distros like PostmarketOS function much better in general at the moment.