What do you think about the Linux phone Jolla?

Trynna3

Active Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2024
Messages
470
Reaction score
234
Credits
4,500
It popped up in my fakebook feed so I checked it out. I let the AI compare the hardware and other features between Jolla and my current phone, also the one I have been eyeying on as a replacement... except of the hardware being better than my current one and that being Linux with better privacy, I haven't seen any other positives. I think they are not there yet. Android has a better compatibility with Android apps, I got warned that perhaps some banking apps and other proprietary ones might not work on Jolla phone.
 


You can also buy an old Pixel and install LineageOS for example.
I'm too would like a Linux on my Smartphone but the problem is the compatibility.
 
It popped up in my fakebook feed so I checked it out. I let the AI compare the hardware and other features between Jolla and my current phone, also the one I have been eyeying on as a replacement... except of the hardware being better than my current one and that being Linux with better privacy, I haven't seen any other positives. I think they are not there yet. Android has a better compatibility with Android apps, I got warned that perhaps some banking apps and other proprietary ones might not work on Jolla phone.
A Linux phone that you can use like Android or iOS is not on the market for now.I've been wanting to get rid of Android and Google for a few years, but I haven't found a solution.I use my Android phone very little, and I can't throw it in the trash because I need different applications e.g. Telegram, Whatsapp and others as well as that of the bank. We use Linux and we have to connect on our desktop computer through a smartphone, with Android and Google or an Apple iOS phone, to use some applications, so we are forcibly constrained. I hope that in the future things will change, but for now there is the Google-Apple duopoly.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I've played with a previous release of Jolla's SailfishOS quite a while back on a Pinephone. Sailfish was by far the best user experience, compared to postmarketOS, debian mobile, Manjaro mobile, Ubuntu mobile, etc. Sailfish worked smoothest, with considerably better gesture support. It was easy to see the Sailfish apps are designed for a phone formfactor, when others simply scaled down regular gnome apps - which made interaction more difficult (e.g. gnome calendar entries from a desktop scaled down to 6.5 inches). The others may have caught up meanwhile, I don't know. And I cannot give you input regarding apps. I just used the apps installed per default and did not try to use Android apk on any of them. I do remember the usual communication apps were available and did check availability of a couple particular android apps I usually need and those were not listed as tested/working for any of them, unfortunately (this may also have changed meanwhile).
 
I've played with a previous release of Jolla's SailfishOS quite a while back on a Pinephone. Sailfish was by far the best user experience, compared to postmarketOS, debian mobile, Manjaro mobile, Ubuntu mobile, etc. Sailfish worked smoothest, with considerably better gesture support. It was easy to see the Sailfish apps are designed for a phone formfactor, when others simply scaled down regular gnome apps - which made interaction more difficult (e.g. gnome calendar entries from a desktop scaled down to 6.5 inches). The others may have caught up meanwhile, I don't know. And I cannot give you input regarding apps. I just used the apps installed per default and did not try to use Android apk on any of them. I do remember the usual communication apps were available and did check availability of a couple particular android apps I usually need and those were not listed as tested/working for any of them, unfortunately (this may also have changed meanwhile).
I don't want to be misunderstood in my previous post.
I wrote that many applications are not compatible with other mobile operating systems because I did some research on the web and that's what I found.
I want a mobile phone that is not from Google or Apple, but I am aware that I cannot use it for everything I need because many everyday apps are not compatible.
I am waiting for a mobile phone to come out that I can use at least for the things that are essential to me, and I don't think I'm the only one who wants this.
 
How do we use our existing wireless providers with any of these Linux phones? I've read somewhere that's an issue.

I use Tracfone. It uses a Verizon tower near our house.
 
I don't want to be misunderstood in my previous post.
I wrote that many applications are not compatible with other mobile operating systems because I did some research on the web and that's what I found.
I don't want to be misunderstood as well: When I mentioned "the regular communication apps", these may be available in different variants/forks. Some rely on Linux libs, others use g-playservices compatibility layers to run the original android apk (like lineageos). I have no idea if any of the most popular are natively available for Sailfish OS at this point, or rely on their android support layer. I would be surprised if these apps are an issue, because that's what most users require.
 
I don't want to be misunderstood as well: When I mentioned "the regular communication apps", these may be available in different variants/forks. Some rely on Linux libs, others use g-playservices compatibility layers to run the original android apk (like lineageos). I have no idea if any of the most popular are natively available for Sailfish OS at this point, or rely on their android support layer. I would be surprised if these apps are an issue, because that's what most users require.
The topic is interesting. I hope you'll let us know if and which apps work.
 
How do we use our existing wireless providers with any of these Linux phones? I've read somewhere that's an issue.

I use Tracfone. It uses a Verizon tower near our house.

You get a SIM card and insert it into the phone, though e-SIM is an option for some phones.

You need to be sure that it works in your area, with the channels your provider uses.
 
The topic is interesting. I hope you'll let us know if and which apps work.
Once I try it again. Currently I have other plans for the device.
By the way, Jolla has a list of community ports for android devices. Might be an opportunity to repurpose an unused phone from the drawer to test Sailfish for someone.
 
You get a SIM card and insert it into the phone, though e-SIM is an option for some phones.

You need to be sure that it works in your area, with the channels your provider uses.

Ah! I wonder what the chances are that I can just take the Tracfone SIM card out of my Motorola and plop it in the Linux phone? :D

Know anyone who has done that?
 


Follow Linux.org

Members online


Top