Ask HN: What is the actual state of Linux phones?
Given everything happening with Android, what is the current state of Linux phones and Linux phone development? I have a lot of C experience, how can I get involved?
49 comments
AOSP is still the better OS. It is fully open source. It has a much better protection model. It is production ready and optimized. It has a working build system. It supports reliable updates.
I find the idea of Linux phones pointless. Instead of trying to create an app ecosystem that will never compete against proprietary-ecosystem optimized and well-isolated one, we can leverage it. I wouldn't want an OS where the banking app can peek into my browser. Desktop OSes are still like that and that's crap OS design in 2025. It has been crap since 90s. Linux being popular has significantly hindered OS innovation in open source world.
If you would like to help, I think helping projects like LineageOS or GrapheneOS is better. You can also try joining reverse engineered driver efforts for open source drivers like Freedreno. You can help porting device-specific kernel drivers to mainline. So we can boot whatever kernels we want on normal Android phones with Mesa OpenGL.
"A lot of C experience" doesn't really tell anything. Have you worked with cross-language systems? How much you know about ABIs? How about interface definition languages (IDLs)? Have you actually written a production driver for Linux systems? Have you implemented any system-level service that got deployed a number of nodes? You need to join somewhere and improve things marginally.
I find the idea of Linux phones pointless. Instead of trying to create an app ecosystem that will never compete against proprietary-ecosystem optimized and well-isolated one, we can leverage it. I wouldn't want an OS where the banking app can peek into my browser. Desktop OSes are still like that and that's crap OS design in 2025. It has been crap since 90s. Linux being popular has significantly hindered OS innovation in open source world.
If you would like to help, I think helping projects like LineageOS or GrapheneOS is better. You can also try joining reverse engineered driver efforts for open source drivers like Freedreno. You can help porting device-specific kernel drivers to mainline. So we can boot whatever kernels we want on normal Android phones with Mesa OpenGL.
"A lot of C experience" doesn't really tell anything. Have you worked with cross-language systems? How much you know about ABIs? How about interface definition languages (IDLs)? Have you actually written a production driver for Linux systems? Have you implemented any system-level service that got deployed a number of nodes? You need to join somewhere and improve things marginally.
The Linux kernel runs AOSP. Linux has nothing to do with the design decisions that you mentioned.
Do you behave internationally obtuse or do not really understand that "Linux" is often used for GNU/Linux systems and this is what meant by "Linux phone".
What makes AOSP a better and more meaningful target for a truly open source system is being also open source and having a much better userland implementation that is supported by specific kernel patches that isolate client programs from direct hardware access and from each other. Moreover it has better libraries for creating mobile apps. It has a better and established ecosystem full of experts, some of which already implement FOSS apps.
No GNU system has anything close and getting close is a huge engineering effort that you don't need to do.
What AOSP does is actually workaround or extend Linux kernel with a system layer that makes the runtime for apps look more like a microkernel. It is a much secure design for carrying a general purpose computer with GPS, Camera and Bluetooth on.
So why not just improve Apache-licensed AOSP? Port the closed drivers to open source ones and everyone can utilize all of AOSP's benefits, without being controlled by Google or phone manufacturers too (as long as you can modify the software). FOSS friendly phone vendors can always help with porting efforts and remove blockers.
What makes AOSP a better and more meaningful target for a truly open source system is being also open source and having a much better userland implementation that is supported by specific kernel patches that isolate client programs from direct hardware access and from each other. Moreover it has better libraries for creating mobile apps. It has a better and established ecosystem full of experts, some of which already implement FOSS apps.
No GNU system has anything close and getting close is a huge engineering effort that you don't need to do.
What AOSP does is actually workaround or extend Linux kernel with a system layer that makes the runtime for apps look more like a microkernel. It is a much secure design for carrying a general purpose computer with GPS, Camera and Bluetooth on.
So why not just improve Apache-licensed AOSP? Port the closed drivers to open source ones and everyone can utilize all of AOSP's benefits, without being controlled by Google or phone manufacturers too (as long as you can modify the software). FOSS friendly phone vendors can always help with porting efforts and remove blockers.
I think what people would like is, if they were able to just run the same programs seamlessly on the phone. That's why porting standard (GNU/) Linux distros to mobile seams worthwhile.
Those programs and GNU userland are severely under-secured for a general purpose phone that has multiple privacy sensitive sensors. AOSP has better equivalents in all of performace, security and usability. It is Apache licensed.
As I mentioned if the core driver libraries for the userland are reverse engineered (like Freedreno driver in Mesa instead of closed-source Qualcomm stuff) and the kernel drivers are ported to mainline you'll have a better mobile OS than any GNU system can achieve in the same time frame.
If you still want your GNU environment, there are already ones that implement it like Termux.
As I mentioned if the core driver libraries for the userland are reverse engineered (like Freedreno driver in Mesa instead of closed-source Qualcomm stuff) and the kernel drivers are ported to mainline you'll have a better mobile OS than any GNU system can achieve in the same time frame.
If you still want your GNU environment, there are already ones that implement it like Termux.
These phones seem to have hardware isolation for the privacy sensitive sensors, so this matters less. I the user already use all the GUN programs daily. It would be nice to be able to use them on the phone. Having these in some isolation like Termux, isn't that useful, as I want to use the programs to control my phone. Not sure if ssh -X works on Termux.
Having granular access != no control. On the contrary, I want more control over the apps. There is no benefit to me if my banking app or any other app can also have access to GPS, while I am navigating with a map app. AOSP is much much better in this aspect. Normal desktops are nowhere near. GNU userspace also simply has very litte preparation for this. Creating granular SELinux rules, and then separating each hardware into its own system agent and then isolating them further with various containerization is no small task. GNU userland is still struggling with styling Flatpaks and keeping them performing well and small. Android's frameworks libraries provide a consistent UI with little overhead.
I don't know why you need ssh with Xorg on your phone though? There are ways like scrcpy to control your phone remotely. Apps like KDE Connect on Android already give quite a bit remote control opportunities too. There are open source remoting apps that fit the Android user interface better like RustDesk. If you still want an Xorg running, there is nothing stopping you from encapsulating it in an Android app too.
I don't know why you need ssh with Xorg on your phone though? There are ways like scrcpy to control your phone remotely. Apps like KDE Connect on Android already give quite a bit remote control opportunities too. There are open source remoting apps that fit the Android user interface better like RustDesk. If you still want an Xorg running, there is nothing stopping you from encapsulating it in an Android app too.
Yes for most domains encapsulation is fine. It is not fine, if the domain is the device itself. I want to apt update the phone, I want to switch to another kernel on boot, I want to update the firewall from the shell, I want to sync config by rsyncing parts of my home directory. All of these won't work by running an App on top of Google Android, because I want to change the layer below.
> ssh with Xorg
For example to run gufw on the Phone, but access it on my computer? Sure I could also learn to do it in the shell, but it is so damn convenient. Sometimes it's also nice to run an editor directly on the device itself and not run the editor locally on an ssh-mount.
> ssh with Xorg
For example to run gufw on the Phone, but access it on my computer? Sure I could also learn to do it in the shell, but it is so damn convenient. Sometimes it's also nice to run an editor directly on the device itself and not run the editor locally on an ssh-mount.
It's ultimately a pointless endeavour because you don't have access to the source code or even the ability to binary patch and flash your own firmware on the most of the phone components. The modem in particular is a black box. Might as well stick with Android and run a Linux environment inside an app like Termux.
The modem is always going to be a black box but I would caution letting that one thing prevent investing in development.
Pine64 announced recently that they drop the PinePhone Pro, but hope to continue with the PinePhone for 2 more years. To be honest there is not much of a community left when I last checked, and I dont remember when the PP was last in stock, only the convergence? package.
But there are a great series of tutorials from Lupyuen where he gets Apache Nuttx running on the PP. He fills in a lot of the missing documentation and magic smoke details.
For example: https://lupyuen.org/articles/dsi#initialise-lcd-controller
I'm currently following the same reverse engineering process, but using Zig. The A64 is quite fun to play with, but I think the hardware might be better suited as a feature phone vs full linux. I'll let you know in 10 years time hehe.
But there are a great series of tutorials from Lupyuen where he gets Apache Nuttx running on the PP. He fills in a lot of the missing documentation and magic smoke details.
For example: https://lupyuen.org/articles/dsi#initialise-lcd-controller
I'm currently following the same reverse engineering process, but using Zig. The A64 is quite fun to play with, but I think the hardware might be better suited as a feature phone vs full linux. I'll let you know in 10 years time hehe.
To be fair, when I bought my Pinephone, I got the convergence one despite being unsure if I'd be able to use it as a daily driver. The price diff isn't much and well, I would rather have the slightly better specs. And I would assume most made the same choice. So I doubt there's much pressure to stock the lower spec model PP.
You can currently buy a Librem 5, PinePhone, or Furi FLX1. I’m not aware of any others at the moment.
Librem 5 looked promising but last I looked into it, the company seemed kinda sus: https://youtu.be/wKegmu0V75s?si=dyM-FP6JBP_6emm9
Librem-5-sitting-in-my-closet owner here.
I haven't watched that video, but I've seen the comments from unhappy people over the years.
I don't know if we'll ever get the full story, but I imagine it was either that or go insolvent. I'm guessing they tied up all the preorder money, and the delays put them between a rock and a hard place.
They handled it poorly, but I think they're on top of everything now.
I haven't watched that video, but I've seen the comments from unhappy people over the years.
I don't know if we'll ever get the full story, but I imagine it was either that or go insolvent. I'm guessing they tied up all the preorder money, and the delays put them between a rock and a hard place.
They handled it poorly, but I think they're on top of everything now.
As far as Linux phones go there's not many options left and so they're still on the table. If they'd have just came out and said "Sorry, we tied up all the preorder money, and the delays put us between a rock and a hard place." I'd have more respect for it but they responded to Louis Rossman's video in the weirdest way I could imagine and that _really_ turned me off from buying a device from them.
Jolla C2. Sailfish OS is still alive (though barely).
The pinephone hardware feels like a prototype due to the old A20 cpu (heat problems, poor battery life).
The lesser-known SHIFT6mq has an actual mobile chip and apparently works correctly as a phone under postmarketOS (only GPS, NFC and Camera missing): https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/SHIFT_SHIFT6mq_(shift-axo.... There are pointers on the wiki to hack on the camera if you want to help the cause.
The Fairphone 5 is another good candidate for hacking: calls and camera are not working: https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/Fairphone_5_(fairphone-fp...
The lesser-known SHIFT6mq has an actual mobile chip and apparently works correctly as a phone under postmarketOS (only GPS, NFC and Camera missing): https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/SHIFT_SHIFT6mq_(shift-axo.... There are pointers on the wiki to hack on the camera if you want to help the cause.
The Fairphone 5 is another good candidate for hacking: calls and camera are not working: https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/Fairphone_5_(fairphone-fp...
It's not great, IMO.
I'm a Librem 5 owner, but I haven't really been able to use it, due to the atrocious (unusable) battery life, and broad incompatibility with most of the things that I need to do with a phone.
I've been a proud Linux user since the 90s, so by rights I should be exactly the market they're trying to capture -- slightly paranoid, FOSS-idealogue, willing to trade off some (or even a lot of) usability for freedom (and these days, a degree of protection from that thing that is happening in the USA and elsewhere, which is no longer safe to call by its name).
Yet here are the things that I cannot do on my Librem 5 that I basically need to be able to do in order to subsist:
- Go for more than 5h without charging
- Google Maps. I know -- on my GrapheneOS handset, I have OSMAnd+ and OrganicMaps (installed via F-droid no less) but as it happens, I live in a city with a lot of bridges and even more traffic, and if I want to get anywhere without a +/- 1h variance due to traffic, I depend on live-traffic-informed maps.
- Signal. (note: It's been a year or two since I checked in -- is this available yet on Librem 5?)
- Parking apps. My city has invested heavily in integration against just one of these apps, and it happens not to run on Librem 5 (or, for that matter, GrapheneOS -- why does a _parking app_ want attestation? smh). This is becoming increasingly inconvenient as competing apps seem to be in retreat and I am getting used to circling, waiting for spaces that I can successfully pay for.
- Ability to run local government app, which is available for both Android and iPhone, but obviously not Librem. This was more urgent during the pandemic, when it was required for various things like crossing borders and proving Covid status, but it's still hard(er) to get service from some agencies without it.
I have my Librem 5 in a drawer with my other fun tinkering toys, like my Raspberry Pi collection and 5" touchscreen modules (and breakout boards etc.) I still have plans to install it in my car at some point (it would be a good fit for an always-charging scenario.) Every once in a while I take it out and admire it and dream about the possibility of a future without domination. Then I put it away again.
I'm a Librem 5 owner, but I haven't really been able to use it, due to the atrocious (unusable) battery life, and broad incompatibility with most of the things that I need to do with a phone.
I've been a proud Linux user since the 90s, so by rights I should be exactly the market they're trying to capture -- slightly paranoid, FOSS-idealogue, willing to trade off some (or even a lot of) usability for freedom (and these days, a degree of protection from that thing that is happening in the USA and elsewhere, which is no longer safe to call by its name).
Yet here are the things that I cannot do on my Librem 5 that I basically need to be able to do in order to subsist:
- Go for more than 5h without charging
- Google Maps. I know -- on my GrapheneOS handset, I have OSMAnd+ and OrganicMaps (installed via F-droid no less) but as it happens, I live in a city with a lot of bridges and even more traffic, and if I want to get anywhere without a +/- 1h variance due to traffic, I depend on live-traffic-informed maps.
- Signal. (note: It's been a year or two since I checked in -- is this available yet on Librem 5?)
- Parking apps. My city has invested heavily in integration against just one of these apps, and it happens not to run on Librem 5 (or, for that matter, GrapheneOS -- why does a _parking app_ want attestation? smh). This is becoming increasingly inconvenient as competing apps seem to be in retreat and I am getting used to circling, waiting for spaces that I can successfully pay for.
- Ability to run local government app, which is available for both Android and iPhone, but obviously not Librem. This was more urgent during the pandemic, when it was required for various things like crossing borders and proving Covid status, but it's still hard(er) to get service from some agencies without it.
I have my Librem 5 in a drawer with my other fun tinkering toys, like my Raspberry Pi collection and 5" touchscreen modules (and breakout boards etc.) I still have plans to install it in my car at some point (it would be a good fit for an always-charging scenario.) Every once in a while I take it out and admire it and dream about the possibility of a future without domination. Then I put it away again.
I'm still bitter that they never refunded me for my canceled pre-order, despite promising to at the time. It's been years and I never got any money back (or a phone, for that matter). I consider Purism to be an untrustworthy business as a result.
You're not the only one Louis Rossman has a video about this very topic that I saw when I was considering placing an order.
> and these days, a degree of protection from that thing that is happening in the USA and elsewhere, which is no longer safe to call by its name
I actually don't know what you are referencing.
I actually don't know what you are referencing.
I suspect he is referring to the current political climate in the USA which many call a fascist takeover.
I mean that is what it is. Is there some rule that you can't call it that? Or is it just fascist don't like being called fascist and might go after people who call them fascist? Which is very fascist thing to do by the way.
I am not american and for various reasons I am not fan of current White House occupant.
Having said this, I find it weird people calling some govt facist (and by extension socialist), my observation is all of them are- reading Gramchi's facist manifesto, he says (from memory so not word to word): everything in state, nothing outside of state, nothing against the state. To my knowledge whole world is now ran by this principle, we are forced to be part of the system and pay taxes, we will be punished if we don't.
Taking this under account I come to sad conclusion that it's difficult to find a country that is not facist, certainly not the EU (a.k.a. another "thinker" Spinelli who came with his own communist manifesto which was adopted as EU's cornerstone, one of the main EU buildings carries his name), not the country I live in, I don't know about real USA posture but I guess it's similar- try to hire somebody or be hired without letting the state know and you'll face massive problems.
Having said this, I find it weird people calling some govt facist (and by extension socialist), my observation is all of them are- reading Gramchi's facist manifesto, he says (from memory so not word to word): everything in state, nothing outside of state, nothing against the state. To my knowledge whole world is now ran by this principle, we are forced to be part of the system and pay taxes, we will be punished if we don't.
Taking this under account I come to sad conclusion that it's difficult to find a country that is not facist, certainly not the EU (a.k.a. another "thinker" Spinelli who came with his own communist manifesto which was adopted as EU's cornerstone, one of the main EU buildings carries his name), not the country I live in, I don't know about real USA posture but I guess it's similar- try to hire somebody or be hired without letting the state know and you'll face massive problems.
When people say fascism are speaking more of an authoritarian nation where corrupt officials use the state to suppress opposition. Modern day Hungary is a good example
Sooo Amsterdam? or Pittsburgh?
I had a pinephone pro that I got to pretty good working state on postmarketos. The phone was still a bit under powered but after lots of tinkering it could do most everything I wanted it to. Battery life was the biggest issue, I could get about 5 hours max out of it. It would also get a bit hot at times which while not a huge problem was annoying. Problem is I dropped it on a run and broke it right before they announced they are discontinuing it. So I'm trying to find a new one, but the options don't look super great. If you are willing to use an old downstream (android) kernel, then there are quite a few options, of which i like the FLX1 best. But that makes running some up to data apps harder. I'm having a hard time finding good options mainline options though. The pinephone is too underpowered for daily use. The latest shiftphone and fairphone seem promising but full mainline support still isn't quite there and they pretty pricey too compared to the ppp.
https://pine64.org/devices/pinephone/
This pinephone project was the last thing I remeber looking into. Not sure where they are at now. But I think they have a number of OSS you can look to contribute to.
This pinephone project was the last thing I remeber looking into. Not sure where they are at now. But I think they have a number of OSS you can look to contribute to.
I think instead of a particular phone or brand what we need are open standards for a mobile platform.
- RISCV processor
- Standard Logic board
- Standard Screen
- Standard Battery
- Standard Wifi & Bluetooth modem
- Probably ditch cellular and use something like LoRa
- Standard OS (Linux)
- Standard package manager
Edit: Imagine a phone that you can just swap and mix components from different manufacturers. You could buy the components yourself and assemble, like a standard PC. If one manufacturer tries to lock you in, or you don't like their component you simply replace it.
- RISCV processor
- Standard Logic board
- Standard Screen
- Standard Battery
- Standard Wifi & Bluetooth modem
- Probably ditch cellular and use something like LoRa
- Standard OS (Linux)
- Standard package manager
Edit: Imagine a phone that you can just swap and mix components from different manufacturers. You could buy the components yourself and assemble, like a standard PC. If one manufacturer tries to lock you in, or you don't like their component you simply replace it.
So no camera?
I'll be generous and add in "standard camera" for you.
But of course camera tech is moving fast. So either the standard camera gets left behind, or the "standard camera" is continually updated.
Rinse and repeat for sll your "standards". The modem needs updating (new mobile specs coming out from time to time.) Battery tech goes very fast. Every time I eat there's a cpu update. Screens change. Form factors change.
Armies of people at Samsung, Apple et al are managing this all the time. Naturally your Open Source phone would need to keep up.
So instead of listing all the common modules, perhaps it's more useful to explain what sort of budget this effort eould need (sustainably) then list the ways the project will generate income to meet that budget.
Without this your list falls into the "what we need are flying cars" box, which is nice, but not exactly constructive. [Astute readers will also note that we really don't want flying cars...]
I'll be generous and add in "standard camera" for you.
But of course camera tech is moving fast. So either the standard camera gets left behind, or the "standard camera" is continually updated.
Rinse and repeat for sll your "standards". The modem needs updating (new mobile specs coming out from time to time.) Battery tech goes very fast. Every time I eat there's a cpu update. Screens change. Form factors change.
Armies of people at Samsung, Apple et al are managing this all the time. Naturally your Open Source phone would need to keep up.
So instead of listing all the common modules, perhaps it's more useful to explain what sort of budget this effort eould need (sustainably) then list the ways the project will generate income to meet that budget.
Without this your list falls into the "what we need are flying cars" box, which is nice, but not exactly constructive. [Astute readers will also note that we really don't want flying cars...]
Yes, I forgot to add a standard camera on the list.
I think if there's an open standard that different organizations can contribute to things will move faster and will be cheaper than having single organization trying to build a new Linux phone from scratch, it is also more reselient with little centralization. Different groups can specialize on different components where they have expertise.
I chose RISCV because it's a open standard, we could build around that ecosystem.
The standard can be updated, having different generations/versions when it's absolutely necessary. But it shouldn't move too fast especially if the interfaces are clearly defined. Phones from 10 years ago are powerful enough it's just that brands create new devices to force people to upgrade.
I think if there's an open standard that different organizations can contribute to things will move faster and will be cheaper than having single organization trying to build a new Linux phone from scratch, it is also more reselient with little centralization. Different groups can specialize on different components where they have expertise.
I chose RISCV because it's a open standard, we could build around that ecosystem.
The standard can be updated, having different generations/versions when it's absolutely necessary. But it shouldn't move too fast especially if the interfaces are clearly defined. Phones from 10 years ago are powerful enough it's just that brands create new devices to force people to upgrade.
How do you move past the initial hurdle of the at least several first iterations of this device being inferior to the competition in every single way, though?
And even if you solve the software issue, a “modular” phone like that will be bulky, heavy and have permanently outdated hw without really offering anything in return for that for >95% of its potential user base.
> to force people to upgrade.
So if they had to pick between a modern device with closed hw/software and something allegedly good enough for them but has an inferior screen, camera, battery, is heavier and has poor quality software. How do you force them to buy it?
And even if you solve the software issue, a “modular” phone like that will be bulky, heavy and have permanently outdated hw without really offering anything in return for that for >95% of its potential user base.
> to force people to upgrade.
So if they had to pick between a modern device with closed hw/software and something allegedly good enough for them but has an inferior screen, camera, battery, is heavier and has poor quality software. How do you force them to buy it?
> How do you move past the initial hurdle of the at least several first iterations of this device being inferior to the competition in every single way, though?
I think it will initially be a phone for hackers, and they will develop the ecosystem. It will also be competitive in that different manufacturers will try to develop the best components for the market.
I think it will initially be a phone for hackers, and they will develop the ecosystem. It will also be competitive in that different manufacturers will try to develop the best components for the market.
The problem though is that there is no market. No one wants this thing, no one will buy this thing, hence no manufacturers will care to develop or sell any of the modules.
Sure there's maybe a few thousand hackers, but the phone market is measured in hundreds of millions, not thousands.
The phone itself will be inferior in hardware, inferior in software, inferior in services, inferior in support, and so on.
There us no market.
Sure there's maybe a few thousand hackers, but the phone market is measured in hundreds of millions, not thousands.
The phone itself will be inferior in hardware, inferior in software, inferior in services, inferior in support, and so on.
There us no market.
While I'd love to see a successful ATX for phones (It's number 1 reason my desktop is x86, 2nd is Steam library).
1) The form factor really fights this.
2) Something needs to change with ARM, cause modular hardware would require device independent ISOs, and that only seams to exist for x86.... IDK about RISCV
1) The form factor really fights this.
2) Something needs to change with ARM, cause modular hardware would require device independent ISOs, and that only seams to exist for x86.... IDK about RISCV
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> - Probably ditch cellular and use something like LoRa
This is absolutely a non-starter. LoRa is an extremely low bandwidth protocol - in a best-case scenario (e.g. two nearby devices communicating on an uncontended frequency), it's in the realm of 50 kbit/sec. It's designed for low-rate data like remote telemetry, not real-time communications.
This is absolutely a non-starter. LoRa is an extremely low bandwidth protocol - in a best-case scenario (e.g. two nearby devices communicating on an uncontended frequency), it's in the realm of 50 kbit/sec. It's designed for low-rate data like remote telemetry, not real-time communications.
I don't agree with any of this outside of having a standard screen and networking modem. The rest of this is why I think Linux phones are being held back.
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lora is hilariously inadequate for what you mentioned.
1. assuming 7 inch device still phone
2. and phone is phone of it can do phone calls
3. it holds battery for one day at least
there is possibly oss phone https://mastodon.social/@mntmn/111387899138111367
so seems need some video demo to show me before i buy
2. and phone is phone of it can do phone calls
3. it holds battery for one day at least
there is possibly oss phone https://mastodon.social/@mntmn/111387899138111367
so seems need some video demo to show me before i buy
I want it to work, but I gave up on it as my main device for now. I developed a few apps for Ubuntu Touch, but it's always very far behind Ubuntu. They are about to release 24.04.
I will probably continue developing my apps, but it's not really moving forward.
I will probably continue developing my apps, but it's not really moving forward.
> I developed a few apps for Ubuntu Touch, but it's always very far behind Ubuntu. They are about to release 24.04.
That's actually interesting and good to know. Last I looked at Ubuntu Touch they were so far behind I assumed they weren't active. I didn't realize they just lag a lot.
That's actually interesting and good to know. Last I looked at Ubuntu Touch they were so far behind I assumed they weren't active. I didn't realize they just lag a lot.
I thought Ubuntu Touch forked from Ubuntu and was called UbPorts?
A recent discussion:
Linux phones are more important now than ever
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45256651
Linux phones are more important now than ever
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45256651
I really wish I could get an old school style flip phone that I could use as a 4G hotspot for a laptop (running Linux).
The best hardware is probably something with SD845 as this can run mainline Linux. A second-hand Poco F1 running PostmarketOS is pretty cheap and realistic.
Ehhh, Ubuntu Touch and KDE Plasma Mobile is around, i am just waiting until apps like YouTube, Instagram, etc, jumps to these platforms as well.