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Ask HN: What is the actual state of Linux phones?

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Re: Ask HN: What is the actual state of Linux phones?

#11

Post by reanimus »

1attice wrote: post #5

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…

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.

Re: Ask HN: What is the actual state of Linux phones?

#12

Post by youainti »

SilverbeardUnix wrote: post #10
1attice wrote: post #5

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…

> 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 suspect he is referring to the current political climate in the USA which many call a fascist takeover.

Re: Ask HN: What is the actual state of Linux phones?

#15

Post by mcflubbins »

reanimus wrote: post #11
1attice wrote: post #5

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…

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.

Re: Ask HN: What is the actual state of Linux phones?

#16

Post by mcflubbins »

deivid wrote: post #13

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 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.

Re: Ask HN: What is the actual state of Linux phones?

#17

Post by SilverbeardUnix »

youainti wrote: post #12
SilverbeardUnix wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 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 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.

Re: Ask HN: What is the actual state of Linux phones?

#18

Post by cy6erlion »

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.

Re: Ask HN: What is the actual state of Linux phones?

#19

Post by SilverbeardUnix »

mcflubbins wrote: post #16
deivid wrote: post #13

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 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.

I thought Ubuntu Touch forked from Ubuntu and was called UbPorts?

Re: Ask HN: What is the actual state of Linux phones?

#20

Post by SilverbeardUnix »

cy6erlion wrote: post #18

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…

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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