New Jolla Phone Now Available for Pre-Order as an Independent Linux Phone (9to5linux.com)
- Reference: 0180319215
- News link: https://mobile.slashdot.org/story/25/12/07/0523228/new-jolla-phone-now-available-for-pre-order-as-an-independent-linux-phone
- Source link: https://9to5linux.com/new-jolla-phone-now-available-for-pre-order-as-an-independent-linux-phone
> Finnish company Jolla started out 14 years ago [2]where Nokia left off with MeeGo and developed Sailfish OS as a new Linux smartphone platform. Jolla [3]released their first smartphone in 2013 after crowdfunding but ultimately the Sailfish OS focus the past number of years now has been offering their software stack for use on other smartphone devices [including some Sony Xperia smartphones and OnePlus/Samsung/ Google/ Xiaomi devices].
This new Jolla Phone's [4]pre-order voucher page says the phone will only produced if 2,000 units are ordered before January 4. (But in just a few days they've already received 1,721 pre-orders — all discounted to 499€ from a normal price between 599 and 699 €). Estimate delivery is the first half of 2026. "The new Jolla Phone is powered by a high-performing Mediatek 5G SoC," [5]reports 9to5Linux , "and features 12GB RAM, 256GB storage that can be expanded to up to 2TB with a microSDXC card, a 6.36-inch FullHD AMOLED display with ~390ppi, 20:9 aspect ratio, and Gorilla Glass, and a user-replaceable 5,500mAh battery."
> The Linux phone also features 4G/5G support with dual nano-SIM and a global roaming modem configuration, Wi-Fi 6 wireless, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, 50MP Wide and 13MP Ultrawide main cameras, front front-facing wide-lens selfie camera, fingerprint reader on the power key, a user-changeable back cover, and an RGB indication LED. On top of that, the new Jolla Phone promises a user-configurable physical Privacy Switch that lets you turn off the microphone, Bluetooth, Android apps, or whatever you wish.
>
> The device will be available in three colors, including Snow White, Kaamos Black, and The Orange. All the specs of the new Jolla Phone were voted on by Sailfish OS community members over the past few months. Honouring the original Jolla Phone form factor and design, the new model ships with Sailfish OS (with support for Android apps), a Linux-based European alternative to dominating mobile operating systems that promises a minimum of 5 years of support, no tracking, no calling home, and no hidden analytics...
>
> The device will be manufactured and sold in Europe, but Jolla says that it will design the cellular band configuration to enable global travelling as much as possible, including e.g. roaming in the U.S. carrier networks. The initial sales markets are the EU, the UK, Switzerland, and Norway.
[1] https://www.phoronix.com/news/Jolla-Phone-2025
[2] https://mobile.slashdot.org/story/12/10/03/154257/jolla-founds-alliance-based-on-meego-distribution-sailfish
[3] https://mobile.slashdot.org/story/13/11/27/1855217/jollas-first-phone-goes-on-sale
[4] https://commerce.jolla.com/products/jolla-phone-preorder
[5] https://9to5linux.com/new-jolla-phone-now-available-for-pre-order-as-an-independent-linux-phone
Add a 5 row slide out keyboard (Score:3)
And we might get back to the usability of the first Android phone, the HTC/T-mobile G1.
Virtual keyboards are horrid to type on, and cover half the screen.
Trackball would be nice, too.
Other hardware specs look great, especially microSD slot and replaceable battery.
Re: Add a 5 row slide out keyboard (Score:3)
That would be a laptop.
In other news, Boeing has entered the car market with 200+ seat busses with some extra features, like jwt propulsion, wings, and the ability of "driving" from London ot New York in 12 or so hours. You need a special permit to sit in the driver's seat though, driver's license won't do ir.
Re: Add a 5 row slide out keyboard (Score:4, Informative)
No, it does not have to be a laptop - it can still be a phone with typical form factor and use cases - staying in the pocket, casual chat, phone calls and video, outdoor navigation ... Case in point: I had a Nokia N900 in 2011 - it was phone-sized (a bit thicker than modern phones but not much), and could do all phone things. With wonderful two-thumbs text input. In addition, it had a resistive instead of capacitive touch screen, so I could use it even with thick gloves - Finnish design considerations?
Yeah, you could use it as a "mini-laptop" - it even ran Libreoffice and gcc. However, that was not how you typically used it, except for exceptional cases.
Re: (Score:2)
Sliders, I think, died with Nokia Symbian ^3.
Not an endorsement - I would need a man-purse to carry the thing:
[1]https://www.unihertz.com/produ... [unihertz.com]
[1] https://www.unihertz.com/products/titan-2
Re: (Score:2)
You'll probably need a man purse to carry the second more usable device than this 4.5" square screen thing.
Volla is Jollas successor (Score:2)
[1]https://volla.online/ [volla.online]
I'd say the similarities in name aren't by accident. I wish Jolla good luck they had a nice product but 400 euros for a crow funded phone from a company know for it's volatility probably doesn't inspire confidence in long term viability. Just saying.
[1] https://volla.online/
This will be great for about 2000 people (Score:2)
The rest of us will not want to suffer from the underdeveloped platform.
Right now, the only truly great mobile OS is GrapheneOS. Secure, fast, well-supported, and private. Nobody else compares.
Re: (Score:3)
You shouldn't talk for everyone.
That GrapheneOS? Was a pain in the arse for me and I went back to LineageOS in under 48 hours.
Re: (Score:2)
I am thinking about installing lineage on my old Pixel 5, which I use for audiobooks and which Google no longer supports. However, Lineage is a step backwards in security compared to Google's releases on current phones, and it just can't compare to Graphene's security. I do have a few apps that do not work on GrapheneOS, or that have broken features, but I'd expect to run into similar issues with Lineage.
Re: (Score:3)
My phone is primarily a tool. It must be usable as a tool.
Where I live, I don't have to worry about my phone getting yoinked. As such, the greatest threat to my principles is having gApps installed. Which I do. So at that point, I'm installing LOS primarily so the user experience remains about the same across devices.
But that's my point: Someone who is all about security isn't looking for the same things as somebody who isn't. I am optimizing for workflow. You are not. Hence completely different use-cases.
Re: This will be great for about 2000 people (Score:2)
SailfishOS runs on the standard Android kernel, so it should be easy to port Android to the phone. The whole Android/libhybris approach coincidentally also the reason I'm not interested in this phone, and why I am of the opinion that GrapheneOS is the wrong approach unless if you ONLY care about cutting out Google from your personal data. What about all others that still can have access?