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A Talk at FOSDEM 2024: 'The Linux Phone App Ecosystem'
(linuxphoneapps.org)
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this post was submitted on 27 Feb 2024
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Linux Phones
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Community about running GNU/Linux on phones. Projects like Ubuntu Touch, Plasma Mobile, PostmarketOS, Mobian etc. Either on former Android phones or hardware like the PinePhone.
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I want a Linux phone but the only ones I know are old tech and not for primetime yet. Any suggestions?
@800XL I can suggest Pixel 3a/3a XL, it works very well with Ubuntu Touch. Unfortunately, there is not so much apps yet for Ubuntu Touch just because you can't simply install any app like on regular Linux distro - it either should be listed on OpenStore, or at Ubuntu's 20.04 APT repos (in this case, it's possible to install them via Libertine). Snaps/flatpaks is not supported yet.
Ubuntu Touch itself is in a pretty good shape now. But the tradeoff is a lack of apps
@dadarobot actually, Pixel 3a was announced at Google I/O at May 2019, so it's even less than 5 years old (if we count it right after announce) so you're lying right now.
P.S. do you have better ideas? Pixel 3a has 100% compatibility rate at UBports site and I personally use it as my secondary phone. Don't like my recommendation? Fine, recommend something else. Probably something that you have been used for some time
The Pixel 3a is a great phone. Last time I checked years ago there was no way to get Linux onto one with a locked bootloader tho. Is that still the case?
I should have been more specific. When I said old tech I meant phones or SoC that were ~10 y old.
I got the bootloader unlocked pretty easily.
Sweet! Have any guides you can pass my way?
@800XL I think guides even aren't needed) Before flashing Pixel 3a with UT, you will need to flash it to Android 9. The easiest way is doing it via Google's web-based flasher, you don't even need to download firmware to your PC. This flasher will download selected firmware automatically and will unlock bootloader also automatically.. or at least semi-automatically, you will still need to follow some steps that is displayed on your PC's screen (not phone' screen!).
Check UT site for firmware code
What if the bootloader is encrypted? Am I out of luck?
@800XL I'm afraid, yes. You can try but there is no guarantees that it is possible at all. I have checked it across some forums and looks like it's pretty uncommon situation when Pixels are locked. Anyway, Pixel 3a is pretty cheap today (I've bought one in less than $100 with ideal condition) so if you have the version with encrypted bootloader, you can try to sell your current model and buy a new one without encrypted bootloader (probably it may cost a little more if you search specifically 🤷♂️)
I might just do that. Thanks for the info!