Best Linux Phone?

IceDigger

IceDigger

[H]F Junkie
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What is the best supported Linux phone out there?

I would like to try out using a linux phone for a bit to so if I can get away from both ios and android.
 
I don't believe there really is one. I had the first Gen PinePhone but it was worse than absolutely horrible. I'd also like a high end Linux Tablet in the 8" range, LTE, but they don't exist either.
 
Is there a specific use case for a Linux phone?

You should maybe consider buying a device supported by GrapheneOS (newer Google Pixels). It's still Android, but de-Googled and heavily oriented on privacy and security.
 
Best bet would be find one that that runs Ubuntu Touch.

https://devices.ubuntu-touch.io/

Most Linux based phones though are pretty meh in my opinion.

As Dopamin3 just posted (literally as I was typing this) GrapheneOS is a good choice if you can overlook the shitty lead dev, who may or may not be there anymore. I can't tell because the step-down post by him is now gone. That said GrapheneOS allows you to run Google free or you can sandbox the Google Apps so that they can't data mine you. They feed the apps bogus information. It's quite slick. There are side effects to that though. For example, on GrapheneOS you can install Google Maps in the sandbox and use it for navigation. However, while you do get more privacy you don't get the benefits from things like history or previously visited places so every time you fire up Google Maps it's a blank.
 
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Might as well go full I love getting spied on and get something running HarmonyOS. If you're going to buy a Chinese product, you might as well jump in the deep end.
 
longblock454 said:
For me personally it's about security and software. I'm 100% Linux and have custom built smart home devices and software, would love to port all of this to a ~8" LTE Tablet.
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Last time I looked into Linux phones (probably ~1 or 2 years ago), software was very lacking. Not saying Linux as a whole is lacking in software support, but specifically for "phone" apps.

I think GrapheneOS provides GSI (generic system images) or at least they used to, plus the source is on Github. You could potentially get it working on any Android tablet with an unlockable bootloader. IMO covers you on both the security and software front.
 
Vermillion said:
Best bet would be find one that that runs Ubuntu Touch.

https://devices.ubuntu-touch.io/

Most Linux based phones though are pretty meh in my opinion.

As Dopamin3 just posted (literally as I was typing this) GrapheneOS is a good choice if you can overlook the shitty lead dev, who may or may not be there anymore. I can't tell because the step-down post by him is now gone. That said GrapheneOS allows you to run Google free or you can sandbox the Google Apps so that they can't data mine you. They feed the apps bogus information. It's quite slick. There are side effects to that though. For example, on GrapheneOS you can install Google Maps in the sandbox and use it for navigation. However, while you do get more privacy you don't get the benefits from things like history or previously visited places so every time you fire up Google Maps it's a blank.
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Or else Plasma Mobile:
https://plasma-mobile.org/get/

Note, there are a few different distros which use PMo, so if one doesn't run on a device you like, check the others. Also, it's still early days for mobile plasma, and some devices are only partially working, so check the forums and wikis before commiting.
 
Sort of a funny topic, given Android is Linux based. But anyway, Ubuntu Touch has the largest supported device list of a more non-android Linux for mobile.

But honestly... your likely better off with a better support Android distro like LineageOS. If you want to get away from Googles and your typical vendor customized variants.
 
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