cross-posted from: https://feddit.org/post/20111466

When I switched to a True Linux* phone five years ago most projects didn’t even have telephony working reliably.

I haven’t been following development a lot these days, so for me it’s time to ask the question again.

To qualify as a main daily driver, it should do the following reliably:

  • be actively maintained
  • be supported on easily obtainable** hardware
  • handle standard phone calls and texting with a simple GUI
  • including contacts
  • support internet on mobile broadband up to 4G as well as wifi
  • have a minimum set of apps or a current browser to handle basic things like email, calendar
  • handle audio between calls/media etc.

And preferably it should also

  • support 5G
  • support VoLTE
  • handle Bluetooth audio
  • a working Camera app
  • remote access via ssh or similar

Obviously some people will find other things more or less important, but I hope anyone gets the gist of what I’m asking for and concentrates on the larger picture more than details.

* meaning more than just the kernel - an OS that works like a standard Linux OS with familiar software, package management (preferably supporting 3rd party repos), command line access (preferably remote) etc.

** That’s a little squishy. For me it includes buying used from online markets as well, and there’d be an upper price limit. But I’d also count a batch ordering system from some small manufacturer. YMMV

Conclusion

According to these comments, there are many good projects in the works, and they’re obviously further along than 5 years ago. Some of them impressively so. Thanks for all the answers.

However, not one clearly states “this OS/device combo is my (or some youtuber’s) main daily driver”*. I’m not saying there isn’t one, but until someone comes out and says so, SailfishOS is still the best bet if you want something that works right now. I know that their commercialism and partly closed source isn’t to everybody’s taste, but you have to see the history here (Nokia). Also, I know that the company (developer owned afaik) is very open to open-sourcing the rest. One app has already made the switch. And lastly, they’re a EU company which means they operate under pretty strict legislation, but could also get EU funding.

* I hear that Ubuntu Touch works for some

    • 1peter10@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
      1·
      19 hours ago

      Select Halium devices do (e.g., FuriLabs FLX1, Jolla C2, Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC with Ubuntu Touch), but the issue is that it (AFAIU) also depends on whether the carrier agrees which IMHO gives these companies more power than they should be legally allowed to.

      On mainline, there’s 81voltd now (said to work on Pixel 3a, OnePlus 6(T} etc): https://gitlab.postmarketos.org/modem/81voltd

    • potatoguy@lemmy.eco.br
      4·
      2 days ago

      Yeah, I think volte might be hard to implement, and might be device specific. Volte on the Oneplus 6 is experimental, so in the future it might come to other devices.