Any Linux Phone users (not Android -_-)

[BotDamian]

Hello there,

so I never owned an Apple product and my parents had many of them.

 

Apple: So I noticed that my mothers phone acted weird (she always came to me for help) when a new iphone was released. Like it had some weird "zoom effect" on it, touch was weird, pressed wrong buttons etc. Then after some time it went FULLY away... this was so weird... and it happen with at least 4-5 Iphones. But mostly I don't like Apple as a company, their products are good and feel like solid quality... but how they make repairs hard and actively prevent people from fixing their own things and make always "their own stuff" like plugs and connectors to actively sell them for more than for example Amazon 65W USBC PD cables etc.

 

Android: My first phone was a HTC Wildfire S, and if I could buy a Wildfire S 2023 with a better CPU (not to overpowered just so it works good like a S10 or something or 60% of that) I would get one instantly. I felt like I have no phone and I love this phone... it fit in that small pocket from my Jeans  I had many others, Xperia, Samsung BeatDJ, Galaxy... many others and also now a Asus ROG Phone 5, before that a S10. If I compare my Wildfire S from when I was a teen (at least 14 years ago) to my ASUS ROG Phone 5 it's so weird that using the Wildfire S felt so much more snappy and fast. Like Android is so bloated... and I'm also getting sick of the data harvesting and telling google how many times I shake it after peeing... just no.

 

Why Linux?

Just because I can do what I want is the main reason.

Let me give an example, in WW2 the "H" person (dont want to say it) got his hands on a book with all addresses and names of people who were jewish... then we know what happen... no need to explain. So who says that one day I won't be targeted at some point, because anything, could be Animes, Torrents or what ever. So I don't want to try my luck, the world is getting really weird...

 

I'm running now Arch Linux and I'm very happy with it (considering using my big boi 7900X rig with Proxmox and access it through my mini PC Asrock X300 with 4750G pro) and I was thinking about getting a Linux phone. I don't really need all the nonsense apps etc... what I was looking at was the FxTec Pro X 1... I'm a programmer so the keyboard would be verrrry nice and the freedom of tinkering with it, like making UIs... optimizing it... just nerding a lil with it.

Has anyone maybe a Linux phone? Is it useful or very buggy, nothing works etc? Pine Phone exists has no keyboard... a friend has it and it's basically useless he says... my IronOS works flawlessly tho

 

So yeah... anyone want to share their Linux Phone experience and give advice maybe, good and the bad things, pros / cons?

[OhYou_]

you should just try it out, get a cheap pinephone and give it a go.
to me it just sounds like less apps than windows phone, unless you like spending a long time ricing individual programs to be usable on phone.

[BotDamian]

2 hours ago, OhYou_ said:

you should just try it out, get a cheap pinephone and give it a go.
to me it just sounds like less apps than windows phone, unless you like spending a long time ricing individual programs to be usable on phone.

As far as I know it's ARM so it can run many things, not that I need all of them but the ones I want will

[E-waste]

Level1techs has a very long thread:

 

https://forum.level1techs.com/t/linux-phone-hub/160167/1178

[0xDE57]

Hi there. I see you're interested in the Pro1x. I might highly recommend against that.

 

I am backer 1977. Backed on December 7, 2020. It's been over 3 years and I still have not received my device.

 

They downgraded the SOC from SD865 to SD622.

 

They promised HDMI out over USB-C, but the SD622 is not actually capable.

 

They still list this feature on their website as a capability but it does not actually support HDMI over USB-C. They have been called out for this multiple times in the IGG comments, their forums, and the XDA forum. They have ignored it and I believe this to be false advertising.

 

They then sold backers devices on a website called expansys, for less than half (HK$2249 = ~289USD) of what I paid: $719USD, before delivering to backers. This is also against IGG terms.

 

Devices that are being received now are DOA, with dead batteries because the charge controller is lacking some sort of protection that prevents the battery from being depleted beyond a certain level. The fix is to remove the battery and manually charge with a variable power supply.

 

Here is a general review:

https://www.makeuseof.com/fxtec-pro1-xda-phone-review/

 

If you check the Ingiegogo comments, and fxtec's own forums, they are filled with complaints and people asking for refunds.

[Smithfield]

I myself installed Debian Linux on a OnePlus 6T via the Mobile distribution. It mostly sucked really mainly because the hardware support is still incomplete. Honestly, it was great that a device more powerful than the PinePhone booted Linux at all, but I am not a software developer, so I unfortunately couldn't really make use of it because not all of hardware works.

 

There are basically two main desktop environments optimized for phones. Plasma Mobile is actually really good and is very user-friendly, but unfortunately, you cannot use it with the OnePlus 6T as it cannot be rotated permanently at all on this phone, so it isn't usable solely for this reason. Really, it is a shame because after the small learning curve, it is actually really good.

 

And then there is Phosh... Just terrible. It is the only desktop environment that actually was able to rotate my screen, unfortunately. However, the whole thing just sucks. I hate using it, you are honestly way better off just using Android exclusively with the bash shell.

 

I don't have enough Linux skills, or at least underestimate them too much, to use Arch Linux, so no idea how well that is. I tried Alpine Linux (postmarketOS), but found I was not able to install Java.

[0xDE57]

Just an update: surprisingly after 4 years, my Pro1 x finally arrived.

 

Was DOA and would not charge, but rubber band workaround worked.

 

Screen has dimple defects in corner. Many other users report the same issue. unacceptable for an $800 device.

 

HDMI over USB-C doesn't work but fxtec still lie about it being supported on their website.

 

The keyboard is actually decent. Playing with Ubuntu Touch now... I left a review in the thread mentioned earlier.

 

tl:dr; buy something else, and never crowdfund/pre-order.

[Kilrah]

Received mine as well. 

The dimples are firmware issues rather than hardware, but obviously they'll never be fixed.

HDMI over USB-C disappeared when the SoC change was announced, but yeah none of the doc reflected that... not that it makes much difference since you couldn't order one again anyway.

[0xDE57]

On 9/9/2024 at 7:06 AM, Kilrah said:

The dimples are firmware issues rather than hardware

Oh? I thought this was a manufacturing issue. What could possibly be in the firmware that tells it not to render the corners?

 

I contacted fx support and they said they'll send a replacement, but I suspect it will have the same issue (when it arrives 4 years from now...). However I did discover a dead pixel additionally, so a replacement screen wouldn't be unwelcome even if it still has the dimples.

 

XDA has been silent on the issue. Their name is printed on the back, yet they take no accountability to even acknowledge it. It was the partnership with XDA that gave me confidence in backing.

 

Not cool fxtech.

Not cool XDA.

[diggles]

On 2/25/2023 at 4:54 AM, BotDamian said:

So yeah... anyone want to share their Linux Phone experience and give advice maybe, good and the bad things, pros / cons?

After seeing that a Nothing Phone 2a is cheap and powerful, I got my Pinephone out of the drawer and threw Mobian on it. I was impressed at how far Linux phone software has come but the Pinephone was just a bit gutless to be a comfortable daily driver. It did make for a good testing ground of getting the daily apps like Signal, Spotify etc working on a linux distro. There are other options I have come across but all seemed to be missing one or more of the requirements I was looking for:

1. Removable battery
2. Modern hardware
3. External Monitor over USB-C
4. Either has an open app store or can install android apps in some kind of privacy isolated environment
5. More then 2GB ram

Librem 5 is old hardware. Fairphone 4 has Ubuntu touch but seems a bit older. Fairphone 5 only appears to have Android support. Volla, Jolla and others are too hard to obtain in Australia. I ordered Furi Labs in the end. Waiting on delivery now. Watch this space.

[0xDE57]

another update. Replacement screen arrived.

 

unfortunately the replacement screen suffered the exact same defect...

 

if the issue really is in the firmware surely it can be flashed?

[Commodus]

Ouch... sorry to hear it's not going well.

 

Unfortunately, the principles that sometimes work well for Linux and open source often pose problems in the mobile space. You don't want an unofficial community designing hardware and UIs that you might use to make a lifesaving 911 call or run a must-have app.

 

I still remember using the ZTE Open with Firefox OS on it. It was cute, cheap, and clever... but also terrible to use. It was dog slow, relied exclusively on a small selection of web apps, and had the worst camera system I've ever used on a phone.

 

Android makers with accessible hardware, like Fairphone, are better. Still, there's this sense that you've made a significant compromise just to say that it might possibly, potentially be easier to replace components.

 

I also think that a lot of the "never Apple" or "never Android" crowd hasn't really been paying attention in the past couple of years. Yeah, I wouldn't exactly call an iPhone a tinkerer's paradise, but it's now considerably easier to repair; the 16 series has a battery you can remove using an electrical current instead of tearing off adhesive, for example. I'm sure right to repair legislation forced Apple's hand in some respects, but it's actively supporting some of that legislation now, and not necessarily the watered down stuff.

 

Google has also made some repair-friendly moves with Pixels, and I think some of the "omg Google is harvesting all your data" worries are exaggerated. You can use alternative apps or simply turn off a lot of the collection... and the boring reality is that Google isn't out to get you; at most, it wants to pitch more targeted ads.

 

So I'd rather buy a run-of-the-mill iPhone or Android phone and just focus on how it helps me in daily life, rather than suffer to make an ideological stand that won't matter much in practice. Real-world freedom is more important than the theoretical kind attached to software licenses and repair kits.

[Kilrah]

On 10/17/2024 at 9:09 PM, 0xDE57 said:

if the issue really is in the firmware surely it can be flashed?

Yup, issue is there's no one in a position to make a fix anymore. 

[0xDE57]

Out of curiosity I decided to simply ask what went wrong with the screen manufacturing.

 

Their response is simply: “It may be due to the idle time in the warehouses.”

 

Not sure how screen goes bad from simply being “idle”, but it doesn't inspire confidence. This is the same company that makes DeckHD for the steam deck btw…

 

This response also does not mention firmware and describes the issue as "tears".

 

Edited November 6, 2024 by 0xDE57
add note about firmware vs tears no make sence

[0xDE57]

On 10/18/2024 at 2:59 PM, Commodus said:

Firefox OS

I almost wanted to back the firefox phone back in the day, but I didn't like that it was built on web tech like HTML.

 

 

[Commodus]

19 hours ago, 0xDE57 said:

I almost wanted to back the firefox phone back in the day, but I didn't like that it was built on web tech like HTML.

 

 

Web apps felt like a short-term solution to a long-term problem. You'd be surprised at what HTML could do even then, but running web apps on a phone that struggles with just about anything CPU-intensive... not a recipe for success.

[0xDE57]

7 hours ago, Commodus said:

Web apps felt like a short-term solution to a long-term problem. You'd be surprised at what HTML could do even then, but running web apps on a phone that struggles with just about anything CPU-intensive... not a recipe for success.

Yep, not a good idea for an OS.

 

This is why electron apps always confused me. Why are you using a browser tech as a native desktop app? bad...

[0xDE57]

On 9/9/2024 at 7:06 AM, Kilrah said:

The dimples are firmware issues rather than hardware, but obviously they'll never be fixed.

Would you mind citing a source for this?

 

I cannot find where in the firmware this would be. If this can simply be flashed then I can fix it.

[Kilrah]

46 minutes ago, 0xDE57 said:

Would you mind citing a source for this?

 

I cannot find where in the firmware this would be. If this can simply be flashed then I can fix it.

It was mentioned either in the Discord or forum, don't remember.

They said it was proprietary low level controller firmware that nobody has access to (usual "all doc and source is under NDA, you hire a company that does have access to do the job for you") and of course that contract is long over.

 

Managed to sell mine for almost what I paid for it back then so I got out of the discussion groups. My main phone failed and I realistically wasn't gonna use this one as daily so needed the money for a replacement more than a toy I'd barely ever use.

[0xDE57]

7 minutes ago, Kilrah said:

It was mentioned either in the Discord or forum, don't remember.

Ok. Cant find reference to this on the forum. I have not tried the discord yet.

 

7 minutes ago, Kilrah said:

t's proprietary low level controller firmware that nobody has access to (usual "all doc and source is under NDA, you hire a company that does have access to do the job for you") and of course that contract is long over.

Well that's lame and smelly. I don't see why I can't dump the firmware, patch it and re flash. If only I can find where it is...

 

I will probably sell mine too. This device was a huge mistake.

 

Consider a Pinephone instead.

[0xDE57]

On 9/9/2024 at 7:06 AM, Kilrah said:

HDMI over USB-C disappeared when the SoC change was announced, but yeah none of the doc reflected that... not that it makes much difference since you couldn't order one again anyway.

it is still to this day listed as such. "USB Type-C with HDMI support"

 

Maybe it is petty at his point to hold on to this fact, but this was one of the features I wanted. And this stupid paperwieght cost me $800 so I wont let it go:

 

Fxtech as UK company must be upheld to UK advertising law. Falsely advertising features that aren't present is in violation (in my opinion. I am not a lawyer)...

 

I do not think this is acceptable for any tech company to falsely advertise features that are not present. (even if it is out of stock)

[0xDE57]

fxtech also makes DeckHD.

 

DeckHD was recommend by LTT here:

 

I would not recommend any fxtec product after this experience. I would recommend LTT be more critical of future fxtec products, as fxtech have proven to be a shady company that lies about its products.

 

don't get DeckHD or support these crooks. (OLED deck makes DeckHD not make sense anyways performance wise...)

[Edward78]

I just watched a vid. saying Pine Phone has cheap hardware, plus the software is being developed separately. That is it's downfall, I was wondering if they have blank phones, you can just flash a Linux Phone OS to? You know the old feature phones, no piv dorry? I think they had Java OS on them. They need to bring those back, they might could ne Linux Phones.