cross-posted from: https://lemmy.blahaj.zone/post/39351554

Samtime tries out a Fairphone 6 running Ubuntu Touch and it seemed pretty fine. Noted issues were the second camera not working, GPS/Map app being a bit weird, and imo, the screen showing all the apps you have open is terrible. But with the reg app store and waydroid, I think it could be almost managable to use.

My mom is a battery life fiend though, so that part she won’t let go of. What’s your thoughts?

  • ProdigalFrog@slrpnk.netEnglish
    9·
    8 hours ago

    The issue with Ubuntu Touch is that unfortunately it’s not a genuine alternative to Android, as it actually relies on Android quite a lot to function as well as it does.

    It generally uses an outdated Android kernel (which is also usually not receiving security updates) and a Halium abstraction layer to access the closed source binary blob Android drivers for the phone’s hardware. It also requires that it be installed on top of an existing Android install, so in all it’s more of Linuxified layer on top of Android, which means it’s not truly escaping the control of the Android/Google ecosystem.

    PostmarketOS and Mobian are genuinely Mobile focused Linux distros that run the mainline up-to-date Linux kernel, right on the bare metal, meaning they are not subject to any influence from Google.

    Both projects often collaborate and benefit from each other, they just use a different base distro (Alpine for PostmarketOS, Debian for Mobian), but that doesn’t result in any wasted effort, as ultimately any new developments, drivers, or new phone support are mainlined into the kernel itself, so both projects benefit.

    They’re not as usable as Ubuntu Touch is right now, but they are ultimately the better solutions long-term to ensure that all the code is under community control so we aren’t reliant on outdated unsecure Android components.

    • linule@lemmy.worldEnglish
      31·
      7 hours ago

      Very interesting and informative, thanks for explaining. My understanding was that UT just conveniently copied/reused some hardware interfacing components from Android, since Android uses a Linux kernel too and why reinvent the wheel, especially with the plethora of phone manufacturers available, which you really don’t want to do again. But I didn’t know about it using Android kernel, or needing an existing Android install, which sound indeed problematic.

      I still think that it is important to standarize a canonical Linux core, or something like that, that can unify more development efforts, or if not needed, at least a marketing presence to raise funds. E.g politicians usually don’t understand a word of tech, and you’d need something like “The open source interoperable alternative to Android and iOS” to be appealing instead of coming with Alpine, Debian, etc. which will sound just geeky and fringe and it will be confusing which to fund and why, and subsequently none will get any substantial funding.

      • ProdigalFrog@slrpnk.netEnglish
        5·
        6 hours ago

        I still think that it is important to standarize a canonical Linux core

        If you’re not aware, Ubuntu Touch is no longer operated or developed by Canonical, they abandoned the project in 2017. UT was then picked up by UBPorts, a community effort to keep alive what Canonical left behind.

        Personally, I don’t have a very high opinion of Canonical due to their use of CLAs, which also appear to be present in some fashion with UT and UBPorts as well:

        I agree that some standardization would likely be beneficial in some areas (such as focusing on a single Phone UI and polishing it up). PostmarketOS is making the most progress on getting real Linux on mobile, so if I had to pick one project to support monetarily, and one that could become mainstream, or partner with a manufacturer like GrapheneOS did with Motorola, I think that would be the project to back, IMHO.