I care about Linux for mobile devices because it encapsulates the problem of smartphone e-waste. A viable alternative mobile operating system, one that is not dependent upon one of two profit-driven companies, would mean we can keep our phones useful for longer, and out of the landfill.
I came across a great post by Amos Batto titled Will Linux phones become a viable alternative to the Android/iOS duopoly? (via Linux on Mobile). In exploring whether Linux will give us that viable alternative, Batto distinguishes between “pure” Linux phones which are designed, built, and sold for the purpose of running Linux, and Android phones which may be able to run Linux.
Android phones have modified Linux kernels that are supported by the chip manufacturer (e.g. Qualcomm, MediaTek). These are referred to as “Android kernels”, which distinguishes them from the “mainline” Linux kernel maintained by the Linux Foundation. The chip manufacturer provides a certain length of support, after which their Android kernel falls behind the mainline kernel, exposing the user to security vulnerabilities.
Batto says that, to be competitive with Android and iOS, pure Linux phones need better hardware, which is on the way:
[The Librem 5, Liberty, PinePhone and PinePhone Pro Linux] phones previously didn’t have the processing power to offer the functionality that people expect in a smartphone. They often lacked components such image signal processors, audio digital signal processors, hardware video encoders, Vulkan graphics, neural processors and encryption engines, or they lacked the FOSS drivers to support those components. The RK3588S and the upcoming RK3668, however, will give pure Linux phones the processing power to be viable alternatives to Android and iOS phones for the first time.
Additionally, Internet of Things (IoT) processors have gotten good enough to drive phones. IoT processors matter here because they receive 10-15 years of support. And lastly, regular mobile processors and their Android kernels are now supported for 7-8 years.
It’s a reasonable analysis. Niche device manufacturers have a better chance today at making a good Linux phone than ever before.
But I think about this in terms of what’s being sold today and what’s on the second-hand market. I want to know when mobile Linux will reduce our future garbage. Unfortunately, the path to a competitive Linux phone doesn’t include the phones sitting in the back of our desk drawers, even if they have 8-core processors and 6 GB of RAM or more.
I care about Linux for mobile devices because it encapsulates the problem of smartphone e-waste. A viable alternative mobile operating system, one that is not dependent upon one of two profit-driven companies, would mean we can keep our phones useful for longer, and out of the landfill.
I came across a great post by Amos Batto titled Will Linux phones become a viable alternative to the Android/iOS duopoly? (via Linux on Mobile). In exploring whether Linux will give us that viable alternative, Batto distinguishes between “pure” Linux phones which are designed, built, and sold for the purpose of running Linux, and Android phones which may be able to run Linux.
Android phones have modified Linux kernels that are supported by the chip manufacturer (e.g. Qualcomm, MediaTek). These are referred to as “Android kernels”, which distinguishes them from the “mainline” Linux kernel maintained by the Linux Foundation. The chip manufacturer provides a certain length of support, after which their Android kernel falls behind the mainline kernel, exposing the user to security vulnerabilities.
Batto says that, to be competitive with Android and iOS, pure Linux phones need better hardware, which is on the way:
Additionally, Internet of Things (IoT) processors have gotten good enough to drive phones. IoT processors matter here because they receive 10-15 years of support. And lastly, regular mobile processors and their Android kernels are now supported for 7-8 years.
It’s a reasonable analysis. Niche device manufacturers have a better chance today at making a good Linux phone than ever before.
But I think about this in terms of what’s being sold today and what’s on the second-hand market. I want to know when mobile Linux will reduce our future garbage. Unfortunately, the path to a competitive Linux phone doesn’t include the phones sitting in the back of our desk drawers, even if they have 8-core processors and 6 GB of RAM or more.
Previously: