cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/14041182
Really they should be making it for existing phones. The mobile Linux scene is pretty barren
The problem is that phone hardware is incredibly non-standard. Every model requires custom tweaks and regular bug fixes, which is why there aren’t many phones with good Linux support or with enduring LineageOS support or any other specialty OS. Every manufacturer does their own thing and edits Android to fit their hardware, but they generally don’t release the custom drivers or any documentation. The same phone model from a different year or different region might have a different chipset in it. Keeping up with it is basically impossible, by the time an aftermarket developer gets their custom OS build running properly the phone is obsolete.
On the other hand, if a project can pick the hardware platform for themselves then everything is more manageable.
Everybody likes to take advantage of open standards, but nobody wants to share their own toys.
I keep thinking if they could make a phone that you just assemble like a computer and can change the parts to upgrade. I don’t care it would be bit bulky. But I assume they wouldn’t make as much money if people won’t buy entire new phones every two years.
Currently typing this on a Fairphone 5 that I imported from Europe. I would personally say no in terms of it being an answer to the above poster. At least as of now. I’m not saying I dislike the phone. I’m fairly happy with it, with the only real complaint being battery life.
Although it is easy to repair, as far as I am aware none of the phones really share any parts or have an upgrade path which is what I would really like to see. Similar to the Framework laptops (which I also own and just upgraded). I think the SoC in this phone will last me for quite some time, but if the Fairphone 6 ends up having a much more energy efficient screen, I would love if I could install it on my current phone, but that is highly unlikely as far as I can tell.
It’s extremely difficult since every phone SOC has its own closed proprietary blob of drivers that’s required to make use of it.
