As of lately Sailfish OS got my attention, and I have to say this OS has a lot of potential. It reminds me of the BB OS10, WebOS and Meego UI all at the same time. The fact that is is open source is also a big plus. So why does nobody adopt this OS ? Let's not fool yourself... If the adoption rate stays like this it will die just like Symbian, WP8, BB OS10, WebOS, Ubuntu Mobile, Tizen and many more.
We, as the XDA community and family we are, have some amazing devs on board that have worked and released some of the most creative projects in the past. In fact, if we, as a community, want to get Jolla's OS to a higher level we have to promote it.
How can we do this ? Well the best way is to get it running in some massively popular devices which are dev friendly. Forget the Nexus, I'm talking the Moto G 2014 and E 2015 editions here. If anything stable cones out for these devices we can really start an useebase which will develop some amazing things hopefully.
The best way to get this is by developing for the midrange devices: this is how WP gained popularity the last year. People with high-end devices have usually bought the device for Android, cause they could have got any other platform they wanted. Midrange device users might have gotten it for Android, but generally speaking I think the experience is what matters most to them. So if their device is sluggish because of buggy Android Lolipop and they can have a really smooth experience with Sailfish... They will at least try!
Here you have The HADK PDF from Jolla. This can get you started if you are wondering how.
http://releases.sailfishos.org/sfe/SailfishOS-HardwareAdaptationDevelopmentKit-1.0.3.0.pdf
So if anybody has some free time and knows a thing or two about development, shout here.
Please keep this thread organised, sain and be respectfully. Don't ask for ETA's.
Hi @soulaiman !
I love this idea. I'm not a developer but I wanted so hard having salifsh on my moto that I tried myself to make the port, but the lack of time and machine resources made me drop it. I've followed the firsts steps of the HADK and I got stucked writing the manifest.
As I say, I don't have a lot of time but if you need a tester for the xt1032 you have one here.
Hi elfio,
Me neither. I'm not a dev but know some things about it. The problem is that my main PC has given its soul and I can't compile anything for now.
It would be really nice to have this ported.
That's a pity. I don't know when I'll have a new computer. Until then I can do nothing.
Anybody else?
There simply aren't enough Sailfish users, let alone devs, let alone porters.
It's still a much more complex, involved process than porting AOSP based Android ROMs to new phones, with a miniscule fraction of the interested parties and porters.
A semi-realistic target would be to support Sailfish ports for the new LG/Huawei Nexus devices later this year, they're likely to sell well and see a lot of (non-Sailfish) porting activity. Plus perhaps one of the Ubuntu Phone SKUs if one becomes popular, as porting should be easy - maybe the Bq convergence device hinted at for later this year.
Nexus 4 & 5 are the only decent(ish) ports at the moment. With an OK one for the One Plus One. If the new Nexus devices could be supported when they drop later this year, I think that'd be a good target. Any more ambition and we'll likely see the large number of half-baked, abandoned port attempts swell even further, which helps no-one and looks bad.
If something dramatic happens and there's more interest in Sailfish, maybe there'll be the resources to do a decent port on something like the S6 / S7 or Note 5 next year.
Would be great to see
Sent from my L70 using Tapatalk
Related
How come they got Android 2.3 on the iphone but noone can get ios on android hardware?
I would think at least partly it's due to lack of trying (doubt many Android developers would want to use iOS)... but the thing is, Android is designed to run on a lot of different hardware, whereas iOS runs on specific hardware, so they can do lots of specific checks if they really wanted to to make sure it's running on a real iPhone. This is just my educated guess of course.
The iPhone currently has a handful of carriers and only 4 hardware configurations. I'd imagine that a fair amount of information about the internals gets leaked as well.
I am unaware of the specifics of android development on that platform, but the biggest advantage their developer community has is less overlap and redundancy in their efforts (lack of fragmentation). Also note that Android is open source-IOS is not, so we only tend to see iPhone OS installed on Apple hardware.
I also have my suspicions that their grass isn't really all that green. Personally, I tend to favor fragmentation, as it fosters innovation(but YMMV!).
You didn't ask my opinion though
Cheers.
Android is open source so it can be adapted to almost all hardware. iOS is closed source so to adapt it you'd have to reverse engineer. And that is illegal. It's that simple. And been asked before. You should try searching, reading and thinking, it's wonderfull, doesn't hurt and you might learn something.
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App
The reason's pretty simple. In order to effectively port an OS to any particular device, you really need access to the source code.
On the one hand, with Android, Google literally gives the source code away. You know that AOSP term everyone throws around? It stands for Android Open Source Project, and is the website (source.android.com) where anyone can download the full Android source code and do basically whatever they want with it.
Then, there's Apple. They guard iOS' source code vigilantly and litigiously -- I mean, their over-protectiveness even extends to what apps they'll let run on (non-jailbroken) phones. So needless to say, they don't make it easy to take their OS apart and port it to other devices. Really, they make it as hard as possible.
Great answers guys thanx!
Yeah! Thanks for the answer Ik Desire! You Rock!
Saw this new OS by Jolla called Sailfish, it is a Linux bases OS that shares the mer core that was used by MeeGo. So far from what I can tell it is going to be completely open source and will be able to run android apps. I just wanted to post this here to see if there would be anyone willing to try and get this onto the G2x. I don't know if it is possible but if it could be done I would be willing to do whatever to help it get done as I think this is a really cool OS with a different UI and real multitasking.
Any information on the OS can be found here: http://jolla.com
Hands on with the OS:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?1&v=_c_BqnR_vAM
Reminds me of BB10. Is this Android based?
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda premium
That looks incredible
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda app-developers app
Looking into it. I guess I would have to compile from source and go from there.
It looks like the graphic card driver issue might come up again. Hopefully not. I was told to start with this since I have a nexus one.
SDK is here by the way.
Possible ROM? Looks better then jb
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app
its actually the MeeGo OS, not android, but it looks so good.
Hi,
i'm very interested in this os. Saw the presentation at the live stream wednesday and follow the developement for a while. Here some things i found. Hope this helps.
It is meego/mer based.
The bridge to android is, that the Appstore of google is ported to sailfish os.
There will be a support for ST Ericsson devices. I'm wondering on which devices it will be ported.
The developers are making commercial to the manufacturers with the statement, that they are able to port the system to any device within three days. So there should be good possobiloties for dev's.
The source Code should be available right now, but i couldn't find it. There is a wiki site on sailfishos.org .
Hope there are some people that will try to port it.
Cheers!
I like what they are doing A LOT. I was organizing the #Slush12 conference and got to see their stuff very well. It's great, amazing IMO! We will also ahve a hack day with them on 1st of December, exploring the Sailfish SDK (check http://sailfishos.org ) so if anyone here wants to come to Finland........ http://mobiledevcamp.fi
Anyways, yeah, it's based on MeeGo/Mer and uses Nemo as the base for GUI - but the UI is completely different. There are also many other things that differ and will differ in the future from Mer base but at the moment there isn't too much in there. And since a device will be launched in Summer 2013 there is still a lot they need to work on. It's going to be open source and it will support a very broad range of CPU's. I might even be able to get it on my old HTC Magic....hmmmmm....gotta see about that. They had dozens of devices there at the event they had put it running on, including N950's, (I think an N9 too), some ST-Ericsson development devices, Raspberry Pi boards (!!!!!!) and then some others. Wow. They all seem to be tweakers & hackers like us
You should check the videos from http://youtube.com/jollaofficial and from http://jolla.com to get a better view on what's going to come. Or what is. '
'
And as a side note, we COULD get the OS running with the stuff from the SDK. No instructions or tutorials yet but skilled guys can ofc do it!:good:
EDIT:
bardzogrozny said:
Hi,
i'm very interested in this os. Saw the presentation at the live stream wednesday and follow the developement for a while. Here some things i found. Hope this helps.
It is meego/mer based.
The bridge to android is, that the Appstore of google is ported to sailfish os.
There will be a support for ST Ericsson devices. I'm wondering on which devices it will be ported.
The developers are making commercial to the manufacturers with the statement, that they are able to port the system to any device within three days. So there should be good possobiloties for dev's.
The source Code should be available right now, but i couldn't find it. There is a wiki site on sailfishos.org .
Hope there are some people that will try to port it.
Cheers!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google's Play Store won't officially be ported for Sailfish OS, but instead I believe some people here at XDA will port the APK though there is no guarantee it works. Anyways, they will be run through Myriad's stuff.
The ST-Ericsson stuff means that they are supporting Jolla with dev boards and that their boards can and will be used on at least some Jolla devices.
More later!
I like all that is being said here and hope we could get some skilled developers on this, the SDK is out though I do not have the link for it right here. I will look around for it.
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda premium
Rafase282 said:
It looks like the graphic card driver issue might come up again. Hopefully not. I was told to start with this since I have a nexus one.
SDK is here by the way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you read the info from the link there you will find the links and instructions for the sdk.
Still hopeful
If it is possible to somehow port this over to our g2xs then why hasn't it been done with meego? Obviously ICS isn't coming, but if this does make it here somehow, then i might just hold on to this phone . If it doesn't then it will be a choice between the nexus 4 and the jolla phone. My brother has the N9 with meego on it, and the sad part is that he can run and android emulator with ICS perfectly, while we're stuck with out roms . For those of you who have not had the opportunity to play around with a linux phone, i highly suggest you do. If you look at the N9 specs compared to the G2X specs it looks weaker, but don't be fooled. the meego system can do much more with less. Anyways sorry for rambling on.
If you don't feel like reading that then: Meego is great, Jolla is gonna be better (the guys that made meego, which nokia cancelled, banded together to create jolla and continue on).
flizer said:
If it is possible to somehow port this over to our g2xs then why hasn't it been done with meego? Obviously ICS isn't coming, but if this does make it here somehow, then i might just hold on to this phone . If it doesn't then it will be a choice between the nexus 4 and the jolla phone. My brother has the N9 with meego on it, and the sad part is that he can run and android emulator with ICS perfectly, while we're stuck with out roms . For those of you who have not had the opportunity to play around with a linux phone, i highly suggest you do. If you look at the N9 specs compared to the G2X specs it looks weaker, but don't be fooled. the meego system can do much more with less. Anyways sorry for rambling on.
If you don't feel like reading that then: Meego is great, Jolla is gonna be better (the guys that made meego, which nokia cancelled, banded together to create jolla and continue on).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What's funny is that is sort of what I think when it comes down to it.
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda premium
N9
Hi guys,
it's been a while since I've been here, but I have been following Jolla and their new OS, Sailfish.
I own a Nokia N9, got it 2nd hand on Ebay, mint condition.
First thing I wanted to do was upgrade the software/firmware, but it'd already been done by the previous owner.
Version PR1.3 (MeeGo 1.2 Harmattan), apparently, this last update came with a 1000 improvements!
Having come from using a Nokia N8 with Symbian's latest Belle Refresh, I find the N9 a bit less intuitive.
No alphanumeric keypad with T9 support, just QWERTY keypads that do support T9 and of course Swype, which is a joke on such a small keypad.
There are a variety of free softwares available for the N9, some don't work at all or require tweaking to make them run.
Video playback is absolutely horrendous, whatever format is being played, drops frames like mad and goes out of sync quite rapidly (not so much with streamed videos).
Also, there is no direct access to the 'user storage', a 3rd party 'explorer' is required to access it, how ridiculous and too boot, there is also not 16GB of storage, it's nearer 9GB as the MeeGo OS and included 'non removable' bloatware hogs all the valuable storage!
Anyway, I could ramble on about loads of little niggles with the N9 and the 'wonderful' MeeGo O/S which could have been a winner with more development.
Here's hoping that Jolla can deliver a breath of fresh air for the N9 users out there, which will NOT be supported by Jolla, it will be a community effort that will bring Sailfish to the N9 and other handsets.
All I 'd like is a nice alphanumeric keypad with T9 support in a 4x3 format, thanks! 8)
All said and done, the N9 has a lot of appeal with its glossy curvy finish, but, MeeGo, well, it's gotta go and Sailfish needs deliver!, if not, it's back on Ebay for my N9!!
Regards
Mark
This os is designed for nokia's upcoming mobiles.
Khizar hayyat said:
This os is designed for nokia's upcoming mobiles.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No it isn't.
Sailfish OS was made by people who got fired from Nokia and made their own company called Jolla. They are going to introduce their own phone running the Sailfish OS in few months.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium
Can't say I am excited about this neither as a developer nor as a consumer/enthusiast.
The ones interested in ports can follow this blog, there are instructions for some devices and boards already(Cubox, Snowball, Galaxy Nexus, ...): sagestechblog dot blogspot dot fi
The instructions are for Nemo Mobile that is basically Sailfish core(Mer) with a UI done by the community, when all Jolla Sailfish bits are released the setup should not differ much.
I love the idea and enthusiasm of Jolla but I can't see it succeeding especially with full out Ubuntu on mobile now. Shame too, because I loved MeeGo, especially on a netbook.
wpetraska said:
I love the idea and enthusiasm of Jolla but I can't see it succeeding especially with full out Ubuntu on mobile now. Shame too, because I loved MeeGo, especially on a netbook.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, Ubuntu is not out yet. And announcing Ubuntu OS do not miraculously make it be an interesting choice or available everywhere. And even after that, you still have to choose between two UI that are really different.
(Personnaly, my choice goes to Sailfish)
In case you haven't seen it...
http://m.gsmarena.com/jolla_sailfish_os_detailed_demoed_on_video-news-5104.php
Looks really good, anyone wanna work on a port for our lovely gs3?
Hmmm...doesn't seem to have generated any interest yet...
In an interview with the CEO of Jolla, the interviewer asked if he could put this on his GS3, the CEO replied "Enabling Sailfish for a device such as Galaxy S3 is something that any community member could already do."
The SDK is released online here (I believe)
Unfortunately, I have no technical expertise in this area, is anyone else interested?
Could this be better than Jellybean?
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app
brew182 said:
In case you haven't seen it...
http://m.gsmarena.com/jolla_sailfish_os_detailed_demoed_on_video-news-5104.php
Looks really good, anyone wanna work on a port for our lovely gs3?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd love to play around with it. The Ambiance feature looks really really cool.
A port form a different OS would only be good for the community However, I have no skills in developing or porting so I can't help except perhaps a small donation to whomever gets it done.
Same here, looks fun but no idea how to do it
I want! Looks awesome!
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda premium
This have to be done! I really want sailfish!
It's awsome .
I's a good OS ! But not for geeks for sure .
It will only turn heads of people who want to use it for daily usage . Not for heavy customizing ,
BTW The gecko / Firefox OS Would be awesome ! as it is an HTML 5 Based OS / or just a web page :cyclops:
Man no Google now voice search. Gapps. Or play store apps.
Its looks nice but right now in this phone world its apple Google and Microsoft. I may want to try out the new Ubuntu os since Google is technically Linux.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
Sure I would still prefer Android as my main platform, but I would LOVE to try this out on my GS3! I've always been an OS geek, and love the feel of exploring a new, beautiful, and innovative UI, as well as learning how the underlying platform works and differs from similar setups. It's why I've been playing around with Linux distros and customizing and tweaking them, Solaris, BSD, etc long before Android, despite the fact that I'm no developer. I would LOVE to be able to play around with different OS'es on my GS3, rather than just different Android roms, and Sailfish is one of the most interesting to me. I'll probably end up using Ubuntu more than anything if we get it, but Sailfish is something new and different and it looks really fun. :fingers-crossed:
Can someone link the story of a Jolla dev saying it can be ported easily by the community? If so, let's get this project started, and find out what needs to be done to make this happen, I'm tired of all these different OS'es coming only to the GNex!
With the re-merge of Android and Linux, and addition of the ARM drivers to the mainline, these types of alternative OS'es shouldn't be terribly difficult to port, and between Alien Dalvik and Google writing all their apps in HTML5 for ChromeOS, we should be able to get the basics of what we need from Android running on here, we just need to get the OS running!!
robogoflow said:
I may want to try out the new Ubuntu os since Google is technically Linux.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You realize that Sailfish is also technically Linux, too, right? And you realize that Ubuntu OS won't have Google Now, Gapps, or the Play Store either, right? So why are you naysaying Sailfish but optimistic about Ubuntu? You, sir, make no sense.
Why Sailfish might be a "GOOD" idea too...
The simple fact is I just bought a NOTE 2. First Samsung Device and aside from the S-pen, making a different way of interaction.
We have this to consider. As i have been readng how to 'setup' my NOTE 2 as it's on order and pending... I have come across
threads about how GOOGLE is trying to get 'us' the end users off of SD cards. Other Crap like that... Google has power now,
and they are acting so far like EVERY other US company that gets it. M$, Apple...
It's nice to 'have' something else to look at that is OPEN and someone noted something that is a concern to me. Customizable
look, and features. I myself don't like CRAP on my desktop or my HOME SCREENS... I just don't. When I run Linux, I go with no
icons on my desktop.
So this is so far from what I've seen a bit of a turn off but in the future because the system has to start somewhere... if it's really
open, one would hope such features could be expected. Either 3rd party or by the main OS makers.
There have been enough complaints here by users about devices without SD CARD access. About how Google is trying to cut
this off and how ni Samsung devices Samsung had to 'hack' around it to allow SD card access to apps that were used to getting
it.
I for one for simplicity don't want a stupid OS where all my personal CRAP PHOTOS etc are STUCK in the phone. Just for a simple
reason like that.
Another reason we should all hope for MORE OS's to be released is because lets let the DEVICE makers take something back!
Eventually it only takes one to WISE up... loosing money competing OS to OS or by trying to follow up when they have a good device but for example the ANDROID leader is SAMSUNG. I like that LG picked up WebOS SO they're gonna make Smart TV with it but all it takes is a little pebble to start the Landslide.
THese OEM's we want them to wise up and say... WAIT! There's stuff out there... we make the DEVICE and let them decide what they want on it. Isn't waht we all dream of? Cause then stupid crap like Samsungs Flash counter will be something made obsolete by trend.
Makes will possibly start trying to just concentrate on GOOD HARDWARE just like computers, and then maybe some company will really wise up and the only thing they'll contribute will be a device coming with some kind of AWsome MULTI-BOOT loader system ... Or at least if the devices are open someone can make one... haha.
Also about the Ubunty on mobiles thing... well, it's an interesting idea but seems like they are still not planning to get anywhere with it for a whole year? I wonder why...
Sailfish is using the WHOLE Linux... it's the same thing, but with a UI set for imbedded and small devices. SO all that needs to be done in the future is a step up to a whole desktop for bigger screen devices or if you dock your device to a large screen... so in other words...
Sailfish could have the same potential as Ubuntu...
I have personally never used Ubuntu and hope that with the option of sailfish what we may see is other Linux projects joining the trend. I mean really... it's all OPEN source. What actually bugs me the most as an end users is also the same problem that I see with some Linux projects.
Everyone reinventing the WHEEL trying to make the best this and taht and this is the real reason in some instances it's taking longer to do something that is lying around and could be modified and it's true, I don't speak with any experience in coding or programming but I think some who do know what is said is a bit true in some instances just like in some a total rewrite may be in order.
but if it's OPEN, then the parts are there.
So either way... it'll be good to see SAILFISH and other things. I'm sorry, but the whole TIZEN thing doesn't appeal to me pesonally. If it had more underlying structure other than the HTML 5, cause frankly, I am not real happy about every little thing on my system always
being connected to the internet in some way... though yes, I realize HTML 5 is just a way to create graphics but, remember these are companies we're dealing with here and they always have their own agenda.
Anyway... I'd like to see Sailfish vs Windoz OS, cause Micro$haft has not changed their ways and I don't expect to see them do any different than they have and their system will be similarly locked in ways but differently or in differently places as much as Apple's.
Android is open now but Google is acting weird and some competition and innovation can keep it open longer...
So, I'd love to see Salifsish fly or is that Swim... and of course they need to start somewhere and 90% of they users will be people who just want it to 'work' and that's where they need to go first. Us power users, etc in this forum, we're like the 10% or less now. Before
we were the people buying smartphones but when smartphones are now what the average user is getting their hands on?
Forget it... you bettre make something that they goo OOOH perty, and it's simple. OR you will be lost in the market. I also recall that
Sailfish is coming out here in the Asian market if I read taht right a couple month ago. I am an expat living in CHINA and believe me.
They want it simple and pretty, anything else... and it will fail. But once it hits this market, where a lot of stuff for Android is being made now
if it is accepted... then it will start having things made for it and if it can run Android apps, it's a true plus...
Depending on what hardware it comes out on, if it's able to use the simple apps I use in Android, it may be my next device to replace my daily users...
Obviously the NOTE 2 is going to be my KIND device and isn't exactly for 'daily' use in the way that I use my devices.
Still, the more the merrier and frankly, a lot of OEM's will want to get off of being branded as ANDROID device makers or whatever if they want to sell.
Also it's all good that ANDY is merging back with main kernel, but so far... there is still NO REAL work you can do with Android despite this yet. I do mean, such as prepare a very good OFFICE DOCUMENT, Power Point presentation and so on that you would on a computer. Though I hear the Open Office to Android project is going... so one can but wait and hope.
I would love to try this out on my LG optimus 2x SU660!
brew182 said:
In case you haven't seen it...
m.gsmarena.com/jolla_sailfish_os_detailed_demoed_on_video-news-5104.php
Looks really good, anyone wanna work on a port for our lovely gs3?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow. should try
I would love to see this OS running on my S3.
very cool... watch the hands on video. Note that they say that android apps will be ported over for the sailfish os, SO i would imagine that even if gapps are blocked etc. that they would likely work for the most part, or could be made to work ... lol :highfive:
Im definitely interested in anything that has quality (obviously this does!) ... and represents a new form of competition
I think this is pretty damn awesome. The hands on videos on YouTube look great, especially the ambiance thing.
Honestly, the phone looks good too but i would rather keep the beast hardware in my S3 and maybe get an S4, but having this OS on it would be awesome.
If someone had a way to dual boot Sailfish and Android, that would be epic.
Sure, it isnt completely and utterly customizable. But Sailfish seems very natural to use and at the same time you can still tap into all the Android apps!
Simple OS + Android apps.. what's not to like?
mandeep1 said:
I's a good OS ! But not for geeks for sure .
It will only turn heads of people who want to use it for daily usage . Not for heavy customizing ,
BTW The gecko / Firefox OS Would be awesome ! as it is an HTML 5 Based OS / or just a web page :cyclops:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is perfect for geeks! Lots of stuff to play with, mod and hack + true multi tasking
robogoflow said:
Man no Google now voice search. Gapps. Or play store apps.
Its looks nice but right now in this phone world its apple Google and Microsoft. I may want to try out the new Ubuntu os since Google is technically Linux.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dat comment. You must be somekind of an expert
/sarcasm
IOS 7 looks like Jolla.
Okay, I'm trying to get in the Sailfish game here. I bought a broken Xperia Z and brought it back to life just to find out the bootloader is unlockable. I'm SO angry because Virgin Mobile is refusing to unlock it because I'm not a customer (nothing wrong with the IMEI, I checked). Anyway, this has just doubled down my sheer determination to get out from under the carriers foot.
So I want to play too. I already gave my info to sledges and said I could help with documentation (I was told to hold tight). BUT since that Xperia is dead to me I wanted to know if I should go pick up a Nexus 4 and help with that adoption (install and test), or should I go get something else like a Moto G or a Nexus 5 and start playing. Where would I be the most help to the community?
Thanks,
Dinsdale247
Sounds like Nexus 4 and the Samsung S3 LTE are getting all the love, I was planning to get the Jolla phone, but after I found out the Nexus 5 was about the same price, with much better specs, and the fact that it is one of the most open phones you can get, I was looking at putting sailfish on it when it becomes available. I was actually surprised that work started on the Nexus 4 and not together with the Nexus 5, I guess no one whose porting has one.
It depends on what you're looking for in a phone, or if you just any phone that you can get the Sailfish OS on.
I would help with porting Sailfish to Nexus 5, but I have exams coming up, and no experience with porting.
There is a reason Nexus 4 is getting the attention.
It all comes back to the Hybris project. Many developers are using it as THE means to get ports jump started to Android hardware. Not only Sailfish, but Ubuntu Touch and Open Source webOS are contributing. Consensus seems to have been reached by the various developer communities that Nexus 4 and factory 4.2.2 offer the best hosting for modern hardware porting efforts with up-to-date spec and software stability on which to build.
IMHO, Nexus 4 is the clear choice for users in the field who want options. It's a stellar piece of hardware; yes there are more dynamically spec'd devices coming everyday, but mostly that capability is not being used for anything short of intense 3D gaming. If you want a solid phone that will have the spec to test unoptomized software Alphas and Betas this is a great unit and it has the radio hardware for near universal GSM access. The latest Android builds remain available, you can port Ubuntu Touch, you can (now) port Sailfish OS, you can add multi-rom capability and boot into Firefox OS... PLUS... a rumor has recently reached my ears that soon you will be able to port Open webOS to the N4...
What other phone is going to give you that many options? I say, Nexus 4, FTW baby!!! :highfive:
Maybe I'm the only one, but I am a long-time fan of the now-dead WebOS, (formerly PalmOS). Back in 2011-2013, I probably had 6 or 7 different WebOS phones, and found the hardware and the software to be superior in user experience than any others. The problem was that that was the big explosion era for Android and IOS, so WebOS got pretty overshadowed, and HP, (the new owners at the time), decided to axe any further development, and ended up selling the OS to LG, who has developed it further for TVs and stuff, (I don't have all of the technical details straight, but that's a superficial summary). Anyway, recently, out of nostalgia, I pulled out an old Veer, and bought a new Pre 2, and went back into the WebOS forums realm to get a fix of my old favorite, and I was pleasantly surprised to see the work of the community to keep WebOS alive. There is an archive of hundreds of app files available on ftp, (all abandonware available for free - even the paid apps from HP catalog), ongoing development of apps and patches to keep WebOS working with all of the changes in technology, (including updates to Preware - the unofficial dev app catalog, started way back then), and LuneOS, an open developers version of WebOS, which can be built for modern phones, and which was just updated - https://pivotce.com
I think the XC is a perfect candidate for LuneOS, being small, currently affordable, (one upside to the short lifespan of official support), and having pretty good specs. Plus, there's already plenty of foundational development needed for supporting porting, (Lineage, AOSP, and even a partly-working Halium - https://github.com/Halium/projectmanagement/issues/103). For anyone familiar with building/porting, the work needed to be done to build LuneOS for XC is minimal.
My problem(s): I am not familiar with building/porting. I am happy to test and learn, but I also currently don't have any regular access to a Linux computer, and even if I did, it would take me a looonng time to figure out from scratch what someone else could probably do in no time, since all of the elements are in place, (I checked with WebOS devs, and they said with what's available, building for XC is '... mostly a matter of configuration').
So, anybody out there with an XC want to do a build for us?
@harryharryharry @oshmoun ...?
Sorry, I'm not even remotely close to having the capabilities to pull a stunt like this, I think I'm currently in the same boat as you (minus the linux part)
Having said that, here's hoping someone more knowledgeable jumps in and picks up this interesting project. I'm willing and able to test and provide feedback as well of course.