A developer shares their decision to switch from Android to Linux on their Fairphone 4, driven by frustration with Google's increasing restrictions on AOSP, tracking via Play Services, and the removal of sideloading. After evaluating SailfishOS and Ubuntu Touch, they settled on SailfishOS for its gesture navigation, SSH access, and Linux-native feel — despite issues with outdated Python/glibc, broken GPS, and no working Waydroid on the Fairphone port. Ubuntu Touch was also tested but fell short due to notification/clipboard sync issues and a lackluster app ecosystem. A secondary Android device is kept for banking and essential apps that require Waydroid or Android compatibility. A follow-up writeup or video is planned.
635 Impressions