Tag: Ubuntu Touch

Key Takeaways

1. Unique Hobby: Installing Linux on smartphones is a niche activity, especially as many devices focus on reducing screen time and user tracking.

2. Liberux NEXX Campaign: Liberux has launched an Indiegogo campaign to fund the development of their NEXX smartphone, which promotes user ownership of both hardware and software.

3. User Control and Longevity: The Liberux vision includes features like removable batteries, 5 years of software updates, and support for Android, aiming to reduce planned obsolescence.

4. Impressive Specs, High Price: The NEXX offers strong specifications but comes at a steep price of $1480, raising concerns about its accessibility and market viability.

5. Investment Risks: While the vision is commendable, the lack of a working prototype and high cost pose significant risks for potential backers of the project.

Installing Linux on a smartphone is quite a unique hobby, even with the increase in smartphones aimed at cutting down screen time and distancing from large companies that are often criticized for tracking users closely.

Options Available

Yet, there are numerous choices available, including brands like Volla and Fairphone, plus Ubuntu Touch can be set up on many older models.

We talked about the Liberux NEXX back in January when it was first revealed, and Liberux has now started an Indiegogo campaign to gather funds for the development of the phone.

The Liberux Vision

The vision of Liberux is indeed praiseworthy, offering a way to escape tracking and planned obsolescence, with both hardware and software owned by the user. The features include removable batteries and a promise of 5 years of software updates, aiming to keep devices from ending up in landfills. They also plan to support Android via a Waydroid setup, and the full operating system could transform the device into a highly portable computer with the addition of a dock.

Specifications and Price

The specs are quite impressive too, with the NEXX flaunting 32 GB of LPDDR4X RAM, a 256 GB eMMC storage, and a Rockchip RK3588S 8-core processor. It even includes hardware switches to manage all of your device’s radios and USB ports.

Even if this niche product had a broader audience, the main issue is its price. Liberux is asking for $1480 to secure one device, which is set to ship around July 2026. That comes with a 21% discount off the anticipated retail price of $1878. There are development boards and a proof of concept, but no working prototype exists, and Indiegogo has this campaign listed as still in the concept phase.

Conclusion

That’s quite a hefty sum for an open-source phone, especially when you can get a first-generation Pixel Fold from Amazon and install LineageOS on it for significantly less. It’s also a risky investment, since there’s a chance this product may never arrive at your door.

The Liberux NEXX showcases an admirable and deserving vision, aiming for user control over hardware and software, free from the influence of large corporations. However, the cost of this freedom could hinder the realization of their aspirations.

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