Sailfish OS 3.4 Released With Experimental Rust Support, Finally Eyeing 64-bit ARM

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Sailfish OS 3.4 Released With Experimental Rust Support, Finally Eyeing 64-bit ARM

It's been a while since having any major news to report on the once promising mobile Linux software platform Sailfish OS from Finnish vendor Jolla, but today they issued a big update in the form of "Pallas-Yllästunturi" or more easily known as Sailfish OS 3.4...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Sailfish-OS-3.4-Released

[uid313]

It looks truly awful! 🤢👎

[misGnomer]

As someone who was an early adopter of Maemo and Nokia tablets I would have loved to see a successful open platform and open devices getting built upon those pioneering efforts.

What happened instead was a laggard partially-open system built for uninspiring low-end PRC-made generic hardware and partnerships with (Putin-era) Russian and PRC companies with their suspect state-backed agendas.



Now I wouldn't mind they put a fork in it or someone forked the whole thing properly. I get that in the world of GOOG/AAPL domination they went with the only "partners" they could find, but if you sleep with dogs I prefer not to live with their fleas in my pocket.

It would have been in the best interests of all free and democratic countries to have at least one notable open mobile platform to depend on, if only for the security of those countries and their citizens.

It is interesting to see how only lately these countries have woken up to back their local manufacturers like Nokia and Ericsson versus PRC's state-backed Huawei...
Looks to be too late for Maemo->Sailfish project though.

[Polleke]

misGnomer just wondering what mobile device you are using as a daily driver?

When it comes to software, I do think Sailfish is much better than Maemo and Meego. Those were not fully open source either, and also hardly received updates. The Nokia N9 from 2011 only received minimal updates untill 2013.
I do understand you have doubts about the Russian financing, but apparently nobody else was interested? It is not an easy market fighting uphill against Apple and Google. Microsoft could not manage, and Ubuntu Touch and Firefox OS didn't get where they were aiming at either and had to let go of their projects.

For myself, I am a happy mobile linux user for 6 years now and counting All on Sailfish OS. There is enough to be critical about and they have made mistakes, but even today there is no better option for me on the market. Pinephone and Librem 5 are currently developer devices, not yet meant as daily drivers for end-users.

Sail on!

[rustysys-dev]

I wouldn't mind one of these devices, honestly from the screenshots shared it looks nice to me.

I just wish they offered support for a device im interested in.

[Nille_kungen]

I still use an Sailfish based smartphone, been using 3.4 for some time.
I'm still sailing.

[Jedibeeftrix]

lots of whining here, always a pleasure to see.

i still have my old n900, and my old n9, so i've been there and done that.

my XA2 Plus has been running SFOS for nearly two years now, and I'm quite happy with it.

glad that they're finally updating some truly decrepit parts of their stack, but it is now happening.

the new Xperia midrange will hopefully be announced with SFOS support soon, looks like good hardware (IP65 / OLED). even if it is sold at Sony's traditionally inflated prices.

yes, you can get more for your money, but they don't run SFOS. if that isn't good enough keep on with the android...

[tuxd3v]

(...)
my XA2 Plus has been running SFOS for nearly two years now, and I'm quite happy with it.
glad that they're finally updating some truly decrepit parts of their stack, but it is now happening.
the new Xperia midrange will hopefully be announced with SFOS support soon, looks like good hardware (IP65 / OLED). even if it is sold at Sony's traditionally inflated prices.
yes, you can get more for your money, but they don't run SFOS. if that isn't good enough keep on with the android...

I agree,
My grip with SFOS is that it doesn't have FM Radio support, and I use and abuse of FM Radio, it is really low power compared with the other options..
And because of that, I can't use SFOS, I even brought a device for it, but without support I don't go there..

[skeevy420]

It looks truly awful! 🤢👎

I like it, though I'll admit that the translucent theme giving that blur effect to the wallpaper didn't look very pretty in the screenshots. One screenshot with the unblured wallpaper would have been nice. IMHO, the blur effect and transition to it looks better as a GIF, video, or in person.

I'd have that same thought if this was about KDE, GNOME, or any other OS or DE showing a bunch of full screen translucent blur panels covering the desktop without showing a clear view of the underlying desktop.

[Thaodan]

I agree,
My grip with SFOS is that it doesn't have FM Radio support, and I use and abuse of FM Radio, it is really low power compared with the other options..
And because of that, I can't use SFOS, I even brought a device for it, but without support I don't go there..

It does support FM radio. It just depends on the device you use if its supported because its vendor specific.