The Necunos Mobile Linux Smartphone With KDE Option Preparing To Ship - Without Modem

Back in November was the surprising announcement of the Necunos Mobile as an open-source Linux phone making use of KDE Plasma Mobile. That phone is now preparing to ship and pre-orders are open, but I wouldn't get too excited at this stage.

The phone specs remain similar to what was shared in November, including the use of the dated NXP i.MX6 SoC. The phone isn't blob-free but the binary blobs are said to not have access to the main system memory.

Besides being powered by an older SoC that is slow to today's smartphone standards, it's hard to even declare the initial Necunos NC-1 a smartphone. This initial device doesn't even have a cellular modem or SIM card. This initial device is just being advertised as an engineering device / software development platform. "Necunos NC_1 is an engineering unit. It does not have cellular modem or SIM-card slot. It will ship with your choice of software. You are in control of the software running on the NC_1 and Necuno Solutions is not liable for any defects or bugs in the software."

It's not clear if they intend to ship with a cellular modem at all as the product page also now advertises the lack of SIM/cellular as a security feature. "Extreme tracking protection; no SIM module...Wi-Fi, Ethernet and other IP connectivity"

While the Purism Librem 5 with i.MX8 is already priced high at $600~700 USD for the specs relative to today's mass-produced smartphones, the Necunos Mobile is even more expensive. This initial device is up for pre-order at €1199.00.

The Finnish company is offering the device with no operating system, Plasma Mobile based on Debian or postmarketOS, Maemo Leste, Nemo Mobile, or LuneOS.

The NC1 device is now available for pre-order and they plan to begin shipping the hardware starting in March. Today's press release also talks of an NE1 device intended for "high security mobile communications."