Jolla to be installable on Android soon?

[gerbick]

Apparently so...

Want to try that sweet-sounding Sailfish OS, but don’t want to fork out the €399 for the first Jolla handset? Fret not as the company will allow you to sideload its OS to any Android device that you might already have.

Emphasis mine... read more here (http://www.gsmarena.com/sailfish_os_will_be_available_for_android_users_to _install-news-7295.php)...

[kai_en]

I wonder whether you will get that Android compatibility layer or not. Most probably not, my guess.

[szymeczek34]

I hope it's not going to be an exact port for everybody/every android phone, because I could have gotten with a Nexus 4 for 250€ instead of 414 for Jolla(even though I really support them but given my earnings(2€/h) 164 actually makes a huge difference for me for a weaker device)

[gerbick]

I wonder whether you will get that Android compatibility layer or not. Most probably not, my guess.

Why not? Android would already be there.

I hope it's not going to be an exact port for everybody/every android phone, because I could have gotten with a Nexus 4 for 250€ instead of 414 for Jolla(even though I really support them but given my earnings(2€/h) 164 actually makes a huge difference for me for a weaker device)

This happens though, automatically solves my issue for not having access to the Jolla device in the US. And if it means I could put it on a HTC One (same chipset as the Jolla phone) then I'll have comparable performance. Nexus 5 might be even greater performance (better resolution in the least).

I don't see how this is immediately a bad thing, I see them testing out a possible delivery. But it'll invariably be limited to just UI and not include phone calls/phone stack I'd bet.

Either way, if this becomes a full-blown way to get the Jolla OS on my phone, I'm 100% there. I just don't see how this will get them money. Just numbers...

[Storm_11]

The only advantage I can now see to get a Jolla phone instead of this option, is the potential of a HW kb for the other half. Good luck finding an android phone, with reasonable specs, that has a HW kb that doesn't piggy back over BT....

[kai_en]

I would have thought that Sailfish's Android Compatibility technology comes from ACL and ACL would be proprietary and needs to be licensed separately, regardless one already has Android running on his device or not.

[ste-phan]

I hope it's not going to be an exact port for everybody/every android phone, because I could have gotten with a Nexus 4 for 250€ instead of 414 for Jolla(even though I really support them but given my earnings(2€/h) 164 actually makes a huge difference for me for a weaker device)

Make that:

250€ for the Nexus 4
50 - 100 € for the Sailfish driver licenses + core applications pack that are full integrated in the Sailfish interface.

I expect Jolla may need to offer premium core applications and earn money via a Jolla store or something

I assumed we were here for the software.

Why freedom to install your non-spyware OS on any HW of choice needs to be free per se?

[Dave999]

That would be a truly amazing by jolla if I could install it on a note. My jPhone would instantly collecting dust :D

Infant I should cancel my preorder and wait until Jolla delivers Android support and then buy a jolla as phone as thank you.

[Mikkosssss]

If Jolla makes Sailfish run on Android device they should drop Android applications or limit them. It would boost native applications develoment.

[soryuuha]

Installable? More like pre-loaded..

[ggabriel]

I think this has blown out of proportion... Jolla has never set the expectation that they'll let end users install Sailfish on hardware currently running Android. Most importantly, they never said "when", they didn't even say "soon".

[smoku]

Sailfish OS is already installable on ARM boards and Android devices.
You just need Mer hardware adaptation running, then install packages pulled from Sailfish SDK.

But you need to remember that like in case of Maemo, free OS does not mean that all the needed apps, plugins and codecs are free.
And pure OS without apps is good for one thing only - app development.
So yes - it's nothing wrong with Jolla allowing Sailfish OS to be installable on many platforms - it means more apps only.
On the other side, their business is safe as all the really interesting parts of Jolla phone are most probably their IP - a model we know working well in Maemo.

[ggabriel]

Sailfish OS is already installable on ARM boards and Android devices.
You just need Mer hardware adaptation running, then install packages pulled from Sailfish SDK.

I will add that it's installable by developers (or people with some technical background) who are fairly familiar with the flashing process and with the guts of Mer and Sailfish.

Your normal user out there won't be able to install it like they upgrade their Android version. If Jolla wants the "normal end user to install Sailfish on their Android devices", they'll have to make it available via a store or something, and I have no clue what they'll do with the user's data and so forth.
If Jolla actually means that you can buy a device that normally runs Android with Sailfish installed, that's a whole different story.

Of course that for some people in TMO your statement is more than accurate, just bear in mind that the message that Jolla sent wasn't for TMO in particular ;-)

[igguk1]

To me this way is the only way they could get recognition by the mainstream, their current phone is overpriced and will be only adopted by hardcore linux fans or Finnish.
They need to allow a dual booting with Android so people can start playing with it ala linux in pc's.
Once people start noticing it they can bring to the market better phones but I believe from now on the money will be in the software side rather than on the hardware side were chinese are lowering profits to a point nobody will be able to compete.

[smoku]

You are reading to much from the interview.

What he said is that there is already an aftermarket software movement in China (and other regions as well, see 4pda.ru, xda-developers.com) and Jolla will not discourage people of this movement from putting Sailfish OS on their devices.
"We just have to get Sailfish to those websites – and to make sure that Sailfish will run on different kind of Android devices." - this is what Mer Project is for.

[nodevel]

Am I the only one who thinks this is a bad sign and dangerous path for Jolla (if it is true)?

I am afraid this looks like Jolla's turning to its last resort. If I were them, I would turn this way only if my negotiations with hw manufacturers failed, or if Sailfish became massively popular.

Now why I think it's dangerous:

Android users mostly come from Windows from where many of them brought the habit of 'pirating anything that moves, whether I need it or not'. If Jolla wants to make some money on Sailfish OS, it would need to incorporate certain security means to slow the piracy down, which would hurt the open nature of their system.
Now they have lots of work with support for their own handset. Imagine the amount of work needed to support many devices they're not in control of. Customers who paid for the system for their Android device would logically expect 1st class support.
If they release it officially for free, it might become just another Ubuntu Touch without any clear business model.
The main advantage they now have is the exclusivity of their system. That would simply disappear.


I'm all in for community ports, I just think Jolla should think twice before going this way. If it is the way that'll help Jolla/Mer, I'll support it - I'm just not convinced it is.

[Kangal]

How the hell is Jolla gonna accomplish this in China where "smart" phone's have lots of variation, and the source documents are non-existent.

I mean Cyanogen tried to accomplish this same thing, and they're only going from "Android" to "Android". So far they've failed.

What chance does Jolla have?
Or is this just hearsay for a publicity stunt?

[mscion]

At this point, coming from the US (of course I only speak for myself), if Sailfish can be successfully installed on a high end android device (e.g. Galaxy Note 2) with the phone, LTE data working and so forth, I would definitely go this route. I've been following this for a few days now and there is growing interest on XDA so I think there could be a great deal of support from many talented developers. I'm not keeping my hopes up too high but it would be great if it happens as I'm not interested in the current Jolla device or putting Sailfish on my N9 to be my daily drive.