torcida | # 1 | 2013-09-16, 22:23 | Report

Sailfish OS achieves compatibility with Android ecosystem

HELSINKI – September 16, 2013. Sailfish OS has achieved a major milestone whereby the OS is now compatible with the AndroidTM ecosystem, in terms of application and hardware compatibility.

Android applications run directly on Sailfish OS without any modifications

Users enjoying the unique gesture-based and modern Sailfish OS user experience will be able to take full advantage of the Android application ecosystem available through various app stores globally. Jolla will co- operate with leading global app stores to ensure users can seamlessly download Android apps just as they would do on any Android device.
“For example, highly popular apps such as Instagram, WhatsApp and Spotify run directly on Sailfish OS. Also Chinese WeChat – already with over 400 million users – runs on Sailfish OS,” says Jolla CEO Tomi Pienimäki.

Sailfish OS runs on common Android Hardware

Jolla has made a major breakthrough in Android hardware compatibility by developing Sailfish OS to run on common hardware produced for Android, particularly smartphones and tablets. Vendors interested to utilize Sailfish OS are now able to develop phones and tablets based on many different chipset and hardware configurations. This new level of compatibility will enable device vendors who use Sailfish OS to fully utilize the existing Android hardware ecosystem.
Jolla believes that this breakthrough offers growth opportunities of significant scale for Sailfish OS globally, especially in China. “We believe Sailfish with Android compatibility is a highly relevant mobile operating system option for major mobile companies in Europe and in Asia. We are already in discussions with several major Asian vendors regarding this opportunity,” says Tomi Pienimäki.

Next production batch will be opened for pre-orders this week
The last weeks have been very dynamic in the mobile industry and after the Microsoft-Nokia announcement the strategic position of Jolla and Sailfish OS has strengthened significantly.
“Due to extremely positive feedback and increased demand in the past weeks, we are offering another pre-order opportunity for our second production batch later this week through jolla.com. This will be targeted to Finnish customers who want to express their passion for the Finnish mobile industry,” Pienimäki concludes.

About Jolla
Jolla Ltd., headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, is developing mobile devices and open Sailfish OS based on the heritage of MeeGo project. In addition to its R&D sites in Helsinki and Tampere, Jolla has offices in Hong Kong.

Please see jolla.com/press for further press and media materials.
Jolla media contact: press@jolla.com

cvp | # 2 | 2013-09-17, 08:56 | Report

thanks... very nice informations


one question about Android Apps....

... we know that android apps take hugh informations about us. How we can block it? i dont wanna that the apps take SMS conversions, Call History, contacts and much more!

ste-phan | # 3 | 2013-09-17, 09:06 | Report

Exactly my question.
I would prefer the whole process to include a sandbox where I can download the Google Android APK file first.

The Sandbox may include an API that simulates an Android phonebook, SMS DB, GPS tracking statistics, media DB and what else to feed them with distorted information if the user would choose so.

Per App , the user would then be able to enable access to the true address book or the dummy one , only when deemed necessary for a certain functinality.

On Android I checked the LBE Security program it seems to intercept and block calling home activity pro-actively. How to prevent our Jolla to be compromised by these spywares?

peterleinchen | # 4 | 2013-09-17, 09:08 | Report

Just do not use Android / install apk!

If you are "forced" to, check x-privacy (or similar)...

ggabriel | # 5 | 2013-09-17, 09:15 | Report

If you are an Android/Google/Facebook/etc. user, you clearly don't mind about privacy, so it would be the same with Jolla. This feature is aimed (I think) to avoid deal breakers such as "Oh, if the phone can't run [insert your favourite Android application here], then I won't buy it".

So, there you go, interested about privacy? Don't use anything related to Google, social networks, etc.. In fact, if you are serious, you should probably make your own OS+applications since nothing is ever 100% secure/private.

Personally, the most I have done with mobile phone applications was a tcpdump to validate authenticity and that they do what they claim they do.

ste-phan | # 6 | 2013-09-17, 09:45 | Report

True, you should just mention that your friends and contacts should do the same.
Security will be complete once your friends stop feeding your data to the social networks and identifying you on pictures uploaded in facebook.
Of course you will not be secure as the black hole left by your identity will make you a suspect.

A test is to ask your most Google-fanboy friend, one that downloads free and fun apps to entertain himself while on the privy, to name you "XCZWZthe3rd" for a couple of weeks in his Google address book then watch the spam coming in addressed to Dear "XCZWZthe3rd".

Everything is being crosslinked.

The statement "If you don't like it, don't use it, I for one have nothing to hide"
should in all honesty be followed by the
"and I couldn't give a rats *** for my friends' concern about privacy".

herpderp | # 7 | 2013-09-17, 09:58 | Report

The hilarious thing is that Android apps do define the permissions they need. Ignoring the fact that many apps request permissions that are not appropriate, you still get informed that the app in question might want to read your e-mails or call logs.

On the other hand, in Maemo/Meego there was NO such thing. It was super easy to write a simple flashlight app that read all the device and user info and sent it out to whoever you wanted to. As a developer this always made me nervous, and I wonder how many such bad apps might be out there for this particular platform.

ggabriel | # 8 | 2013-09-17, 10:02 | Report

I am fully aware, but in my private life I do exercise some sort of assessment as to what information I give to whom depending on the importance of it, and I roughly measure the risk. In this day and age you can't hide absolutely everything - not even your wireless password.

But going back to topic:
a) Jolla says that Android applications will run in a sandbox, whether that sandbox will emulate an empty contact list, etc., I have no idea (this is according to an articule in theregister iirc).
b) The reason why they have compatibility with Android applications should be that you can continue using them - in fact, if you know of any application that is really need and you are going to buy the phone, it may be worth starting making some noise to get it ported.

And regarding the release, and as it has been said on other threads: this is very good news, especially the fact that they are going to launch a second preorder campaign this week and announce more details about the hardware.

cvp | # 9 | 2013-09-17, 10:38 | Report

@ggabriel

i am use moment LBE, i know that this program self take the information, but block other apps for it.... xprivacy cant bw use on MIUI, what i have at a moment...

... and the think is, will Sailfish OS have a app what can block or give wrong informations?

i hope that somebody will develope one app..... and next hope is, that many apps will ported without spyware...

ggabriel | # 10 | 2013-09-17, 12:16 | Report

I'd personally not wager that this will be a priority, but it could be done in time, not necessarily by Jolla.

I'd be more worried about Sailfish applications having spyware, as you call it. The OS doesn't really matter sometimes. Granted, Android has loads of it, and a lot of applications are designed to access your information and give it to somebody (Google by default), mainly because Google's business model is based on that _but_ that won't stop -for instance- popular sports tracking applications from making you upload your training information to "the cloud" so that you can see cooler reports and they can know how healthy you are.

Privacy/Security are good concerns and apply to everything - we still don't know how good Sailfish will be at that, for that matter, most people have given up on this.