PostmarketOS Project Continues Development on Linux Distribution for Mobile Devices
After 6 months of development, the PostmarketOS project has implemented various updates as of 25.06. The project focuses on developing a Linux distribution for mobile devices utilizing the ALPINE Linux package base, MUSL SILL-Bibliotex, and BusyBox. This initiative aims to provide a Linux display for smartphones and tablets that is independent of official firmware support and not restricted to industry standard decisions made by major players.
Currently, builds have been prepared for 57 devices, including popular models like Pine64 Pinephone Pro, Purism Librem 5, OnePlus 6, Google Pixel 3a, and Samsung Galaxy and Xiaomi devices. There is also limited experimental support available for more than 600 devices.
The PostmarketOS environment is designed to unify components specific to each device into separate packages, while utilizing identical packages across all devices based on Alpine Linux. User shells offered include KDE Plasma Mobile, Phosh, GNOME Mobile, and SXMO, with the option to install other user interfaces like MATE, Cosmic, and XFCE.
New Features in the Latest Release:
- Added support for using the SystemD system manager instead of the OpenRC initialization system in assemblies for GNOME Mobile, KDE Plasma Mobile, and Phosh. SXMO retains OpenRC. This change was made to address issues with GNOME and KDE’s dependencies on Systemd components, providing enhanced privilege management, service activation, and service control.
- The total number of supported devices has increased from 53 to 57, with added support for smartphones like Google Pixel 3a XL, Xiaomi Redmi 7, and Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 Pro.
- Camera support has been added for smartphones such as OnePlus 6, Xiaomi Redmi 3s, and Xiaomi Redmi 4a.
- Devices powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 425/427/430/435 (MSM89x7) chips, including Motorola Moto E5 Plus and Xiaomi Redmi 4, now have enabled sound subsystem support and control charging.