
This is a list of mobile phones with
open-source
Open source is source code that is made freely available for possible modification and redistribution. Products include permission to use and view the source code, design documents, or content of the product. The open source model is a decentrali ...
operating systems
An operating system (OS) is system software that manages computer hardware and software resources, and provides common daemon (computing), services for computer programs.
Time-sharing operating systems scheduler (computing), schedule tasks for ...
.
Scope of the list
Cellular modem and other firmware
Some hardware components used in phones require drivers (or
firmware
In computing
Computing is any goal-oriented activity requiring, benefiting from, or creating computer, computing machinery. It includes the study and experimentation of algorithmic processes, and the development of both computer hardware, h ...
) to run. For many components, only
proprietary drivers are available
(open source phones usually seek components with open drivers.) If firmware is not updatable and does not have control over any other part of the phone, it might be considered equivalent to part of the hardware. However, these conditions do not hold for cellular modems.
, all available mobile phones have a proprietary
baseband chip (GSM module, cellular modem),
except for the
Necuno, which has no such chip and communicates by peer-to-peer
VOIP
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), also known as IP telephony, is a set of technologies used primarily for voice communication sessions over Internet Protocol (IP) networks, such as the Internet. VoIP enables voice calls to be transmitted as ...
. The modem is usually integrated with the system-on-a-chip and the memory.
[ This presents security concerns; baseband attacks can read and alter data on the phone remotely.
The Librem 5 mobile segregates the modem from the system and memory, making it a separate module, a configuration rare in modern cellphones.][ There is an open-source baseband project, OsmocomBB.
]
Operating system: middleware and user interface
Generally, the phones included on this list contain copyleft software other than the Linux kernel, and minimal closed-source component drivers (see section above).
* Android-based devices do not appear on this list because of the heavy use of proprietary components, particularly drivers and applications.
*There are numerous versions of Android which seek to replace the proprietary components, such as LineageOS
LineageOS is an Open-source software, open source Android (operating system), Android operating system for smartphones, tablet computer, tablets, and set-top boxes. It is community-developed and serves as the successor to CyanogenMod, from which ...
(successor to the now-defunct Cyanogenmod) and Replicant, that can be installed on a large number of phones after-market. There are also devices using Ubuntu Touch, Droidian and FuriOs which are using GNU/Linux and Android hardware adaptation layer Halium. Phones natively running these are included.
*There are multiple projects to implement mainline Linux on mobile phones. Mobian is an open-source project focusing on Debian
Debian () is a free and open-source software, free and open source Linux distribution, developed by the Debian Project, which was established by Ian Murdock in August 1993. Debian is one of the oldest operating systems based on the Linux kerne ...
GNU/Linux on mobile devices. postmarketOS is based on the Alpine Linux. Arch Linux ARM based Manjaro is focusing on PinePhone hardware.
*WebOS
webOS, also known as LG webOS, is a Linux kernel-based multitasking operating system for smart devices, such as smart TVs, that has also been used as a mobile operating system. Initially developed by Palm, Inc. (which was acquired by Hewlett ...
(LG Electronics
LG Electronics Inc. () is a South Korean Multinational corporation, multinational major appliance and consumer electronics corporation headquartered in Yeouido-dong, Seoul, South Korea. LG Electronics is a part of LG, LG Corporation, the fourth ...
) was initially available only under a proprietary license but the source code was later released under a free permissive license
A permissive software license, sometimes also called BSD-like or BSD-style license, is a free-software license which instead of copyleft protections, carries only minimal restrictions on how the software can be used, modified, and redistributed, ...
by HP. Open WebOS will not run on all WebOS devices. LuneOS is Halium based fork of WebOS.
*Firefox OS
Firefox OS (project name: ''Boot to Gecko'', also known as ''B2G'') is a discontinued Open-source software, open-source operating system made for smartphones, tablet computers, smart TVs, and Matchstick TV, dongles designed by Mozilla and exte ...
was released under a permissive MIT license
The MIT License is a permissive software license originating at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the late 1980s. As a permissive license, it puts very few restrictions on reuse and therefore has high license compatibility.
Unl ...
but its KaiOS successor is proprietary; the former is included.
*All Maemo
Maemo is a Linux-based software platform originally developed by Nokia, now developed by the Free software movement, community, for smartphones and Internet tablets. The platform comprises both the Maemo operating system and Software development ...
, Meego
MeeGo is a discontinued Linux distribution hosted by the Linux Foundation, using source code from the operating systems Moblin (produced by Intel) and Maemo (produced by Nokia). MeeGo was primarily targeted at mobile devices and information app ...
and Sailfish OS devices running open Maemo Leste or Mer middleware are included. Tizen devices are not included.
*Open QTMoko/ OpenMoko phones of Qt Extended are included to the list.
Note that it is often possible to install a wide variety of open-source operating systems on any open-source phone; the higher-level software is designed to be largely interchangeable and independent of the hardware.
There are also an increasing number of phones that come with a proprietary operating system pre-installed (usually Android), but allow the user to install mainline Linux (such as the Fairphone 5 and SHIFTphone 8). These are listed under #Devices with 3rd party support.
Devices with formal support
These are mobiles that can be ordered with the open-source software pre-installed. Some also have an option where they can be ordered with proprietary OS pre-installed.
Devices with 3rd party support
Distributions for existing phones
postmarketOS, Ubports
Ubuntu Touch is a mobile version of the Ubuntu operating system, developed by the UBports community. Its user interface is written in Qt (software), Qt, and is designed primarily for touchscreen mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet co ...
, and KDE Neon are open-source distributions running on existing smartphones originally running Android. Maemo Leste is available for Nokia N900 and Motorola Droid 4.
There exists a database listing which older phones will run which open-source operating systems.
Custom-made phones
It is possible to home-build a phone from partially open hardware and software.[Arduinophone]
designer's description The Arduinophone[ (touchscreen) and the MIT DIY Cellphone (segmented display) both use the ]Arduino
Arduino () is an Italian open-source hardware and open-source software, software company, project, and user community that designs and manufactures single-board microcontrollers and microcontroller kits for building digital devices. Its hardwar ...
open-hardware single-board computer
A single-board computer (SBC) is a complete computer built on a single circuit board, with microprocessor(s), memory, input/output (I/O) and other features required of a functional computer. Single-board computers are commonly made as demonst ...
, with added components. Circuitmess Ringo (previously MakerPhone) is another DIY Arduino phone with open source firmware and available schematics, focusing on education. The PiPhone, ZeroPhone and OURphone are similar, but based on the Raspberry Pi
Raspberry Pi ( ) is a series of small single-board computers (SBCs) developed in the United Kingdom by the Raspberry Pi Foundation in collaboration with Broadcom Inc., Broadcom. To commercialize the product and support its growing demand, the ...
.
The main components to make an open mobile phone are:
* Back cover
* Touch screen
A touchscreen (or touch screen) is a type of electronic visual display, display that can detect touch input from a user. It consists of both an input device (a touch panel) and an output device (a visual display). The touch panel is typically l ...
* Battery
* Logic board
Another notable mention would be Paxo Phone a
paxo.fr
See also
* Comparison of open-source mobile phones (features)
* List of open-source hardware projects
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Open source mobile phones
Mobile Linux
Mobile phone standards
Lists of computer hardware
Open-source mobile phones