The Finnish company Jolla has officially announced its return to smartphones with a new device simply named the Jolla Phone a “European independent Linux phone” built around privacy, user control, and a clean software experience.
🛡️ Privacy & Independence as the Core
- Out of the box, the phone runs Sailfish OS 5 the latest version of Jolla’s Linux-based mobile OS, described as “the only commercially successful European mobile operating system.”
- Sailfish OS 5 aims to give users full control: no built-in trackers, no forced telemetry, and no hidden “call-home” behavior.
- For users needing more app flexibility, the phone supports Android apps via Jolla’s AppSupport with the option to “fully de-Google” the phone anytime.
🔧 Clean, Flexible Hardware Removable Battery, Expandable Storage
Jolla has gone against today’s sealed-phone trend by offering a phone designed for longevity and user repairability:
- 12 GB RAM + 256 GB storage, expandable via microSD up to 2 TB.
- Dual nano-SIM (5G) support, plus Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, and more.
- A 6.36-inch FullHD AMOLED display with Gorilla Glass protection and good pixel density (~390 ppi).
- Dual rear cameras 50 MP main + 13 MP ultrawide for flexible photography.
- User-replaceable 5,500 mAh battery and user-removable back cover. This means you can swap battery or back cover easily, extending the phone’s usable lifetime.
🔐 Physical “Privacy Switch” Control Hardware Signals Yourself
One of the standout features of the new Jolla Phone is a physical privacy switch mounted on the device. Flicking this switch can instantly disable critical hardware or radios microphone, Bluetooth, camera, even Android-app subsystem giving users real, hardware-level control over their privacy.
This hardware toggle is a major differentiator compared to typical software-based permissions and privacy settings because it works at the circuit level, not in software alone.
🌍 Pre-Order & Availability
- The phone is currently open for pre-orders in Europe (EU, UK, Switzerland, Norway) production will start only if Jolla receives at least 2,000 pre-orders by January 4, 2026.
- Early backers pay a refundable deposit of €99. Early-bird full price is €499 final retail expected between €599 to €699.
- Estimated shipping begins end of first half 2026.
✅ Why Jolla Phone Matters Especially If You Value Privacy & Control
- It’s one of the few smartphones today built around open-source software + Linux at the core, not a forked Android.
- With the physical privacy switch and removable battery / cover, it gives users real control often missing in modern phones.
- Unlike many “privacy phones,” it doesn’t ask you to give up functionality Android apps work, and connectivity (5G, NFC, Bluetooth, etc.) is modern.
- For users tired of forced updates, telemetry, and opaque app tracking this could be a breath of fresh air.
