Forget Android and iOS: This phone runs on Linux and comes with a physical privacy switch | Technology News

2 min readNew DelhiMar 7, 2026 03:47 PM Founded ex-Nokia employees, Finnish company Jolla is once again back with a new phone after more than a decade. However, unlike mainstream devices from Samsung, OnePlus, Apple, Oppo, and others, the Jolla Phone does not run on Android or iOS but instead comes with Linux out of the box.
Announced in December last year, the Jolla Phone is being billed as Europe’s independent smartphone that comes with “no tracking, no calling home, no hidden analytics.” This means that the smartphone won’t sell out your location hory, share data for advertising or send any unique identifiers.
Available in a handful of European countries for pre-order, the Jolla Phone is priced at €649. Instead of the mass market, the company says the Jolla Phone will be a niche product.
Unlike GrapheneOS, which is basically a de-Googled version of Android, the Jolla Phone runs on the Linux-based operating system Sailfish OS. However, using an application layer, the phone allows customers to run Android-based apps. Also, using the Jolla Phone does not require users to create any cloud account.
On the hardware front, the Jolla Phone is powered the mid-range MediaTek Dimensity 7100 5G chipset and comes with either 8GB or 12GB of RAM. You get 256GB of internal storage and the option to plug in a microSD card.
It has a 6.36-inch AMOLED screen with FullHD+ resolution protected Gorilla Glass. The back of the phone features a 50MP primary camera alongside a 13MP ultrawide shooter. All of this is backed a modest 5,500mAh battery, which, like the FairPhone, can be easily replaced.
The back of the Jolla Phone brings back the concept of a modular panel, allowing third parties and enthusiasts to design add-ons like secondary displays, hardware keyboards and other accessories.Story continues below this ad
Another standout feature is that the Jolla Phone comes with a physical privacy switch, which disables the microphones, cameras, and Bluetooth, amongst other things. It is available in three colourways – Snow White, Kaamos Black and The Orange. The Jolla Phone is expected to hit the market later this year, in September.
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