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Are there any small linux phones?
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bowsertattoo piefed.social bowsertattoo@piefed.social
Joined: 2026-07-20
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My main issue with modern phones (aside from the lack of privacy obviously) is how big they are. I have an iPhone mini and I wish it was smaller. Are there any Linux (or privacy focused) phones that are small?

62   Original
onipa feddit.org onipa@feddit.org
Joined: 2025-07-22
#2 · Quote Reply

Pixel 3a and Samsung Galaxy S III are old thus I guess rather small and supported by postmarketOS https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/Devices

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PennyRoyal sh.itjust.works PennyRoyal@sh.itjust.works
Joined: 2024-09-02
#3 · Quote Reply

Dunno, but watching with interest. The Brax3 is massive, and even most of the stuff Graphene runs on is too big for my taste

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bowsertattoo piefed.social bowsertattoo@piefed.social
Joined: 2026-07-20
#4 · Quote Reply

Pixel 3a and Samsung Galaxy S III are old thus I guess rather small and supported by postmarketOS https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/Devices

yeah i guess that's not so so big. i'd love something the size of the side phone or jelly star

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erebion news.erebion.eu erebion@news.erebion.eu
Joined: 2025-11-20
#5 · Quote Reply

The smallest that is actually somewhat usable is the Pixel 3a. I've ported Mobian to it, but it's getting old and isn't the fastest device.

I'd like something smaller, but there isn't. So now I use a Fairphone while constantly complaining about it's size, not a perfect solution, I know. xD

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es_eskaliert feddit.org es_eskaliert@feddit.org
Joined: 2025-02-24
#6 · Quote Reply

The Galaxy S10e maybe? It does not have particularily good Linux support though (https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/Samsung_Galaxy_S10e_(samsung-beyond0lte)) and thus is not daily-drivable, but at least is something? Its sister model, the S10 has a bit more contents on its wiki page. Apart from Linux, they are both fantasic devices for Lineageos (typing this on one), however due to the old kernel it might not get Android 17 anymore.

But yeah, have not heard of any usable small Linux phones, would love to see one though.

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bowsertattoo piefed.social bowsertattoo@piefed.social
Joined: 2026-07-20
#7 · Quote Reply

The Galaxy S10e maybe? It does not have particularily good Linux support though (https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/Samsung_Galaxy_S10e_(samsung-beyond0lte)) and thus is not daily-drivable, but at least is something? Its sister model, the S10 has a bit more contents on its wiki page. Apart from Linux, they are both fantasic devices for Lineageos (typing this on one), however due to the old kern...

still pretty big

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bowsertattoo piefed.social bowsertattoo@piefed.social
Joined: 2026-07-20
#8 · Quote Reply

The smallest that is actually somewhat usable is the Pixel 3a. I've ported Mobian to it, but it's getting old and isn't the fastest device. I'd like something smaller, but there isn't. So now I use a Fairphone while constantly complaining about it's size, not a perfect solution, I know. xD

id love to see fairphone make a small budget phone

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hexagonwin lemmy.today hexagonwin@lemmy.today
Joined: 2026-02-07
#9 · Quote Reply

i have a xperia xz1c and it runs lineageos, small enough for me.

there's xz2c which has a unofficial sailfishos port iirc

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YummyEntropy lemmy.ca YummyEntropy@lemmy.ca
Joined: 2025-04-01
#10 · Quote Reply

The smallest that is actually somewhat usable is the Pixel 3a. I've ported Mobian to it, but it's getting old and isn't the fastest device. I'd like something smaller, but there isn't. So now I use a Fairphone while constantly complaining about it's size, not a perfect solution, I know. xD

Ugh I have a pixel 3a, and I hate how huge it is. :(

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SubArcticTundra lemmy.ml SubArcticTundra@lemmy.ml
Joined: 2023-06-03
#11 · (edited) Quote Reply

I have a King Kong Mini 2, it's 4". Not shre what the Linux situation on it would be though

2
box lemmy.ca box@lemmy.ca
Joined: 2023-07-02
#12 · Quote Reply

It's not Linux, but it is more privacy focused: Commodore callback 8020

6
ChrisG lemmy.world ChrisG@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-07-12
#13 · Quote Reply

Problem for Linux on phones is ARM limitations require a unique device tree for every OS deployed per device.

When I retire to Asia next year I'm considering just getting one of those simple feature phones sold in India which has Firefox OS. Limit myself to Vox/SMS/Email.

I'm showing my age but I fondly remember those lipstick case Nokia's from back in the day. Couldn't get much smaller than that.

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Hanrahan slrpnk.net hanrahan@slrpnk.net
Joined: 2023-03-14
#14 · Quote Reply

i use a Moto Fold 50u for that reason, I can do a fair bit of stuff on the external screen (reply to Signal messages, read emails etc) and then fold it out for more

caveat: it's a Moto with Android, i don't know if future Moto flips will have graphene support, or it's just their future signature series.

1
es_eskaliert feddit.org es_eskaliert@feddit.org
Joined: 2025-02-24
#15 · Quote Reply

still pretty big

Understandable. Well, below that I only heard of people getting a Lineageos GSI image running on the jelly star max. Not Linux, but still some more privacy i guess

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Left as Center jlai.lu leftascenter@jlai.lu
Joined: 2024-05-17
#16 · Quote Reply

i use a Moto Fold 50u for that reason, I can do a fair bit of stuff on the external screen (reply to Signal messages, read emails etc) and then fold it out for more caveat: it's a Moto with Android, i don't know if future Moto flips will have graphene support, or it's just their future signature series.

So not a Linux phone.

1
one_old_coder piefed.social one_old_coder@piefed.social
Joined: 2026-02-08
#17 · Quote Reply

Maybe the smallest Sony Xperia with Sailfish OS?

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Left as Center jlai.lu leftascenter@jlai.lu
Joined: 2024-05-17
#18 · Quote Reply

An older pixel 3a or oneplus 6 can run pmos

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erebion news.erebion.eu erebion@news.erebion.eu
Joined: 2025-11-20
#19 · Quote Reply

Ugh I have a pixel 3a, and I hate how huge it is. :(

I'd also like something even smaller, but it does not exist.

At least not if you don't want to buy something with questionable software from China. One manufacturer even had malware on their phones.

So... Yeah, no way currently.

1
ok_effect feddit.dk ok_effect@feddit.dk
Joined: 2026-01-09
#20 · Quote Reply

Commodore is launching a hybrid phone between a dumb- and a smartphone with a version of the Sailfish operating system. It’s a flip phone with a retro look:

Commodore Callback 8020

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Twig sopuli.xyz Twig@sopuli.xyz
Joined: 2023-06-01
#21 · Quote Reply

Commodore is launching a hybrid phone between a dumb- and a smartphone with a version of the Sailfish operating system. It’s a flip phone with a retro look: Commodore Callback 8020

Just wish it was a bit cheaper, then I'd get one

3
bowsertattoo piefed.social bowsertattoo@piefed.social
Joined: 2026-07-20
#22 · Quote Reply

Problem for Linux on phones is ARM limitations require a unique device tree for every OS deployed per device. When I retire to Asia next year I'm considering just getting one of those simple feature phones sold in India which has Firefox OS. Limit myself to Vox/SMS/Email. I'm showing my age but I fondly remember those lipstick case Nokia's from back in the day. Couldn't get much smaller than that.

can you link me? I've never heard of this

1
bowsertattoo piefed.social bowsertattoo@piefed.social
Joined: 2026-07-20
#23 · Quote Reply

Commodore is launching a hybrid phone between a dumb- and a smartphone with a version of the Sailfish operating system. It’s a flip phone with a retro look: Commodore Callback 8020

hah this rocks

2
13igtyme startrek.website 13igtyme@startrek.website
Joined: 2026-09-21
#24 · Quote Reply

Just wish it was a bit cheaper, then I'd get one

Yeah. $399 seems wrong for a clam shell.

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13igtyme startrek.website 13igtyme@startrek.website
Joined: 2026-09-21
#25 · (edited) Quote Reply

id love to see fairphone make a small budget phone

I just bought a fair phone and it's a tiny bit smaller than my last phone, which was a Motorola. So it works for me. My hands are big.

1
13igtyme startrek.website 13igtyme@startrek.website
Joined: 2026-09-21
#26 · Quote Reply

i use a Moto Fold 50u for that reason, I can do a fair bit of stuff on the external screen (reply to Signal messages, read emails etc) and then fold it out for more caveat: it's a Moto with Android, i don't know if future Moto flips will have graphene support, or it's just their future signature series.

So far, everyone I've seen with a flip ends up with a line on the screen.

1
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