Are you interested in trying a smartphone based on GNU/Linux? If you are, you can own one in 2019. Librem 5 is the upcoming smartphone that will run on an opensource OS ‘Purism PureOS’ based on GNU+Linux.
If you could remember, Purism OS has already been used in laptops for over 2 years. The claim was same with laptops. Security-focused laptops for everyone.
The primary focus of Librem 5 is security and privacy. This will also be world’s first ever IP-native mobile handset and will use end-to-end encrypted decentralized communication.
“Librem 5 will give users unprecedented control and security with features unavailable on any other mainstream smartphone,” The company claims.
Here are few features
- Make encrypted calls that mask your phone number
- Encrypt texts and emails
- Set up VPN services for enhanced web browsing protection
- Edit or develop on the source code, which will be made publicly available
- Enable hardware kill switches for the camera, microphone, WiFi/Bluetooth and baseband
The phone is up at a crowd funding page to raise funds with a target of $1,500,000. If it gets target funding, it will be a reality. So, do not forget to support if you are interested in this phone.
Pricing for the phone starts at $599 that put it in the high-end segment. The phone will offer a 5-inch display. It will work with 2G/3G/4G, GSM, UMTS, and LTE networks. Other specs are below
- i.MX6/i.MX8 CPU
- Vivante GPU
- 3GB LPDDR3 RAM
- 32GB eMMC, microSD card
- Both rear and front camera
- Headphone hack
- WiFi 802.11, Bluetooth 4, USB Type-C
- GPS, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Compass, Ambient Light and Proximity
The company also added a comparison chart on crowd funding page to show you how Apple and Google record you data but Purism PureOS will not use trackers.
