This spring, I had to reset my XA2 after an update bricked it. After I finally had an updated OS, I thought all the prior problems would be somewhat resolved… Well, I guess they were, but new problems arrived. Vibration stops working after someone calls me. Photos somehow fail to take. And most importantly, making a backup throws an error… I have used Sailfish since 2013, and it just never feels like a properly functional OS. Maybe in the original Jolla phone, but not in any phone afterwards…
Well, if it turns out the OS actually works in other phones, like C2, how do I MANUALLY make a backup of my phone?
I use the same device, actually 2 of them as one runs Android. And I have no problems with the SFOS one, and a few on the Android one. TBH the SFOS device often works as a hotspot for Android, since Android finds it hard to connect to the cellular network, where SFOS observes no issues.
Well good for you. Before the reset, I couldn’t install apps from .apk files. Sometimes apps like alarm clock or SMS or camera didn’t boot. Sometimes the SIM didn’t connect to the network, requiring 1 to 3 reboots. Sometimes Android apps would crash. Spotify usually didn’t have proper controls when the app is minimized. Sometimes the flashlight didn’t work.
But at least the backup worked. Now in the most recent version of SFOS (after reset), many of these problems resolved themselves, but new annoying ones appeared. Now I’m stuck with a smashed screen and a phone I cannot take a backup of. It just seems like an endless struggle… For the love of god, at least let me save my fucking phone contacts, so I could at least call people if necessary, assuming I won’t bother with buying another smartphone.
I have Xperia 10 II and I also experience issues from time to time.
Unfortunately it has been the situation all the time since I started using Sailfish in 2015/6. It is a big disappointment. 10 years always the same. Something is solved another issue pops up etc. Jolla is incapable for whatever reasons to deliver a stable system despite the promises they made.
I am now planing to move to something else as soon as I solve a use case that still keeps me to the Sailfish.
For my 10 II I found out 4.4.0.72 is best working and did not upgrade since then. I can also suggest you find a version that works for you and stick to it. I do not remember when the XA2 came out, but it could be that some 3.X is good enough for your device.
Again, a big disappointment, although I love it, but it is not reliable.
XA2 I would consider the best refined sailfish ever if it comes to sony devices. 10 II was also nice. If you have problems that bricks your device after updating maybe you have messed up your system config somehow or your device is broken to some deegree hardware-wise
Only drawback I found with XA2 is it’s crappy gps. Although it can be somewhat mitigated with geoclue or suplpatcher but still running with it when it needs precice location it lacks greatly
I’d say that, from the bug reports I can see around, the XA2 is the most functional SFOS official phone.
Indeed, what you describe unusual and should not be.
I also have an XA2. Experience is smooth and excellent apart some small bugs one can live with.
(I had like many (6?) XA2, Dual and Single SIM, for me and friends/family.)
In your situation, I’d reflash Android on Windows and then reflash SFOS.
I’m using these binaries: SW_binaries_for_Xperia_Android_8.1.6.4_r1_v16_nile.zip (not v17)
About the GPS, it is a common issue on the XA2. It can be fixed. See
About backup/restore, the SFOS backup is (was?) not working correctly.
I’d rather use rsync from a PC through ssh. See here and here, or else with the forum serach engine and the keywords “ssh“, “rsync”…
Xperia 10 works fine within it’s given limits (no VoLTE, no VoWIFI), so I’m happy with it. But imho SFOS is still a nerds + tinker device.
But mind that one is able to tinker, fix bugs, change apps and OS parts!! On other OSes the user can do nothing. On SFOS the user is able to fix bugs with the help of this nice community. Although I now have a GrapheneOS device for one or two demanding apps, SFOS will remain my daily driver as long as the phone will ‘live’. And I’ve got a lot of spare parts!
Maybe you can go into detail on your backup problem? SFOS had (and likely still has) a problem when the backup file gets bigger than 4GB.
So if your device holds over 4G of “data”, like video/pictures etc. maybe that is your problem. Format a usb-drive with exfat on a PC, and you might get a working backup. But you should know that these backups are very far away from being complete.
Well, it’s the only smartphone OS I have ever used (and probably ever will), so I guess I’m “happy” with it… But these annoying problems just never go away. One problem is solved, another one appears. I’m pretty crafty at clinging on to dysfunctional and obsolete OSs out of conviction (Windows 7 and all that), and I’m not phased by annoyances not faced by others who keep their devices or software up to date, but STILL, there is always something with SFOS… The only time I remember most things working as they should, was back in the day with my original Jolla phone.
I have this same thing with living in general. One problem solved…
But the last thing that really annoyed me with a mobile device was my iPhone simply crashing while taking notes in flight mode during a meeting. I lost half an hour of the boring stuff I do for a living. I wrote the missing text down from my memory. One problem solved…
But guess what? The restaurant for lunch… That’s life. Laugh about it, cry about it.