Jolla C2 Community Phone deliveries

[Jolla]

Hello all,

We’re creating this thread to follow up and give delivery updates in particular for all those who have pre-ordered the new Jolla C2 Community Phone.

The project and the implementation has progressed well since the launch in May and many things are getting ready to roll out: the Sailfish baseport within the C2 hardware, the UI, AppSupport (to run Android apps) and the cameras function. You can take a look at the new features from the videos we published during the summer.

As of now, we are maturing software specific for the C2 hardware and the factory process. In particular, there is a mandatory architectural change in the telephony stack and software adaptation required to support the specific C2 modem configuration thru Android HAL. The C2 will be using a new version of telephony binder interface that got introduced in Android 13. While the C2 will be the very first Sailfish device that uses the new interface, it will be eventually used in other future Sailfish devices as well. This is a major re-implementation that has kept us busy since the beginning of the whole project.

Other than the new telephony adaptation things are pretty straight-forward and follow the same maturisation steps as with other Sailfish ports: there will be certain known-issues in the beginning which we’ll be improving incrementally with OTA updates and we’re committed (e.g. Jolla phone blog post) for long-term sustainable support of released devices.

We target to start shipping the pre-order devices by end of August. We will update delivery status in this thread.

Sincerely,
Jolla Crew

[PeegeeTips]

@Jolla

The C2 will be using a new version of telephony binder interface that got introduced in Android 13. While the C2 will be the very first Sailfish device that uses the new interface, it will be eventually used in other future Sailfish devices as well. This is a major re-implementation that has kept us busy since the beginning of the whole project.

Do the 10iv/10v count as ‘future devices’ in this context? Perhaps not, as they arrive with SFOS 4.6…

Is the telephony binder interface that got introduced in Android 13 one of the major features that makes SFOS 5.0 a version 5.0 rather than 4.7?

[rainemak]

Xperia 10 iv and 10 v are using older interface yet counted as future devices.

Among many other upgrades this new version of the telephony binder interface can be considered as one reason for Sailfish 5.

[RTheren]

Fantastic news. I have also noticed the clock is moved below the (in my opinion, incredibly stupid) notch, which is awesome. Does the rest of the Sailfish UI account for notch now, or just the homescreen? I did notice on the Volla Phone 22 that notch hides part of the menu when you pull it down, so I wonder if this was addressed with the C2.

[rainemak]

For example pull down activation threshold is adjusted so that activated action is visible upon release, notifications text is pushed below the notch, silica will get improvement to support notch, apps can be aware that there is a notch and adapt according, and some app specific adjustments to name some notch improvements.

[nephros]

It would be lovely, I think, if apps that are not aware of a notch, (i.e. all apps in existence today), would be presented with a black bar covering everything to the left or the right of the notch, as if the screen was smaller, and their window tops placed below that.
I mean to say, notch support should be “opt-in”, with apps claiming to handle notches getting the full screen real estate, and others are placed below mentioned black bar.

[rubdos]

@rainemak

silica will get improvement to support notch, apps can be aware that there is a notch and adapt according

Looking forward to abusing the notch in Whisperfish

@nephros

I mean to say, notch support should be “opt-in”, with apps claiming to handle notches getting the full screen real estate, and others are placed below mentioned black bar.

I think Jolla can do way better than a black bar, I’m sure they’ll think of something pretty

[RXShorty]

Really looking forward for this phone.
Had the original C, but did not use it as much.

Now it is time to get back to Sailfish and make it the daily device.

[rainemak]

@nephros

I mean to say, notch support should be “opt-in”, with apps claiming to handle notches getting the full screen real estate, and others are placed below mentioned black bar.

@rubdos already explained this well - opt-in it will be.

I don’t think there will be black bars. Some Silica components that are touching edges can be tackled so that app developers do not need to care about the notch. There are apps like Camera or Gallery where we do like to have it so that you can enjoy the full screen estate regardless of the notch – option as well. For other kind of apps, we may need to / have done other kind of quirks. Surely, we try to open these for you all so that you can do the same whether you’re porter or app developer.

[sashikknox]

Is all camera works? jr as in xperia, only one camera take picture, other just do nothing?

[rainemak]

Yes, camera has normal, wide, and macro modes working.

In general, multi camera on Sailfish OS ports would benefit from Camera API 2 work.

[hansolekrebslange]

I am an everyday user with very limited IT-skills. But I like the idea of breaking up the doupol of Android and iOS. So I actually had the first Jolla Phone (and before that the N9)
But then the App world exploded. Governmental apps, financial, banks, transport, ticket systems etc. You can not live without these apps. And you can only get them through Play Store, and Play Store denies access to non-android devices.
I actually wrote to the EU Commission pointing out it was an abuse of power from the Alphabet Tech Giant.
I compared it to a A supermarket: stores do not deny customers who carry bags from another shops, and a phone should be compared to a bag that carries apps, so Why is Play Store allowed to deny access to Jolla Phones?
But no answer and at last I gave up and bought an Android device.

Now my question: have you solved this problem with the new phone? Can I use it in everyday life?

[WunderWungiel]

It will support Android apps. Right now 11, later they shall upgrade it. You can use MicroG as GMS replacement or install real Google Play Services including Play Store.
The remaining problem is SafetyNet, now Play Integrity, but I think many people use banking apps anyway…

[aerique]

So far my banking apps (ASN and ABN) and Dutch government apps have always worked, but I’m sure Google will turn on the thumbscrews in the name of “safety”.

[attah]

@hansolekrebslange

Now my question: have you solved this problem with the new phone?

You said it yourself; this is not something Jolla can (or indeed should need to) solve.
Aurora store works pretty well for sneak-accessing the Play store.

@hansolekrebslange

Can I use it in everyday life?

It will depend a bit on which Android apps you consider critical.
Bank apps beyond verification one most certainly can live without (and i intend to until the end of time).

[pawel.spoon]

1. Jolla can not solve that issue.
2. i am not sure if all those apps should run on an easy to loose device.
3. i do my banking and government shit on a laptop with yubikey

[JoOppen]

Now my question: have you solved this problem with the new phone? Can I use it in everyday life?

My Xperia 10 ii and 10 iii with Sailfish OS have replaced both, my iPhone and an Android phone I had, Since more than two years am not carrying any other phone with me, i.e. I fully rely on the Sailfish devices for everything including travelling (train tickets, plain tickets etc.), banking, navigation, social media etc. So far there was nothing I could not do with Sailfish OS (incl. App Support and microG)

I only wish there would be more native apps because they typically provide better user experience.

This might be kind of an answer to your question.

You might also have a look to Sustainable use of a smartphone and regulatory needs In this study, Sailfish OS is mentioned as a viable alternative to closed source Android and iOS

[jozef.macko]

Yes, i fully agree with you, and will be very nice have SafetyNet now Play Integrity for payment via SailfishOS NFC, it’s last thing i miss so much. Is there any other solution or open-source fully % works app like GNU Taler, what did you recommend?

[hsjpekka]

Android apps work well, but you can’t connect a bluetooth device to an android app. Bluetooth audio works, but nothing else. At least, that’s how I have understood it.
And for some apps (banking), microg or similar is needed. And installing requires some work in terminal. Not difficult, but not trivial.

[WHCharge]

Had bought an XA2 Plus for flashing Sailfish but unfortunately could not unlock the bootloader. This time for real is to truly secure a stock Sailfish for the far or near future!!
In that case I’m quite curious about the start date of the one-year subscription that comes with C2. Does it start from the day when I unbox the phone and log in my Jolla account on the device, or the day I make the final payment? Or there is a fixed date on which the subscription will expire?
I’m planning to start my Sailfish tour in a year or two (or more), but couldn’t help pre-ordering the limited-edition C2…
(The original Android 8.0.0 XA2P is generally good in use while sometimes it gets annoying)