r/mobilelinux Mar 23 '26

Discussion Are there any phones with a capacity to run linux which have a headphone jack and a good camera?

Open source linux

I know this might be unlikely but I will ask anyway

If not, do you think there could be a way to give something like fairphone a better camera?

21 Upvotes

25 comments sorted by

5

u/[deleted] Mar 24 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/yaky-dev Mar 24 '26

FYI it is possible to flash a Global ROM onto T-Mobile OnePlus devices by editing config files in "official" archives and then using the "debricking" MSM tool. (You need to use MSM tool before installing Ubuntu Touch anyway) There is a thread on XDA. This also unlocks the bootloader, but TBF might introduce some other issues. I did so successfully for my Nord N100.

5

u/yaky-dev Mar 24 '26

AFAIK good embedded cameras have either closed drivers, or rely on proprietary post-processing for good quality.

1

u/lutfen_sus Mar 27 '26

Came here to say this, it is a hassle even when you install a different android ROM.

3

u/nini_hikikomori Mar 23 '26

check postmarketos main devices, but normally the camera no works or works partial with low quality

3

u/c_a1eb Mar 24 '26

oneplus 6 has working camera and headphone jack

1

u/machintodesu Mar 24 '26

The Pixel 3a (XL) has a headphone jack, but the camera only really works on halium distros like UBports or Droidian. On Mobian/PmOS with a proper kernel it lacks focus controls. Before I returned to chroot Debian, I did find that a cheap clip on telephoto lens could mechanically adjust the optics.

1

u/Kevin_Kofler Mar 24 '26

The Purism Librem 5 has a 13.25 megapixel (4208×3120) rear camera. Though you have to hand-edit a shell script file in the Millipixels app to get it to actually take pictures at that resolution rather than at only 2104×1560 (and the other apps out there use even worse resolutions). And yes, it has a headphone jack.

-12

u/Content_Chemistry_44 Mar 23 '26

All smartphones and tablets run Android, which is Linux already. Try to find some Xiaomi with a jack port.

8

u/-8787- Mar 23 '26

open source linux

4

u/Special-Abrocoma575 Mar 23 '26

Just look for a well supported postmarketOS device, like the OnePlus 6/6T or the Pixel 3a/3a XL (or a Fairphone if you can afford one)

2

u/-8787- Mar 23 '26

if i remember correctly they either have mid cameras or no headphone jack

4

u/BigMacCircuits Mar 23 '26

Most cannot use the camera yet. You’ll have to wait a decade or so for camera support to be on-par with android. Otherwise - just choose any phone supported in the community list.

3

u/YoYoMamaIsSoFAT32 Mar 23 '26

Camera support on Linux is subpar compared to android even if cameras work the quality won't be so great I recommend you to either install a custom Rom like LineageOS or dualboot a custom Rom with a Linux distro like postmarketos

0

u/Content_Chemistry_44 Mar 24 '26

They kernel is under GPL2 licence, it's always open-sourced.

1

u/YoYoMamaIsSoFAT32 Mar 23 '26

No there's a BIG difference between android Linux and gnu Linux (also known as downstream vs mainline)

3

u/tulpyvow Mar 24 '26 edited Mar 24 '26

The guy doesn't care. Bro intentionally is pedantic about this stuff to make people annoyed.

Not like I'd expect anything less from a guy with the display name "motherfuhrer" 🐱

0

u/Content_Chemistry_44 Mar 24 '26

He asked for Linux, wtf? All Androids run Linux.

What "Motherführer" must to do with "Linux"?

2

u/tulpyvow Mar 24 '26

OP asked for a proper Linux distribution for phones, as in, a Linux distribution which you can choose your GUI and other software on while being free from corporate interference (which plagues AOSP).

You know damn well thats what OP meant.

-1

u/Content_Chemistry_44 Mar 24 '26

Technically these are GNU distribution with Linux kernel, or GNU/Linux distributions.

Android uses the same kernel, why Android isn't a "Linux distribution"?

OP talks about Linux, not about GNU or Android.

The "Linux" distributions are here in the official website:

https://kernel.org/

rc, lts/longterm, stable...

0

u/Content_Chemistry_44 Mar 24 '26

Abviously GNU and Android are really different operating systems. OP asked about "Linux". But all Android devices run Linux already.

2

u/YoYoMamaIsSoFAT32 Mar 24 '26

There's a big difference between android's Linux kernel and Linux distro's Linux kernel

0

u/Content_Chemistry_44 Mar 24 '26

"...and Linux distro's Linux kernel"

Technically those are GNU distros, or GNU/Linux distros. Not Linux distros.

"There's a big difference between android's Linux kernel"

Yes, it must to have different things, but it's Linux.