I Replaced my iPhone with Linux. Here's What Happened.

Goal / Premise

The creator tries to replace iPhone use with Linux on a phone, testing two Linux phone OS options:

• Ubuntu Touch
• postmarketOS

Ubuntu Touch (previous attempt) — Result

On a Nothing Phone 1, Ubuntu Touch was underwhelming. Even terminal app installation wasn’t possible, which led the creator to try the community-recommended alternative.

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postmarketOS: What It Is and How It’s Installed

Positioning

postmarketOS is a Linux-based phone OS focused on:

• Sustainability
• Extending device lifespan
• Giving users control

It supports multiple desktop environments, explicitly mentioned as:

• GNOME
• KDE Plasma

Maturity Warning

Installation is prefaced by a “Read the state of postmarketOS” warning, framed with work-in-progress messaging.

Hardware Support Limitation

Installation only works on supported phones, and many supported devices are older/obscure.

Installation Methods

• Prebuilt image method (“easy”)
  • Download + flash to supported phones
• pm-bootstrap (“hard”)
  • More involved: uses terminal work and requires selecting components such as drivers/versions
  • Involves many prompts

What Happened on the Nothing Phone 1

• The prebuilt image route didn’t support the Nothing Phone 1.
• The creator used pm-bootstrap and eventually got it working.

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User Experience on the Phone (KDE Plasma on a Phone)

UI / Controls

The device looked like KDE Plasma, but adapted into a phone-like environment with:

• App dock / app drawer
• A pull-down quick menu for Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth, flashlight, etc.
• Phone-like navigation

App Installation

Apps are installed via KDE Discover, allowing installs like Firefox.

Major Catch: Desktop apps vs real mobile usability

A key issue is that apps are mostly desktop versions, not true mobile-optimized apps. The creator found this problematic for apps like Discord due to:

• UI mismatch
• Resolution / layout mismatch

Conclusion: practical phone use requires dedicated mobile app design.

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Core Phone Functionality Test (What Broke)

Cell Network Basics

• The SIM connected and showed cell bars
• However, calling and speaker audio failed:
  • Calls wouldn’t connect (not even voicemail)
  • Audio routed to “dummy output”, causing confusion/malfunction
• The Nothing Phone has no wired audio jack, so headphone-jack testing wasn’t possible

Bluetooth Audio

• Bluetooth headset audio worked
  • A Bluetooth headset connected successfully
  • Audio output worked

Other Phone Features That Failed

• Text messaging didn’t send
• Mobile data couldn’t be enabled
• Camera didn’t work

Overall Assessment

The creator’s verdict is that it wasn’t usable as a real phone—more like a pocket computer.

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Internet + Built-in Apps

Wi‑Fi

• Wi‑Fi worked, enabling internet access.

Bundled Apps

Bundled apps included:

• Dolphin file browser
• Terminal
• A default browser called “Angelfish”
  • Described as outdated-looking, implying it likely needs replacement.

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Waydroid Attempt (Running Android Apps on Linux)

Motivation

Because desktop apps weren’t phone-friendly, the creator attempts Waydroid to run a full Android system.

Installation

It was installed via terminal and described as straightforward after checking documentation/wiki, including a command like:

• sudo apt add waydroid

Major Issue: Wi‑Fi Scanning Failure

• Waydroid couldn’t find Wi‑Fi networks
• Result: no internet
• Without internet, Android apps couldn’t function
• The wiki reportedly includes a troubleshooting section for this

Workarounds

• The creator connected a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard to help,
  • but still couldn’t restore Wi‑Fi inside Waydroid.

Result

With Waydroid internet effectively broken, Android apps were unusable—leaving mainly:

• desktop apps
• the terminal

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Final Verdict / Analysis

Practicality

postmarketOS isn’t yet a practical daily phone OS. The creator notes this was expected due to unfinished or community-dependent device support.

Why the Future Is Still Compelling

• Vision: a Linux phone OS that combines phone convenience with desktop power
• The ability to move into desktop mode and configure everything
• The project is community-run (unpaid labor), so progress depends on a small group finishing device support and integration

Encouragement

If you have an old phone collecting dust, repurpose it—e.g., as a pocket server. The creator also discourages buying an expensive “Raspberry Pi” alternative.

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Main Speaker(s) / Sources

Main Speaker

• The video creator, referred to as “Matty” (in-subtitles)

Sources Referenced

• postmarketOS official website
  • mission statement
  • supported devices
  • “state of postmarketOS” warning
• postmarketOS documentation/wiki
  • installation guidance
  • troubleshooting
• Waydroid
  • installed via terminal
  • Wi‑Fi troubleshooting noted in docs/wiki

Sponsor Mentioned

• Scrimba (interactive coding courses)