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09/04/2016, 10:53 AM
#5
 Originally Posted by Herrie
We don't need Android hardware or Cyanogen, just the problem is that the chipset and hardware manufacturers only offer binary blob drivers for Android in general so we're forced to use a very stripped down Android version & libhybris in order to be able to use the device for our needs. If there's a device with a proper linux kernel & drivers (like the Raspberry Pi etc) it removes quite some complexity and layers from a port :-)
Well... yes, but I mentioned that (I didn't really, but I meant 'Linux device with open drivers') and as you also state, currently, usable & available phone devices are pretty much all Android.
Puzzle phone looks good, but it seems they are having problems. Some are suggesting they team up with another company and it seems to me that Fairphone (another possible LuneOS candidate) could work - FP could handle ethical sourcing & marketing, Puzzlephone could bring a high spec, design and manufacturing. Of course, both these phones are again Android, but if there is an interest in open hardware, other options become possible.
There remains an option of building a webOS phone from scratch. Although I think this is becoming more possible, I don't think it's viable yet. I think Fairphone started with a run of 10,000. It was an average phone sold on ethics & repair-ability with the 'known quantity' of Android. I'm doubtful about selling 1/10 of that number (maybe the webOS router can sell 2500 to webOS fans past & present because there's no such thing as 'router apps')
The options are:
- To build something good, but VERY expensive due to the low number.
- Something like a 'maker-kit' which would either be bulky/ugly or underpowered.
- Make something quality that's open enough to run anything, but happens to make a good webOS phone.
Option 1 just won't happen - too much of a risk. Option 2 could happen in the future if someone develops a fairly slick kit with decent specs and a nice case, but such a thing begins to edge into the project Ara territory. Option 3 would seem possible and not so far from the Fairphone / Puzzlephone approach. A keyboard, gesture / capacitance button area. This could be sold as an Android / Sailfish / Ubuntu / LuneOS phone (whatever you want) in sufficient numbers to hit a reasonable price point without compromising H/W spec.
Aside from building a device, there is the Blackberry option of rebadging a suitable existing device, but that likely brings back the 'generic slab' problem - what is out there with decent specs, a KB & gesture area?
One other idea is to 'repackage' existing internals into a 'webOS form', but I'm doubtful that 'slab-guts' will support a KB/GA.
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