“There are Chinese components too—we are completely open about it—but the key is that, when we compile the software ourselves and install it in Finland, we protect the integrity of the product,” Pienimäki said.

What makes Sailfish OS unique is what competitors want GrapheneOS and e/OS so it is not based on the Android Open Source Project, but Linux. That means it has no relationship with Google-there is no need for the company to “deGoogle” the software; meaning that there is a greater sense of sovereignty over the software (and now the hardware). However, it is able to run Android apps, although the implementation is not perfect. Another common criticism is that it’s not as secure as options like GrapheneOS, where every app is sandboxed.

There is a good chance that some Android apps on Sailfish OS will run into issues, that’s why in the startup wizard the phone asks if you want to install services like MicroG—open source software that can run Google services on devices without the Google Play Store, making it an easier on-ramp for people coming from traditional smartphones without a technical background. You don’t need to create a Sailfish OS account to use Jolla Phone.

Jolla’s effort is not the first to push the anti-Big Tech narrative. A wave of other hardware and software companies are offering a deGoogled experience, though that’s Murena from France and it e/OS privacy-friendly operating system or the Canadian GrapheneOS, which recently announced a partnership with Motorola. At CES earlier this year, Swiss company Punkt also teamed up with ApostrophyOS to deploy its software on the new MC03 smartphone. Jolla follows a broader trend in Europe of decreasing reliance on US companies, such as how French officials removed Zoom for The software developed in French video conference earlier this year.

The Telephone

A common problem with these niche smartphones is that they inevitably cost a lot of money for the specs. Remove the Lightweight Phone IIIfor example, a relatively low-tech anti-smartphone that does not enjoy the benefits of economies of scale, resulting in an extraordinary $699 price. The Jolla Phone is in the same boat, although the specs-to-value ratio is a little more respectable.

It is powered by a midrange MediaTek Dimensity 7100 5G chip with 8 GB of RAM, 256 GB of storage, plus a microSD card slot and dual-SIM tray. There’s a 6.36-inch 1080p AMOLED screen, two primary cameras, and a 32-megapixel selfie shooter. The 5,500-mAh battery cell is relatively large considering the phone’s size, although the phone connection is a bit dated, stuck in Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.4.

Uniquely, the Jolla Phone brings back “The Other Half” functional rear covers from the original. These swappable back covers have pogo pins that interface with the phone, allowing people to create unique accessories like a second display on the back of the phone or even a keyboard attachment. There is one Innovation Program where the community can cocreate functional covers and 3D-print them. And yes, a removable back cover means the Jolla Phone’s battery is user replaceable.