The world outside of Android and iOS is exciting

I love alternative operating systems, and it gives us a look at what’s possible outside of the duopoly of Android and iOS. And one of the most interesting phones of the year is the Jolla 2026 Phonewhich runs the Sailfish operating system.

Jolla was also at MWC 2026 in Barcelona and we visited the company’s booth to get our hands on the new Jolla Phone. So is it more than an alternative to Android and iOS? Here’s what I discovered after spending a short period of time with this €649 (~$755) device.

When I first saw images of the Jolla Phone 2026, I was immediately captivated by the orange back. And in person it’s a pleasantly vibrant color too. I’m also happy to report that this rear plastic cover is removable, although it looks a bit cheap. Fortunately, Jolla says people can also create their own covers if they wish. Best of all, you can change the battery by removing a single screw. You love to see it.

Flip the phone over and you’ll see a 6.36-inch FHD+ OLED display. This panel was more than bright enough under the intense lights of the showroom. It’s also worth noting that there’s a gigantic notch on the screen (see below), which houses the selfie camera and a notification LED. I’m willing to overlook this huge cutout, but I’d rather see a traditional bezel like the one on Sony Xperia phones.

As for holding the device, the curved sides help the phone feel more ergonomic. It certainly represents a refreshing change from the sea of iPhone clones with flat frame. Those sharp corners also evoke the first Nokia Lumia devices and the Nokia N9. I’m not sure if these corners can make the phone uncomfortable to use for long periods, but it can’t be worse than the sharp corners of the Galaxy S23 Ultra.

The Jolla 2026 phone also has a privacy switch on the left side, allowing you to disable a bunch of settings with a quick flick (e.g. microphone, camera, location, Wi-Fi). However, you can also customize this switch to only disable certain settings.

Other notable hardware features include a budget-grade MediaTek Dimensity 7100 chipset, 8GB or 12GB of RAM, 256GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot, a side fingerprint scanner and a 5,450 mAh battery. It even has a notification LED if you miss this classic feature. In terms of the camera experience, you get a 50MP main camera and a 13MP ultrawide camera.

Sailfish OS powers the Jolla 2026 phone and is a spiritual successor to Nokia’s ill-fated MeeGo platform. I was a big fan of this platform when I reviewed the Nokia N9 in 2011. But years of using Android mean that the Sailfish operating system takes some getting used to. For example, swiping up on an app closes it on Android, while swiping in from the edge of the screen takes it back. However, swiping up on an app in Sailfish OS opens the app drawer, while swiping back exits the app. I can’t say if this is definitely better or worse than Android gestures given the short time I had with the device, but it’s certainly different.

Sailfish OS also dedicates a home screen to multitasking apps (see first image above), as do MeeGo and BlackBerry 10. You’ll find small app windows on this screen, which show all the running apps and allow you to quickly switch between them. In theory, I’ve always liked the idea of ​​a home screen dedicated to multitasking, but I feel like app switching is a simpler affair on Android.

The platform also gained support for Android apps years ago via the Android AppSupport layer, and the Jolla 2026 phone still retains this capability. In fact, you can even install the open source. microG frame as an alternative to Google Play services if you really need to run certain Android apps. Jolla also allows you to use the Aurora Store if you need access to Play Store apps. I’m glad to see that Jolla has kept this feature, as it means that developers are not required to create native apps for the platform.

For what it’s worth, Jolla says the new phone runs Sailfish OS 5.2. The company has not yet released a changelog, but the previous version of Sailfish OS 5 updated AppSupport to Android 13, updated the default browser engine, introduced better support for landscape orientation, and added support for call blocking. You won’t find on-device generative AI features here, but that could be a selling point for some people.

I’m very happy to see the Jolla 2026 phone, as alternatives to Android and iOS are few and far between. I haven’t spent enough time with Sailfish OS yet to give it a definitive verdict, but I’m happy that the platform is getting some love and a new phone in 2026.

As for the phone itself, it doesn’t have the most powerful processor, a triple rear camera setup, an IP68 rating, or wireless charging. I’d expect at least some of these features on a €649 Android phone, but I’ve definitely seen some Linux-based phones with less bang for your buck. Jolla has nailed down the fundamentals here too, while the addition of enthusiast-friendly extras (microSD slot, removable battery, notification LED) helps make this a more enticing package.

Perhaps the biggest downside to the Jolla Phone 2026 is availability. The company has already sold the first batch of phones and is currently selling the second batch. However, the phone is only shipping to Europe at the moment. That’s why I expect the company to expand to other markets (e.g. North America, MEA, Asia-Pacific) in the coming months.