PRESS RELEASE: HELSINKI – September 16, 2013
 

Sailfish OS achieves compatibility with Android ecosystem

HELSINKI – September 16, 2013. Sailfish OS has achieved a major milestone whereby the OS is now compatible with the AndroidTM ecosystem, in terms of application and hardware compatibility.

Android applications run directly on Sailfish OS without any modifications

Users enjoying the unique gesture-based and modern Sailfish OS user experience will be able to take full advantage of the Android application ecosystem available through various app stores globally. Jolla will co- operate with leading global app stores to ensure users can seamlessly download Android apps just as they would do on any Android device.
“For example, highly popular apps such as Instagram, WhatsApp and Spotify run directly on Sailfish OS. Also Chinese WeChat – already with over 400 million users – runs on Sailfish OS,” says Jolla CEO Tomi Pienimäki.

Sailfish OS runs on common Android Hardware

Jolla has made a major breakthrough in Android hardware compatibility by developing Sailfish OS to run on common hardware produced for Android, particularly smartphones and tablets. Vendors interested to utilize Sailfish OS are now able to develop phones and tablets based on many different chipset and hardware configurations. This new level of compatibility will enable device vendors who use Sailfish OS to fully utilize the existing Android hardware ecosystem.
Jolla believes that this breakthrough offers growth opportunities of significant scale for Sailfish OS globally, especially in China. “We believe Sailfish with Android compatibility is a highly relevant mobile operating system option for major mobile companies in Europe and in Asia. We are already in discussions with several major Asian vendors regarding this opportunity,” says Tomi Pienimäki.

Next production batch will be opened for pre-orders this week
The last weeks have been very dynamic in the mobile industry and after the Microsoft-Nokia announcement the strategic position of Jolla and Sailfish OS has strengthened significantly.
“Due to extremely positive feedback and increased demand in the past weeks, we are offering another pre-order opportunity for our second production batch later this week through jolla.com. This will be targeted to Finnish customers who want to express their passion for the Finnish mobile industry,” Pienimäki concludes.

About Jolla
Jolla Ltd., headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, is developing mobile devices and open Sailfish OS based on the heritage of MeeGo project. In addition to its R&D sites in Helsinki and Tampere, Jolla has offices in Hong Kong.

Please see jolla.com/press for further press and media materials.
Jolla media contact: press@jolla.com

Re: PRESS RELEASE: HELSINKI – September 16, 2013
 

thanks... very nice informations :)


one question about Android Apps....

... we know that android apps take hugh informations about us. How we can block it? i dont wanna that the apps take SMS conversions, Call History, contacts and much more!

Re: PRESS RELEASE: HELSINKI – September 16, 2013
 

Exactly my question.
I would prefer the whole process to include a sandbox where I can download the Google Android APK file first.

The Sandbox may include an API that simulates an Android phonebook, SMS DB, GPS tracking statistics, media DB and what else to feed them with distorted information if the user would choose so.

Per App , the user would then be able to enable access to the true address book or the dummy one , only when deemed necessary for a certain functinality.

On Android I checked the LBE Security program it seems to intercept and block calling home activity pro-actively. How to prevent our Jolla to be compromised by these spywares?

Re: PRESS RELEASE: HELSINKI – September 16, 2013
 

Just do not use Android / install apk!

If you are "forced" to, check x-privacy (or similar)...

Re: PRESS RELEASE: HELSINKI – September 16, 2013
 

If you are an Android/Google/Facebook/etc. user, you clearly don't mind about privacy, so it would be the same with Jolla. This feature is aimed (I think) to avoid deal breakers such as "Oh, if the phone can't run [insert your favourite Android application here], then I won't buy it".

So, there you go, interested about privacy? Don't use anything related to Google, social networks, etc.. In fact, if you are serious, you should probably make your own OS+applications since nothing is ever 100% secure/private.

Personally, the most I have done with mobile phone applications was a tcpdump to validate authenticity and that they do what they claim they do.

Re: PRESS RELEASE: HELSINKI – September 16, 2013
 

True, you should just mention that your friends and contacts should do the same.
Security will be complete once your friends stop feeding your data to the social networks and identifying you on pictures uploaded in facebook.
Of course you will not be secure as the black hole left by your identity will make you a suspect.

A test is to ask your most Google-fanboy friend, one that downloads free and fun apps to entertain himself while on the privy, to name you "XCZWZthe3rd" for a couple of weeks in his Google address book then watch the spam coming in addressed to Dear "XCZWZthe3rd".

Everything is being crosslinked.

The statement "If you don't like it, don't use it, I for one have nothing to hide"
should in all honesty be followed by the
"and I couldn't give a rats *** for my friends' concern about privacy".

Re: PRESS RELEASE: HELSINKI – September 16, 2013
 

The hilarious thing is that Android apps do define the permissions they need. Ignoring the fact that many apps request permissions that are not appropriate, you still get informed that the app in question might want to read your e-mails or call logs.

On the other hand, in Maemo/Meego there was NO such thing. It was super easy to write a simple flashlight app that read all the device and user info and sent it out to whoever you wanted to. As a developer this always made me nervous, and I wonder how many such bad apps might be out there for this particular platform.

Re: PRESS RELEASE: HELSINKI – September 16, 2013
 

I am fully aware, but in my private life I do exercise some sort of assessment as to what information I give to whom depending on the importance of it, and I roughly measure the risk. In this day and age you can't hide absolutely everything - not even your wireless password.

But going back to topic:
a) Jolla says that Android applications will run in a sandbox, whether that sandbox will emulate an empty contact list, etc., I have no idea (this is according to an articule in theregister iirc).
b) The reason why they have compatibility with Android applications should be that you can continue using them - in fact, if you know of any application that is really need and you are going to buy the phone, it may be worth starting making some noise to get it ported.

And regarding the release, and as it has been said on other threads: this is very good news, especially the fact that they are going to launch a second preorder campaign this week and announce more details about the hardware.

Re: PRESS RELEASE: HELSINKI – September 16, 2013
 

@ggabriel

i am use moment LBE, i know that this program self take the information, but block other apps for it.... xprivacy cant bw use on MIUI, what i have at a moment...

... and the think is, will Sailfish OS have a app what can block or give wrong informations?

i hope that somebody will develope one app..... and next hope is, that many apps will ported without spyware...

Re: PRESS RELEASE: HELSINKI – September 16, 2013
 

I'd personally not wager that this will be a priority, but it could be done in time, not necessarily by Jolla.

I'd be more worried about Sailfish applications having spyware, as you call it. The OS doesn't really matter sometimes. Granted, Android has loads of it, and a lot of applications are designed to access your information and give it to somebody (Google by default), mainly because Google's business model is based on that _but_ that won't stop -for instance- popular sports tracking applications from making you upload your training information to "the cloud" so that you can see cooler reports and they can know how healthy you are.

Privacy/Security are good concerns and apply to everything - we still don't know how good Sailfish will be at that, for that matter, most people have given up on this.

Re: PRESS RELEASE: HELSINKI – September 16, 2013
 

second pre order starts on 19 th , Countdown on Jolla.com website :)

Re: PRESS RELEASE: HELSINKI – September 16, 2013
 

indeed it does! :) Would the price be the same you think? ~ 400 eur?

Re: PRESS RELEASE: HELSINKI – September 16, 2013
 

:) ...but only for Finland! :(

Re: PRESS RELEASE: HELSINKI – September 16, 2013
 

Looking forward to test the hardware compatibility with the upcoming

Jitsi.org Android version (Scheduled for Q3 2013)

ZRTP video call on my Jolla Sailfish device would that be a lot to expect in 2013-14?

Re: PRESS RELEASE: HELSINKI – September 16, 2013
 

Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/ewanspen...e-play/#47408e

Re: PRESS RELEASE: HELSINKI – September 16, 2013
 

Just buy Android device. Announcing that you are mooching off another platform, and that is a cause for celebration??

Re: PRESS RELEASE: HELSINKI – September 16, 2013
 

Exactly. Androids are cheap as soap so just get yourself one. There's no need for an android compability layer, and the disadvantages of having it have been clearly presented, IMHO.

Re: PRESS RELEASE: HELSINKI – September 16, 2013
 

Hmm. That's exactly what I thought in 1999 about adding cameras to phones. I thought, WTF is the point? There are much more important things to integrate with phones - like PDAs, for example. I had to wait for another 5 years for my dream to come true. By that time, camera phones were the mainstream.

I think a compatibility layer for [a random alien OS] is a good idea.

• For the producer - increased chance of survival in against mainstream competition.
• For the buyer - you can continue using your familiar "ecosystem" (sorry about the use of that profaned word), hence less resistance to upgrade, hence... see For the producer.

Think for a moment like a Jolla executive. Your company is a small start-up. You do not dominate the market. You can't afford to pi$$ against the wind. What do you do? What is easier, to port all 500 fart Android apps, OR make sure they work on your device without porting?

Re: PRESS RELEASE: HELSINKI – September 16, 2013
 

The main reason some users like me need Android compatibility is because I want to carry one phone, but still be able to access work email for example. Unfortunately the work email app only runs on Android and iOS.

Otherwise I'm not to fussed about other apps.

What I am really interested in is the hardware compatibility - I am not a fan of the Jolla phone so if this OS gets up and running on some Android devices that would be great.

Re: PRESS RELEASE: HELSINKI – September 16, 2013
 

+1 exactly!

Re: PRESS RELEASE: HELSINKI – September 16, 2013
 

Also some clarification on the specs:

- Easy-to-use, gesture based Sailfish OS
- Android™ app compatible
- The Other Half expandability with changeable smart covers
- Qualcomm Snapdragon™ Dual Core 1.4GHz
- Ample 4.5" qHD (960x540) Jolla Estrade display
- 8MP AF camera with LED flash and 2MP front-facing camera
- User-replaceable battery (2100mAh, 3.8V, 7.98Wh)
- 16GB storage, 1GB RAM, MicroSD
- We target to ship by the end of 2013

http://jolla.com/your-jolla/

Re: PRESS RELEASE: HELSINKI – September 16, 2013
 

lol, so when they said "HD" what they really meant was one quarter of HD, but that's okay because qHD still has the letters "H" and "D" in the title!

Re: PRESS RELEASE: HELSINKI – September 16, 2013
 

i wish it would be at least 720p amoled display...i cant live without my low power screen

Then you probably have to wait for jollas second or even third phone.

Re: PRESS RELEASE: HELSINKI – September 16, 2013
 

A trifle disappointing. That's a lower ppi (approx 245 from my rough calculation) than either the N9 or the N900 (although to be fair the N9 ppi isn't directly comparable since it is AMOLED)

Re: PRESS RELEASE: HELSINKI – September 16, 2013
 

i am a little amused by the word "ample" in the description of the screen.

Re: PRESS RELEASE: HELSINKI – September 16, 2013
 

I don't think there's real noticeable difference between modern AMOLED and LCD screen battery drain. Especially as Sailfish UI isn't all black background like Swipe UI or WP. Lumia 920 or iPhone never really suffered from LCD screens on battery life.

Contrast and colors (some like, some don't), plus thinner screen assembly in a other hand are certainly on AMOLED's side.

That said, I would prefer AMOLED screen over LCD simply because at least on AMOLED screens there tends to be some kind of quality standard across screens. Possibly because of limited amount of AMOLED screen manufacturers.
LCD screens in a other hand have some pretty horrible ones (even on flagships like Sony's Z) and some that imo look better than any other screens out there, like on iPhone.