Mobian
{{For|anthropomorphic animals called "Mobians"|Sonic the Hedgehog (Archie Comics){{!}}Sonic the Hedgehog (Archie Comics)}}
{{Infobox OS
| name = Mobian
| logo = File:Mobian logo black text.svg |language=en}}]]
| screenshot = 200px
| caption = Launcher, showing all applications
| developer = Mobian community,
Debian community
| family = Linux
| released =
| marketing target = Smartphones, tablets, mobile devices
| language = Multilingual
| userland = GNU
| ui = Graphical (Native and Web applications)
| license = Mainly the GPL and various other open source licenses
| website = https://mobian.org, https://wiki.mobian.org/
| source_model = Open-source
| latest_release_version =
| latest_release_date =
| latest preview version =
| latest preview date =
| kernel_type = Linux kernel
| programmed_in =
| prog_language = C, C++, QML, Python
| discontinued =
| supported_platforms = ARM, x86 64
| updatemodel = graphical update manager, image-based updates, apt-get
| package_manager = apt
}}
Mobian is a project to port the Debian Linux distribution running the mainline Linux kernel to smartphones and tablets. The project was announced in 2020.{{Cite web |title=There was OS for smartphones based on Debian Linux |url=https://tadviser.com/index.php/Product:Mobian_(mobile_operating_system) |access-date=2022-10-25 |website=TAdviser.ru}} It is available for the PinePhone, PinePhone Pro, PineTab, PineTab 2, Librem 5, OnePlus 6/6T and Pocophone F1.{{Cite web |title=devices [Mobian Wiki] |url=https://wiki.debian.org/Mobian/Devices |access-date=2024-03-03 |website=wiki.debian.org}}
Droidian (previously known as hybris-mobian) is a version of Mobian which runs top of Android's variant of the Linux kernel and the Libhybris and Halium adaptation layer, and works with devices which are supported by Ubuntu Touch. It can be installed using UBports installer.{{cite web|url=https://droidian.org/blog/hybris-mobian-is-now-droidian/|title=hybris-mobian Is Now Droidian|date=3 April 2021 }}
Organization
Mobian is maintained by two teams, Mobian, and DebianOnMobile. DebianOnMobile maintains upstreamed parts.{{Cite web |title=Mobian - Debian Wiki |url=https://wiki.debian.org/Mobian |access-date=2023-05-30 |website=wiki.debian.org}}
Software stack
As software stack Mobian uses the Phosh (Phone shell) graphical system developed by Purism, which is based on GTK. It aims to integrate Phosh with Debian, to the extent that the need for Mobian's customizations will be minimized.{{cite web |title=intro [Mobian Wiki] |url=https://wiki.mobian-project.org/doku.php?id=intro |website=wiki.mobian-project.org}} While all Debian apps can be installed on a mobile running Mobian, some will not work usably on the small-form-factor screen. There is a set of apps that have been adapted to work on a small touch screen, and which provide basic functionality. Many are GNOME-based.{{cite news |last1=Gatti |first1=Matteo |title=Mobian OS sul PinePhone: Debian sbarca sugli smartphone |url=https://www.lffl.org/2020/06/mobian-os-pinephone-debian-smartphone.html |work=Linux Freedom |date=21 June 2020 |language=it-IT}} The project maintains a list of apps that work well on its wiki.
Initially, Mobian was based on Debian stable; however, in August 2021 it switched to being based on the Debian testing distribution.{{cite web |title=To Bullseye and beyond! // Mobian's Blog |url=https://blog.mobian.org/posts/2021/08/11/bullseye-release/ |website=blog.mobian.org}}
In 2023, the first Mobian stable version was released, based on Debian stable again.{{cite web|url=https://blog.mobian.org/posts/2023/01/08/2022-review/|title=A look back in the mirror... And a glimpse of the future!|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231010155452/https://blog.mobian.org/posts/2023/01/08/2022-review/ |archive-date=2023-10-10 }}
Supported hardware
Initially Mobian was developed for the Librem 5 and the Pinephone which were designed to support Linux. In May 2020, Pine64 announced availability of Mobian for PinePhone.{{Cite web |title=May Update: PineTab pre-orders, PinePhone Qi charging & more! |url=https://www.pine64.org/2020/05/15/may-update-pinetab-pre-orders-pinephone-qi-charging-more/ |access-date=2022-07-19 |website=PINE64 |date=15 May 2020 |language=en-US}} On 18 January 2021, the Mobian "Community Edition" Pinephone was released, an edition selling with Mobian pre-installed, and donating $10 US of the phone purchase cost to the Mobian developers.{{cite web |title=What is Mobian? // Mobian's Blog |url=https://blog.mobian-project.org/posts/2021/02/18/what_is_mobian/ |website=blog.mobian-project.org}} Later Mobian announced support for the PineTab, a tablet, and the Pinephone Pro.{{cite news |last1=Kumar |first1=Sarvottam |title=Mobian OS For PinePhone Now Available For Linux Tablet 'PineTab' |url=https://fossbytes.com/mobian-os-for-pinephone-now-available-for-linux-tablet-pinetab/ |access-date=4 September 2022 |work=Fossbytes |date=10 September 2020}} Mobian also supports the OnePlus 6/6T and Pocophone F1 Android phones with the mainline Linux kernel.
Juno computer released a x86-based tablet with Mobian preinstalled to preorder in October 2022.{{Cite web |last=Wallen |first=Jack |title=Juno Computers Announces New Tablet for Preorder » Linux Magazine |url=http://www.linux-magazine.com/Online/News/Juno-Computers-Announces-New-Tablet-for-Preorder |access-date=2022-10-24 |website=Linux Magazine |language=en-US}}
Reception
In June 2020, writing for Fossbytes, Sarvottam Kumar wrote about how Mobian aims to bring Debian 11 Bullseye to mobile ARM64 devices by creating custom images for installation.{{Cite web |date=2020-06-20 |title=Mobian OS For PinePhone Aims To Bring Debian Linux To Mobile Devices |url=https://fossbytes.com/mobian-os-for-pinephone-aims-to-bring-debian-linux-to-mobile-devices/ |access-date=2022-07-18 |website=Fossbytes |language=en-US}} Linuxnews said it had a broad variety of apps, but the battery life on a Pinephone, at 4–6 hours, was still too low.{{cite news |title=Mobian auf dem PinePhone |url=https://linuxnews.de/2020/06/mobian-auf-dem-pinephone/ |work=LinuxNews |date=21 June 2020 |language=de-DE}}
As of June 2020, Mobian is waitlisted for DistroWatch coverage.{{Cite web |title=DistroWatch.com: Put the fun back into computing. Use Linux, BSD. |url=https://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20200615#waiting |access-date=2023-05-26 |website=distrowatch.com}}
In July 2020, Jean-Luc Aufranc in CNX Software article called it "a work in progress" he said it was "interesting" that it uses Purism's Phosh interface, and while it includes many apps, several functions were broken or unreliable.{{Cite web |last=Aufranc (CNXSoft) |first=Jean-Luc |date=2020-07-10 |title=Debian based Mobian Linux OS Brings Librem 5 Phosh Shell to Pinephone - CNX Software |url=https://www.cnx-software.com/2020/07/10/debian-based-mobian-linux-os-brings-librem-5-phosh-shell-to-pinephone/ |access-date=2022-07-18 |website=CNX Software - Embedded Systems News |language=en-US}} Marius Nestor of 9to5Linux wrote about availability of Mobian as an alternative to postmarketOS on PinePhone. He said there were many apps available, but also many were not optimized for mobile devices.{{Cite web |last=Nestor |first=Marius |date=2020-07-09 |title=Mobian Project Wants to Bring Debian GNU/Linux to Mobile Devices |url=https://9to5linux.com/mobian-project-wants-to-bring-debian-gnu-linux-to-mobile-devices |access-date=2022-07-19 |website=9to5Linux |language=en-US}}
In October 2020, Linuxnews described Mobian as better than Ubuntu Touch but not as up-to-date as Arch Linux on the Pinetab.{{cite news |last1=Thommes |first1=Ferdinand |title=PineTab Linux-Tablet mit Mobian und Arch Linux ARM |url=https://linuxnews.de/2020/10/pinetab-linux-tablet-mit-mobian-und-arch-linux-arm/ |access-date=4 September 2022 |work=LinuxNews |date=19 October 2020 |language=de-DE}}
In January 2021, Pine64 announced sales of PinePhones with "Mobian Community Edition" installed.{{Cite web |title=Mobian Community Edition |url=https://www.pine64.org/2021/01/17/mobian-community-edition/ |access-date=2022-07-19 |website=PINE64 |date=January 18, 2021 |language=en-US}} Niklas Dierking wrote in heise.de about Pine64's announcement of availability of PinePhones with Mobian in two different hardware configurations, based on Pine64's announcement.{{Cite web |last=online |first=heise |title=Debian in der Hosentasche: PinePhone Community-Edition mit Mobian vorgestellt |url=https://www.heise.de/news/Debian-in-der-Hosentasche-PinePhone-Community-Edition-mit-Mobian-vorgestellt-5029104.html |access-date=2022-07-19 |website=heise online |date=January 20, 2021 |language=de}}
In January 2021 Matteo Gatti of Linux Freedom wrote a detailed review of Pinephone with Mobian OS.{{Cite web |last=Gatti |first=Matteo |date=2021-01-17 |title=Pine64, arriva la quinta edizione del PinePhone con Mobian OS |url=https://www.lffl.org/2021/01/pine64-quinta-edizione-pinephone-mobian-os.html |access-date=2023-02-02 |website=Linux Freedom |language=it-IT}}
In August 2021, Jean-Luc Aufranc of CNX Software recommended Mobian as "most stable OS" for using PinePhone as a mobile hotspot, in a detailed review of software and hardware.{{Cite web |last=Aufranc (CNXSoft) |first=Jean-Luc |date=2021-08-08 |title=How to use PinePhone as a mobile hotspot - CNX Software |url=https://www.cnx-software.com/2021/08/08/how-to-use-pinephone-as-a-mobile-hotspot/ |access-date=2023-02-02 |website=CNX Software - Embedded Systems News |language=en-US}}
In September 2021, in a detailed review of PinePhone for Hackaday, Bryan Cockfield wrote about experimenting with, and switching to Mobian, or "mobile Debian". He called the ability to SSH into it like any other computer and install software with apt "excellent features" which "worked surprisingly well" for the Kodi media player.{{Cite web |last=By |date=2021-09-02 |title=Pining For A De-Googled Smartphone |url=https://hackaday.com/2021/09/02/pining-for-a-de-googled-smartphone/ |access-date=2022-07-18 |website=Hackaday |language=en-US}}
As of March 2023, Droidian, a mobile operating system based on Mobian, is waitlisted for DistroWatch coverage.{{Cite web |title=DistroWatch.com: Put the fun back into computing. Use Linux, BSD. |url=https://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20230327#waiting |access-date=2023-05-26 |website=distrowatch.com}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Mobile operating systems}}
{{Debian}}
{{Linux}}
External links
- [https://mobian.org mobian.org] (official homepage)
- [https://droidian.org droidian.org] (Halium & libhybris based version)
Category:Embedded Linux distributions
Category:Mobile operating systems
Category:Smartphone operating systems