Jolla has announced that it will begin selling Sailfish OS for the unlocked, single SIM model of the Sony Xperia X, on September 27. Sailfish OS is an operating system that originated from MeeGo, an open source project that Nokia spearheaded more than five years ago. Like Android, Jolla’s software is based on Linux, although it is optimized for mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. The Sailfish OS can also run Android apps, and the developers promised that the apps’ performance will be comparable with handsets running the Android operating system. Security is also a key feature of the software, with developers incorporating support for end-to-end encryption, Mobile Device Management (MDM), and strong local algorithms.
The company targets to release a downloadable image of the Sailfish OS for the Sony Xperia X on October 11, but interested consumers may already buy the software starting on September 27 for €49.90, which translates to roughly $59 at the current exchange rate. Right now, the sale of the operating system is restricted to users residing in Europe, although the company hopes to start selling its product in the United States soon. In addition, the Sailfish OS can only be installed in unlocked, single SIM units of the Sony Xperia X, as carrier-branded handsets may contain modifications that may make it incompatible with Jolla’s software. A Linux PC is required to install the operating system, but Jolla will include detailed instructions to make the entire process faster. After installing the operating system, additional modules that enable support for Android apps, predictive text input, and Microsoft Exchange can be downloaded from the Jolla Store. While the company will update the software for only a year, a continuation program is available for people who want additional OS upgrades.
Jolla reminds its users that they may encounter bugs, but its developers have managed to fix the biggest flaws of the operating system. However, a few features will still be disabled in the first version of the software, including the FM radio, Bluetooth connectivity, barometer, step counter, and support for fingerprint scanners. These features will be activated in later upgrades, but Jolla has yet to release a timeline for these updates.