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Buy Jolla phone 2016?

asked 2016-03-15 23:04:11 +0200

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updated 2016-03-23 14:36:44 +0200

jiit gravatar image

Hello everyone , I would buy the Jolla smartphone because he was tired of Android, in 2016 believe that it is still a good buy ? Do you think it will still be supported for long?

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Hmm I'd be wondering how the batteries do. They were produced quite a while back and there's no fresh stock, althouth there seem to be as few alternatives around.

MoritzJT ( 2016-03-15 23:19:47 +0200 )edit
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The Jolla phone is almost two and a half years old, even during that time it was not a top spec phone. Unfortunately, and for the time being, it is the only device that provides a full SFOS experience. There are unofficial SFOS ports to other platforms but they lack some functionality, e.g. MS exchange, maps, Android support. Hopefully an official port to Fairphone2 will be available ... soon. There is also an Intex phone that will released by May in India tho.

pmelas ( 2016-03-15 23:20:14 +0200 )edit
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If the budget is short, I might opt for one. But if it's not, go for Fair Phone / Turing Phone?

MoritzJT ( 2016-03-15 23:20:21 +0200 )edit
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I would still buy Jolla. With this together you can make all the tricks for the phone, hack Google play, save battery by limiting the charger, use command line tools and still call and send emails.

Rikujolla ( 2016-03-15 23:41:53 +0200 )edit

OP if you let us know that the decission was made, maye we as a community can get you a quick start / SFOS essentials post up and running with all the stuff you do to set up your phone properly :-) I'll volunteer for now. As I will not be watching here all time, just ping me on twitter under the same name. I'll get to it then.

MoritzJT ( 2016-03-15 23:55:28 +0200 )edit

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17

answered 2016-03-16 00:54:08 +0200

About Jolla Phone being a good buy. It doesn't have the latest wardware, but how much does that matter with a phone? The OS is very well optimized to it so it doesn't feel like 2-3 year old device. Everything is nice and smooth. The UI is fantastic. Calls, text messages, email and social media work without problems. The screen resolution is enough for web browsing. Battery is not great, but is good enough. All Android apps that I've tried have so far worked.

Biggest minus of the OS compared to Android is that not every text from every app can be copied to clipboard. Biggest minus of the hardware is the poor camera.

If I had to buy a new phone today, I might still consider buying it. However if I had to buy a new phone later this year, I would wait for other Sailfish OS phones (for example try to get the Intex Aquafish from India).

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5

Despite the fact that the Intex Aqua Fish will not be made available in Europe, we also cannot assume that the branding can be easily removed. It might very well be crippled, e.g. by not allowing Developer mode or installing from independent sources.

Until we know more about the Aqua Fish I would strongly suggest to not even considering it as an option.

hubat ( 2016-03-16 04:48:33 +0200 )edit
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answered 2016-03-15 23:21:21 +0200

ApB gravatar image

updated 2016-03-15 23:21:36 +0200

In terms of support i believe it will be getting all the updates. As for the specs in 2016 is nothing to write home about. Before you buy make sure the os has all the features you need/use everyday.

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I have a smaller budget of 200 €, the jolla l found at 140-180 €, as a feature does what I need, use a few Android App, shame that the band do not function on this device, too bad we do not know if the intex arrive in Europe ...

Jhonny_Italy ( 2016-03-15 23:30:34 +0200 )edit

What band does not work on Jolla 1? Where are you situated and what are the operator bands there?

MoritzJT ( 2016-03-15 23:59:31 +0200 )edit

Vivo in Italia una delle frequenze principali per il 4g è la 800mhz

Jhonny_Italy ( 2016-03-16 00:43:35 +0200 )edit
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We know pretty well that Intex has no plans to sell to Europe, so don't regard it as an option.

You can choose between the cheap and satisfying Jolla phone and the costly but fair and fast FairPhone (some time soon). Unfortunately there is nothing else to choose from.

hubat ( 2016-03-16 02:36:16 +0200 )edit
1

IMHO the Jolla phone has a rather poor hardware quality, I'm sorry to say that. I'm with my fourth device (bought two, both have been replaced sometime during warranty) now. Number one, two and three suffered from yellowish spots on the display near the volume rocker. Number one was replaced because the GSM antenna broke off or something and the phone was only able to connect to 2G with very bad signal. Number three was also replaced after sending it in. My enthusiasm for SailfishOS is still strong, but the Jolla Phone device (the JP-1301) was quit a letdown for me.

I have received Jolla number four only yesterday. The Jolla repair service has been very helpful and fast, if anything, FedEx is to blame for rather slow transport.

Still: I'm looking forward for a third party phone with SailfishOS as my trust in Jolla hardware took few dents over the last three years.

Venty ( 2016-03-16 10:26:55 +0200 )edit
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answered 2016-03-19 00:56:38 +0200

Bavarian gravatar image

i got my jphone for christmas and i like it! hardwarewise it is still good, the size as well and i simply like the os whazsapp and most other android apps work very well, oncl. notification.

finally off google and ms :)

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3

answered 2016-03-22 22:11:56 +0200

spidernik84 gravatar image

I probably would (at 70%), but in exchange of some form of guarantee that the development would go on. And of a form of roadmap... As for the current Jolla phone: it still serves me well during everyday usage thanks to the OS and the apps being pretty lightweight. The battery is good and the apps and the GUI are just very responsive. The user experience is painful mostly when browsing the web: the websites are nowadays so bloated with useless javascript and with so many API calls that any other app running in background just ends up getting killed by the OOM killer. Moreover, some Android apps lack a native counterpart and just don't work (Uber and some others heavily relying on google services, for instance). Overall, I'm mostly happy, yet I can't hide the frustration stemming from an OS that lacks basic features which have been present in phones from 2010 (proper calendar/contacts sync, swype/autocorrect keyboard, alarm with incrementing volume, an app ecosystem worth this name with high quality apps and not only "one man pet peeves" apps, and so on). I could wait if a form of basic roadmap was provided, as mentioned before, but the communication from Jolla is so poor that the experience is overall pretty disappointing.

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1

answered 2016-03-21 16:32:20 +0200

florifreeman gravatar image

I like my Jolla Phone very much, but after using mine about 1,5 years, i wouldn´t buy another one in 2016.

  • Build Quality => poor, mine got yellowish spots on the Display after one year

  • Camera / Specs => want a bit more power, a better Display w. higher res. / Better camera.

I love my Jolla, because it never let me down and has....lets say: history :-)

But now in 2016 iam waiting for Shashlik (a new Android VM) being ported to SFOS and then i will buy one those Ported phones (like OnePlus One, etc...)

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Hello florifreeman,

I am very interested in this; but how do I get to know when Shashlik was ported to SFOS and which phones are supported. Should I just check the community's comments or are there better sources?

Thanks a lot! Roman

RomanTheReader ( 2016-04-08 00:30:58 +0200 )edit
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answered 2016-03-22 06:35:45 +0200

dglent gravatar image

Of course i would by a Jolla. It is the best phone. You don't have any problem with the hardware as it is faster than Android anf iPhone with less running (spying) services.

Yes buy again Jolla phone and Jolla tablet when (if) available.

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Just today noticed that my wife's samsung galaxy mini is not gettig new updates, it will stay on android 4.4.2 . Samsung is not updating , even stagefright vulnerabilityvis not patched. phone is fom end of 2014. Probably I upgrade it to CM marshmallow , but as said not supported by manufacturer. Jolla still upgrades, but who knows after some years. So far support for jolla has been better, both phones released 2013.

jpjolla ( 2016-03-25 18:45:52 +0200 )edit
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answered 2016-03-22 18:35:20 +0200

lpr gravatar image

basically, it is a good phone (in my opinion, build quality isn't poor. It's not waterproof...) and you can do what you expect from a phone. You can't run memory eating games from android stores...
Important in my eyes is active maintenance of phone software. In that aspect, if you want to buy you should vote for https://together.jolla.com/question/132122/upgrade-qualcomm-android-drivers-to-kitkat44-level/

currently used linux-kernel 3.4 has its EndOfLife Sept. 2016 currently used android-support is 4.1.2 EndOfLife of google-support has happened

Jolla is too small to maintain those things on its own besides having to deal with different occurrences (Phone,Tablet,Aqua)...

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0

answered 2016-03-18 14:34:01 +0200

Jhonny_Italy gravatar image

The App whatsapp works well? There are problems to connect to the Windows 10 PC mtp? I do not care to have the latest hardware and no other software that knows how to use it efficiently, when I see smartphones with 4 gb of ram (and perhaps soon also 6gb according to some rumors) I find it quite useless and with little sense not to mention the Google Privacy Policy. The Android App definitely put them in download but it will be a few, on the Internet I could not find cover on the cheap you use them?

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1

whatsapp work well and w10 has no problems at all with the Jolla Phone...i think is really a must since is being sold new from amazon italia from 139€ + shipping (which are 5 or 6€) with this price is absolutely a must... :)

247 ( 2016-03-18 16:19:13 +0200 )edit

whatsapp is far from working well. Having issues with receiving messages all the time. You need to close and re-open the app multiple times a day. But besides that it is working fine.

Never ( 2016-03-24 18:27:29 +0200 )edit
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answered 2016-03-18 16:30:49 +0200

Jhonny_Italy gravatar image

OK thanks for confirming how about Windows 10, my current smartphone does not connect with the PC via USB, for the price I found in another online store at 125 € shipped and do not know whether to take it at that price, or buy it on Amazon for their guarantee, for the battery you know if there are any good? To cover not know anything?

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per le cover puoi chiedere ad rch importazioni che è l'importatore italiano e dovrebbe averne ancora ma ricorda che il prezzo è sempre di 29€ + sped...per lo jolla 125 spedito è un ottimo prezzo...controlla se il sito/rivenditore è nell'elenco di rch importazioni così la garanzia dovrebbe essere la stessa di amazon...ovvero rimandarlo a loro...

for the covers you could ask the italian supplier rch importazioni but keep in mind a cover is 29€ + shipping...about prices 125€ shipping included is a very good price...you could check on the rch page if your site/dealer is listed on there so you could get the same warranty as amazon it...send it back to rch importazioni...

247 ( 2016-03-18 16:53:58 +0200 )edit
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answered 2016-03-18 20:59:21 +0200

Jhonny_Italy gravatar image

The seller who has to ship 125 EUR is not official but it is the same dealer who sells it at the lowest price on Amazon (phablet point) even though it has a higher price (about 20 euro), what do you advise?

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Asked: 2016-03-15 23:04:11 +0200

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Last updated: Dec 11 '17