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Sailfish OS
What Sailfish OS is
Sailfish OS is a Linux-based operating system for smartphones and tablets, with adaptation options for embedded devices. It supports gesture-based native Qt applications and optional Android AppSupport, which the maker says has reached Android 13 level. Configurable policies and extension points cover custom apps, cloud accounts, location providers, VPN solutions and authentication methods. Mobile-device management includes remote setup, policy provisioning, software management, device locking and multiple users. Security features include on-device encryption, application and core-service sandboxing, a firewall, VPN support and over-the-air updates. Jolla says the system does not collect or sell personal data and allows trusted services or user-owned clouds. Licensees receive full source access to the OS, tooling and infrastructure. Official downloads cover selected devices, while community ports cover nearly a hundred. Sailfish OS was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in Tampere, Finland. A voluntary subscription costs €4.90 a month.
Who it suits
Sailfish OS suits organisations and consumers needing a Linux-based mobile platform, Android app compatibility or embedded adaptation. Its management and source-access options also fit corporate, government and development deployments.
What it does well
- Runs native Qt applications
- Optional Android AppSupport
- Includes mobile device management APIs
- Offers encryption and sandboxing
- Supports user-owned cloud services
What to know first
- Official downloads cover selected devices
- Android support is optional
- Voluntary subscription auto-renews
- Community ports are separate from official support
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Sailfish OS voluntary subscription | Deliver every month; auto-renews, skip or cancel anytime. · Voluntary contribution to support Sailfish OS development and community services | €4.90 a month |
As sailfishos.org lists them, read 11 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Verdict
Sailfish OS combines Linux foundations, Android compatibility and configurable management for mobile and embedded use. Confirm device support and the deployment model before adopting it.
Facts from Sailfish OS's own pages
- Adaptation
- Configurable device policies and extension points support custom apps, cloud accounts, location providers, VPN solutions, and authentication methods. · sailfishos.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Android app support
- Sailfish OS can run Android apps through AppSupport, and the maker says its AppSupport has reached Android 13 level. · sailfishos.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Backup
- Sailfish OS supports automatic cloud backups with a service the user trusts or their own backup servers. · sailfishos.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Community support
- Jolla identifies the Sailfish OS forum as a place for developer community support and collaboration. · sailfishos.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Developer tools
- The developer offering includes Docker-based cross-platform builds, a command-line interface, Clang Code Model, 64-bit builds, C++14, and Rust. · sailfishos.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Device management
- Its MDM supports remote device setup, settings and policy provisioning, software management, device locking, and multiple-user management. · sailfishos.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Founded
- 2013 · sailfishos.org, 28 Sept 2026
- Headquarters
- Tampere, Finland · sailfishos.org, 28 Sept 2026
- Intended users
- Jolla presents Sailfish OS for corporate and governmental deployments as well as consumer mobile devices and embedded use cases. · sailfishos.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Licensing
- The maker says Sailfish OS offers an exclusive licensing model for local implementations. · sailfishos.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Maker
- Jolla is a Finnish company founded in 2011. · jolla.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Native apps
- The platform supports gesture-based native apps powered by the Qt framework. · sailfishos.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Open source
- The platform is based on Linux and more than 500 open-source projects, and licensees receive full source-code access to the OS, tooling, and infrastructure. · sailfishos.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Privacy
- Jolla says Sailfish OS does not collect or sell personal data, and lets users connect trusted services or set up their own cloud. · sailfishos.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Product
- Sailfish OS is a Linux-based mobile operating system for smartphones and tablets that can be adapted for embedded devices. · sailfishos.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Security
- The maker describes on-device data encryption, Firejail app sandboxing, systemd sandboxing for core services, a firewall, VPN support, and over-the-air updates. · sailfishos.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Supported devices
- Jolla officially supports downloadable Sailfish OS for selected devices, while the site says community ports cover nearly a hundred devices. · sailfishos.org, 11 Oct 2026
Where Sailfish OS stands on Freedom251
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