March 9, 2026
Sailfish or Failfish?
Jolla on track to ship new phone with Sailfish OS, user-replaceable battery
Fans cheer the swappable battery; skeptics cry 'Kickstarter vibes' and 'just use GrapheneOS'
TLDR: Jolla’s €649 Sailfish phone with a swappable battery is moving to production and opening a tiny second pre-order. The comments are split between excitement for a Google‑free, modular phone and criticism over “Kickstarter vibes,” security versus GrapheneOS, and unanswered questions about US network support—stakes are high for privacy‑seekers.
Jolla says its Sailfish OS phone is finally happening: over 10,000 pre-orders locked in, a fresh “limited batch” of 1,000 now open in Europe for €649 (just €99 down), and shipping aimed for September. The phone leans into old-school freedom—a user-replaceable battery, microSD card slot, and modular back covers (“The Other Half”) that could add keyboards, e‑ink screens, extra radios, even thermal cameras. It’s mid-range on specs with 5G, an AMOLED screen, and a big 5,450 mAh battery.
But the comments are where it gets spicy. One camp is buzzing—mempko says if it works on US networks (voice over 4G is a must there), they’re ready to ditch Android entirely. Another is hammering management: rzerowan skewers Jolla for “2026 and still Kickstarter mode,” pointing at GrapheneOS teaming with Motorola as the grown-up move. Security skeptics like drnick1 warn Sailfish’s software privacy switch and proprietary interface won’t beat a hardened Android like Graphene on a Pixel. App compatibility worries bubble up too.
Questions about US network support pop up (shmerl wants band details), while ChrisArchitect drops receipts from a previous thread. Meanwhile, jokesters call the privacy toggle “airplane mode with extra steps,” and the keyboard/e‑ink cover fantasies have the thread reliving 2011 Nokia glory. It’s dream phone vs. reality check—and the crowd is split.
Key Points
- •Jolla will produce its first batch of Sailfish OS smartphones in Q2 2026 after surpassing 10,000 pre-orders.
- •A second European pre-order round offers 1,000 units at €649 with a €99 down payment; shipping is expected in September.
- •The phone features a user-replaceable battery, swappable back covers, and a software-defined privacy switch.
- •Sailfish OS is Linux-based with a proprietary UI and AppSupport to run some Android apps, and it emphasizes privacy.
- •Specs include a 6.36-inch FHD+ AMOLED display, Dimensity 7100, 256GB storage, 8GB/12GB RAM, microSD, 5G/4G, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, and multiple cameras.