PinePhone
The PinePhone is a low-cost, open-source-oriented smartphone developed by PINE64, engineered to execute mainline Linux kernels and distributions with physical hardware kill switches that allow users to disconnect key subsystems such as cameras, microphone, wireless connectivity, and cellular modem to prioritize privacy and hardware control.[1][2]
Introduced with initial developer shipments in September 2019 and broader availability starting January 2020, it employs an Allwinner A64 quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 processor at 1.152 GHz, paired with 2 GB or 3 GB of LPDDR3 RAM, 16 GB or 32 GB eMMC storage expandable via microSD, and a 5.95-inch 1440×720 LCD display, alongside a removable 3000 mAh battery and basic camera modules.[1][2][3]
The device supports convergence mode via USB-C for external displays and peripherals, facilitated by six pogo pins for modular attachments like keyboards, underscoring its role in fostering repairability and extensibility for tinkerers.[1] While not optimized for everyday consumer performance—exhibiting limitations in battery life, touch responsiveness, and application ecosystem maturity due to its emphasis on upstream Linux compatibility—it has significantly advanced open-source mobile computing by enabling community-driven ports of distributions such as postmarketOS and Ubuntu Touch, thereby serving as a platform for prototyping free software alternatives to proprietary mobile ecosystems.[1][4]
History and Development
Origins and Initial Crowdfunding (2017-2019)
PINE64, founded in 2015 to produce affordable open-source hardware for Linux enthusiasts, initially gained prominence through its Pine A64 single-board computer, which utilized the Allwinner A64 system-on-chip and was funded via a 2016 Kickstarter campaign emphasizing expandability and community development.[5] This background informed the motivations for a smartphone project, aiming to create a modular, privacy-focused device with hardware kill switches and mainline Linux compatibility to counter proprietary ecosystems' restrictions on user control and software freedom.[6] Early community discussions on PINE64 forums in 2017 explored mobile Linux viability, highlighting needs for hackable designs prioritizing repairability and open documentation over polished consumer features.[7] In October 2018, PINE64 representative Lukasz Erecinski publicly signaled plans for a Linux-compatible smartphone during community engagements, setting the stage for formal development.[8] The project advanced through phases, including the "Project Anakin" reference design and the "Don't be Evil" developer kit—a purpose-built prototype unveiled at FOSDEM 2019 to facilitate early testing of the Allwinner A64 SoC, IPS display, and modular components like removable cameras and batteries. This kit targeted developers for iterating on convergence features, such as USB-C docking for desktop modes, underscoring a design philosophy rooted in hardware transparency and software portability rather than optimized performance.[7] Developer pre-orders for initial PinePhone prototypes opened in mid-2019 via PINE64's channels, funding production amid supply chain hurdles for components like the A64 SoC and RF modules.[3] By September 2019, prototypes entered limited production for shipping to early testers, though delays persisted due to sourcing challenges and the need for iterative hardware validation to ensure compatibility with upstream Linux kernels.[3] These efforts positioned the device as a platform for experimentation, with initial units like the Braveheart edition prioritizing functional modularity—such as pogo pins for peripherals—over refined ergonomics.[9]Launch and Early Production Challenges (2019-2021)
Initial shipments of the PinePhone Brave Heart edition, intended for early adopters and developers, commenced on January 17, 2020, following pre-orders that opened on November 15, 2019.[2][10] These beta units featured basic hardware configurations with 2 GB RAM and no onboard storage, emphasizing software testing over polished production quality.[3] The Convergence Edition, bundled with a USB-C docking bar enabling desktop mode via pogo pins, 3 GB RAM, and 32 GB eMMC storage, entered pre-order in July 2020 with shipments starting in August 2020.[11][12] This package targeted users interested in hardware convergence but highlighted early production dependencies on third-party components like the docking interface.[13] Beta testing of initial units exposed hardware flaws, including excessive battery drain from power management IC (PMIC) bugs in 2019-early 2020 revisions, faulty USB OTG functionality, and unreliable camera module performance.[14][15] The modular design facilitated fixes through user-replaceable parts and hardware modifications, such as PMIC shims to halt quiescent current draw post-shutdown.[14] Optional accessories like the keyboard attachment also faced connectivity and power issues, often resolved via reseating or replacements.[16][17] Manufacturing encountered hurdles from supply chain vulnerabilities, including component shortages that intensified in 2020-2021 due to global disruptions like COVID-19 lockdowns affecting Asian production facilities.[18] Pine64 reported securing supplies to stabilize output by April 2021, but earlier phased rollouts reflected quality control strains and yield inconsistencies in early batches.[18] Community-driven integrations, such as mainline Linux kernel scripts for modem activation, supplemented hardware limitations during this period.[18]PinePhone Pro Introduction and Subsequent Iterations (2021-2022)
The PinePhone Pro was announced on October 15, 2021, as an upgraded successor to the original PinePhone, featuring a Rockchip RK3399S hexa-core system-on-chip (2× Cortex-A72 cores and 4× Cortex-A53 cores at 1.5 GHz), 4 GB LPDDR4 RAM, and 128 GB eMMC storage, priced at $399 for pre-orders of the Explorer Edition targeted at developers.[19][20][21] These enhancements addressed performance limitations of the original model's Allwinner A64 quad-core processor, 2–3 GB LPDDR3 RAM, and 16–32 GB storage, enabling smoother execution of resource-intensive Linux tasks such as desktop convergence modes, though the overall specifications remained modest compared to contemporary commercial smartphones emphasizing high-resolution displays and flagship processors.[22][23] Production ramped up in early 2022 following developer pre-orders in late 2021, with initial Explorer Edition shipments occurring around January 2022 despite global component shortages and rising costs that delayed broader availability.[24][25] Early units incorporated a micro-SIM slot, transitioning to nano-SIM by late July 2022 as manufacturing stabilized, allowing for fuller market distribution amid supply chain pressures.[25] Subsequent iterations focused on hardware refinements for practicality, including a thicker chassis for improved heat dissipation from the higher-performance SoC and retained pogo-pin interface compatibility for accessories like keyboards and back covers.[23][19] This evolutionary approach prioritized incremental upgrades to core compute capabilities—driven by the need for viable Linux phone functionality without escalating costs beyond the open-hardware community's budget—over radical redesigns, positioning the Pro as a developer-oriented tool rather than a mass-market device, as the RK3399S variant optimized power efficiency for mobile use while inheriting proven Linux compatibility from its RK3399 predecessor.[20][22]Discontinuation of Pro Edition and Strategic Shifts (2023-2025)
In August 2025, Pine64 officially discontinued the PinePhone Pro, citing insufficient sales volumes that rendered continued production economically unviable.[26][27] The company confirmed no plans to resume manufacturing or restocking the device, which had been out of stock prior to the announcement, reflecting persistent low demand since its 2022 launch.[28][29] Forum discussions and user reports corroborated this, highlighting adoption limited to enthusiasts despite iterative software improvements, with daily usage rates remaining niche even among Linux mobile communities.[29][30] Pine64's strategic pivot emphasized resource reallocation toward RISC-V-based platforms, including single-board computers like the StarPro64 and ALPHA-ONE mini PC, which leverage open-source instruction set architectures for broader hardware experimentation.[28][31] While near-term products would retain ARM-based SoCs, the shift underscored a long-term commitment to RISC-V ecosystems, such as those in wearables and development boards, amid challenges in scaling ARM-dependent mobile hardware.[32] This redirection acknowledged the competitive smartphone market's dominance by proprietary ecosystems, where open hardware struggled with performance gaps and ecosystem maturity.[28] Support for the original PinePhone persisted through community-driven firmware and distributions, with 2024-2025 updates enabling features like improved modem stability and convergence modes, though no new hardware variants were introduced.[26][27] The device remained available for purchase at $200, sustaining its role as an entry-level platform for mobile Linux development amid the Pro's exit.[33] These developments illustrated the sustainability hurdles for open-source mobile hardware, where empirical low-volume sales—contrasted against mainstream alternatives' billions in units—highlighted causal factors like hardware immaturity and software fragmentation over marketing optimism.[28][34] Niche use cases, such as privacy-focused tinkering and convergence testing, endured via community efforts, yet underscored the need for viable economics in fostering open alternatives.[29][26]Hardware Architecture
Core Specifications of Standard Model
The standard PinePhone employs the Allwinner A64 system-on-chip (SoC), featuring a quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 processor clocked at 1.2 GHz and an integrated ARM Mali-400 MP2 graphics processing unit (GPU).[35][36] This SoC, derived from designs with relatively open documentation, prioritizes compatibility with mainline Linux kernels over peak performance, resulting in computational capabilities comparable to a Raspberry Pi 3 but with constrained graphics acceleration.[13] Memory configuration includes 3 GB of LPDDR3 RAM in later community editions, with early beta models offering 2 GB options; storage comprises 32 GB eMMC flash (16 GB in some variants), expandable via microSD slot supporting up to 2 TB.[35] The 5.95-inch IPS LCD display resolves at 720 × 1440 pixels in an 18:9 aspect ratio, protected by hardened glass, though its brightness and color accuracy lag behind contemporary proprietary smartphones due to cost and modularity constraints.[1] Imaging hardware consists of a 5 MP rear OmniVision OV5640 sensor (up to 2592 × 1944 resolution) and a 2 MP front GalaxyCore GC2145 sensor (up to 1600 × 1200 resolution), both fixed-focus and susceptible to software driver inconsistencies in open-source environments.[9] Connectivity integrates the Quectel EG25-G modem for LTE Cat 4, GPS (with GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo support), 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 4.0 via Broadcom BCM43438, though antenna placement compromises signal strength, yielding weaker reception than optimized commercial designs.[35] The device features a removable 3000 mAh lithium-polymer battery, enabling user replacement but prone to a hardware flaw causing 20–30 mA drain post-shutdown, which depletes charge in 3–4 days without mitigation; software-optimized idle draw can achieve 24 hours with modem active, though screen-on usage typically yields 2–4 hours depending on workload.[13][37] Modularity includes pogo pins for docking, hardware kill switches for components like camera and modem, and provision for USB-C port replacement, but thermal management relies on basic pads and graphene foils in revisions, leading to SoC throttling under sustained loads due to the absence of advanced cooling.[38]| Component | Specification |
|---|---|
| SoC | Allwinner A64 (quad-core Cortex-A53 @ 1.2 GHz, Mali-400 MP2 GPU)[35] |
| RAM | 2–3 GB LPDDR3[35] |
| Storage | 16–32 GB eMMC + microSD (up to 2 TB)[35] |
| Display | 5.95" IPS, 720 × 1440, 18:9[1] |
| Rear Camera | 5 MP OV5640[9] |
| Front Camera | 2 MP GC2145[9] |
| Battery | 3000 mAh removable Li-Po[39] |
| Connectivity | LTE Cat 4 (Quectel EG25-G), Wi-Fi 802.11n, BT 4.0, GPS[35] |