Operating system · Linux
Sailfish OS
Some Android apps microG Active
Checked against the makers' own pages · Last reviewed October 15, 2026
Sailfish OS is a Linux-based phone operating system made by Finnish company Jolla. It has its own apps and store, and an optional layer called AppSupport that runs many Android apps without Google services. In 2026 it ships on Jolla's new Jolla Phone and the Jolla C2, and you can install it on several Sony Xperia models. The newest release is 5.2.0.20 (Oct. 13, 2026), first for the Jolla Phone. [1][2][3][4]
- Android app compatibility
- Many Android apps run in AppSupport; Jolla can't guarantee 100%; Play Store client not supported [5]
- Phones it runs on
- Jolla Phone, Jolla C2, Sony Xperia 10 V, 10 IV, 10 III, 10 II and older Xperias; community ports [2][3]
- Buy it preinstalled
- Sold preinstalled by Jolla on the Jolla Phone (from €679) and Jolla C2 (€369) [4][9]
- Project status
- Active; 5.2.0.20 released Oct. 13, 2026 [3]
On this page
What it is and who makes it
Jolla calls Sailfish OS "a Linux-based European alternative to dominating mobile operating systems." It has been on the market since 2013 and is "managed and developed by Finnish company Jolla." Native apps are built with the Qt framework and use a gesture-based interface.
Besides phones sold to consumers, Jolla licenses Sailfish OS to companies and governments, and licenses AppSupport for running Android apps on other Linux systems, including cars. [1][7]
How it compares to stock Android
App compatibility. Sailfish OS is not Android. Android apps run in AppSupport, which Jolla's help pages call a "simulation of the Android system on Sailfish OS." It is installed from the Jolla Store and needs a Sailfish OS license, which the Jolla C2 includes. Newer devices get AppSupport 13 (Android API level 33); the Xperia 10 III and older get AppSupport 11. Jolla says it "cannot guarantee 100% compatibility," and that some apps that recently raised their required Android version may not install.
Play Store and Google sign-in. Jolla says Sailfish OS "does not support the Google Play Store client app" and "strongly" advises against installing Google Play Services. Instead it recommends Aurora Store, which reaches Play Store apps without Play Services, and F-Droid. Apps that say they need Google Play Services "may work entirely or partially," or may not work at all. AppSupport includes microG enablers (microG is an open-source replacement for Google Play Services), and the 5.2.0.20 release updated microG.
Banking and payments. Jolla's docs say that since Sailfish OS 4.3.0 the signed Android system image means the "your device is rooted" warning "should not appear anymore." Jolla does not promise that any banking app works, and its help pages do not mention Google Wallet or Android Auto.
Day to day. Android apps live in internal storage only (not on SD cards). Bluetooth for Android apps arrived as a beta in 5.1.0. You can stop AppSupport any time, or uninstall it, and use only native Sailfish apps.
For a side-by-side view of every system, see our phone operating systems compared guide. [2][3][5][6]
Supported phones
Jolla's supported-devices list (for Sailfish OS 5.0.0) includes the Jolla C2 and the Sony Xperia 10 V, 10 IV, 10 III, 10 II, 10 and 10 Plus, and XA2 models. The new Jolla Phone has had Sailfish OS 5.2 releases since July 2026. Jolla stopped supporting the Gemini PDA, Xperia X, Jolla C and Jolla Tablet after 4.6.0.
Community volunteers have ported Sailfish OS to other phones; Jolla says these ports are not supported by Jolla and have no Sailfish license. The PinePhone Pro Explorer Edition shipped with a pre-beta Sailfish OS build, according to PINE64's store. [2][3][8]
Installing it yourself vs. buying preinstalled
Preinstalled: Jolla sells the Jolla Phone (€679 or €749, shipping to the EU, UK, Norway and Switzerland) and the Jolla C2 Community Phone (€369, 4G). Jolla promises at least 5 years of OS support on both.
On a Sony Xperia: Jolla offers a free trial of Sailfish OS for supported Xperia models, but the trial has no Android AppSupport. AppSupport needs a license; Jolla's shop says you can "Support Sailfish OS development and community activities, and get a commercial license for legacy Sony Xperia devices." Its voluntary Sailfish OS subscription starts at €4.90. Each Xperia model needs a specific stock Android version before you flash it. [2][4][9][10][11]
Privacy and security features
Jolla says user data in Sailfish OS "is fully encrypted and apps are protected by Firejail sandboxing," with a firewall and built-in VPN support. Jolla says the system is "designed not-to-call-home." On the Jolla Phone, a physical Privacy Switch can be set to turn off the microphone, Bluetooth or Android apps. [1][4][9]
Project status and news
Sailfish OS is actively developed. Sailfish OS 5.1.0.11 (release notes posted May 27, 2026; dated June 16 in Jolla's later version list) brought Bluetooth for Android apps (beta), WPA3 Wi-Fi on some devices and many library updates. The 5.2.0 series started on the Jolla Phone in July 2026; 5.2.0.20 (Oct. 13, 2026) is a bugfix release for issues found in 5.2.0.18, which Jolla had held back from other devices because of those issues.
Jolla funds community services such as the forum, documentation and translations partly through a voluntary subscription from €4.90 a month. [3][6][11]
Phones in our database that run Sailfish OS
| Phone | Type | Price | Status | US | Carriers | Google apps | OS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jolla C2Jolla · Finland6.6" · 8 GB RAM · 128 GB · 4,000 mAh | Linux phones | €369 (Jolla shop, Oct. 15, 2026) | On sale | No | Bands not published | n/a | Sailfish OS 5 |
| Jolla Phone (2026)Jolla · Finland6.36" · 8 GB RAM · 256 GB · 5,450 mAh · 208 g | Linux phones | €679 (8/256 GB) or €749 (12/256 GB), taxes included | On sale | No | AT&T bandsT-Mobile bands | microG | Sailfish OS |
| PINE64 PinePhone ProPINE646" · 4 GB RAM · 128 GB · 3,000 mAh · 215 g | Linux phones | Last listed at $399 (now out of stock) | Discontinued | No | Verizon bandsAT&T bandsT-Mobile bands | n/a | Manjaro Linux (Plasma Mobile)Also runs: postmarketOS (Nura), Ubuntu Touch, Sailfish OS |
Questions people ask
Can Sailfish OS run Android apps?
Yes, through Jolla's AppSupport, which needs a Sailfish license. Many apps work, but Jolla can't guarantee all of them, and the Google Play Store app itself is not supported. [5]
Sources (12)
- Sailfish OS - European alternative for Mobile operating systems, Jolla. Checked October 15, 2026.
- Supported Devices | Sailfish OS Documentation, Jolla. Checked October 15, 2026.
- [Release notes] Finlayson 5.2.0.20 - Jolla Phone first, Jolla (Sailfish OS Forum). Checked October 15, 2026.
- Jolla Phone – Jolla Shop, Jolla. Checked October 15, 2026.
- Android AppSupport | Sailfish OS Documentation, Jolla. Checked October 15, 2026.
- [Release notes] Pispala 5.1.0.11, Jolla (Sailfish OS Forum). Checked October 15, 2026.
- The Privacy Respecting European OS and AI Solution Provider, Jolla. Checked October 15, 2026.
- PinePhone Pro Explorer Edition Linux SmartPhone - PINE STORE, PINE64 (Pine Store). Checked October 15, 2026.
- Jolla C2 Community Phone – Jolla Shop, Jolla. Checked October 15, 2026.
- Sailfish OS for selected Sony devices – Jolla Shop, Jolla. Checked October 15, 2026.
- Sailfish OS subscription – Jolla Shop, Jolla. Checked October 15, 2026.
- Jolla Store | Sailfish OS Documentation, Jolla. Checked October 15, 2026.