We might see the new device in February at MWC 2025. Huawei is developing a triple-folding smartphone, but it's not the only company doing so. A tipster...
Except I would HATE 1. having the full computer use the Android OS (or ios) 2. Not having full access (administrative / root) rights on my computer, for some vague security handwaving.
Well, not really, not in any practical sense. It’s hard to customize it in a sense you can customize a linux distro or desktop environment, it’s hard to script things on Android, it’s hard to access filesystem etc. You have to do everything “android way”, not “Linux way” - the skills you may have from one platform are not transferable to the other.
Oh, let me tell you about that. I have an Xiaomi phone purchased about 2 months ago, based on supposedly unlockable bootloader… and I haven’t been able to successfully jump through all the hoops they put in the way of unlock in this whole time. Their support is completely useless, the community is full of people with same issues and no solutions and every unsuccessful attempt at unlock pushes the next one one day or two weeks (!) into the future. Fuck this shit. All I’m asking is ‘sudo’ on a “Linux” computer I bought.
I think the tech is still kinda pricey, but imagine having a phone, table, and then full computer when docked to a keyboard and mouse in one device.
That’s the dream.
I’d even be happy with the phone/full computer combo.
We’ll probably get there in 10-15 years (as in at mainstream, mass market prices).
Except I would HATE 1. having the full computer use the Android OS (or ios) 2. Not having full access (administrative / root) rights on my computer, for some vague security handwaving.
Why? Android is Linux.
Xiaomi allows bootloader unlocking, so you can install a ROM that gives you root access.
There are Terminal emulators. They can’t do everything, but they’re okay.
They used to have freely unlockable bootloaders but it is becoming harder and harder with newer models.
I agree, that’s what I meant by full computer.