A few moments ago we told you about the PinePhone, a phone from PINE64 that will use a mobile variant of KDE Plasma and will begin rolling out to developers at the end of this month. Also coming this month, specifically its first batch, will be the Librem 5 from Purims, another Linux-based phone that, in this case, focuses on security and privacy.
Like the PinePhone, the Librem 5 will be a phone that runs free and open-source software , but it will also include features such as "switches" to completely disable components like Wi-Fi, the camera, and the microphone. It has been in development for two years, and Purism has already revealed that the first units will arrive on September 24th in the "Aspen Batch." The Librem 5 will be released gradually in different batches, on different dates, and with slightly different specifications.
The different lots of Librem 5
Purism will be releasing its Librem 5 with PureOS operating system in the following batches / versions with wood / plant names:
- Aspen: September 24.
- Birch: October 29.
- Chestnut: December 3.
- Dogwood: January 7.
- Evergreen: second quarter of 2020.
- The Fir: fourth quarter of 2020.
The differences between the batches aren't just in the release dates, but also in the design/manufacturing and the operating system included by default. The Aspen batch will arrive with the initial software, including basic applications for contact management, basic navigation, early battery management, and updates via the device itself. The design will also improve over time, until the Fir batch uses Long Term Support software, with a better finish and a 14nm CPU. To be fair, the LTS version will also be available in the Evergreen batch.
Given the batching system, it might not be a bad idea to wait until at least the second quarter of 2020 and buy a Librem 5 from the Evergreen batch, knowing that another model with an improved processor will be available in about six months. In any case, Purism's secure phone will be available starting this month.
