The project postmarket OS has put into circulation la version 25.12 of its mobile operating system, a Linux distribution designed to extend the lifespan of phones and tablets beyond Android and iOS. Although it's not yet fully ready to replace traditional systems in most users' daily lives, the new edition makes significant strides in stability, hardware support, and user experience.
In this release, the team focuses on delivering a more robust and manageable system, with a revamped package manager, updated mobile interfaces and a reorganization of the catalog of supported devices. For the European community, especially those committed to ethical and long-lasting devices like Fairphone or open terminals such as pinephone And Librem, this move consolidates postmarketOS as an increasingly serious alternative within the Linux-based mobile ecosystem.
Technical fundamentals: switching to Alpine Linux 3.23 and APK 3
postmarketOS 25.12 is now built on Alpine Linux 3.23This implies a more recent set of packages and libraries throughout the system. Furthermore, it adopts version 3 of the Alpine Package Keeper (APK), Alpine's package manager, with a key change in how updates are performed.
Instead of downloading and installing package by package, the system First download all the necessary packages and only then does the installation process begin. This measure is especially useful on mobile devices, where the data connection can be unstable: it significantly reduces the risk of a network outage leaving the system in the middle of an update and, in the worst case, unusable.
To facilitate maintenance, the new APK version records all transactions in a dedicated log file located in /var/log/apk.log.
GNOME 49 and KDE Plasma Mobile 6.5.3: improvements in the visual layer
In terms of graphics, the new version comes with components from GNOME 49 adapted for mobile use. Among the new features is direct compatibility for connecting MTP devices, which facilitates file sharing with other devices without having to resort to complicated configurations or additional tools.
For its part, the environment KDE Plasma Mobile It jumps to version 6.5.3, consolidating a series of usability-focused changes. Integration with [unspecified platform] has been improved. waydroidThe compatibility layer that allows Android applications to run has been fine-tuned, the lock screen performance has been optimized for faster loading, and the home screen and camera application, Plasma Camera, have been polished, resulting in greater fluidity and stability.
Phosh 0.51 and Sxmo 1.18.1: Mobile interfaces for all tastes in postmarketOS 25.12
the interface phoshPopular on devices like the Librem 5 and several community models, it arrives in version 0.51. This update introduces a improved automatic brightness managementIt makes portals in Rust more responsive and adds thumbnail previews to the file selector, making document and multimedia handling more convenient.
Another notable new feature of Phosh 0.51 is support for multiple media players on the lock screenNew interface scaling options and a pop-up typing indicator on the Stevia keyboard help you understand when the system is interpreting keystrokes. Additionally, the Phosh mobile settings app now displays an initial set of options from postmarketOS's own settings tool, allowing you to configure various settings, among other things. terminal design shortcuts directly from those preferences.
In parallel, the fourth supported interface, sexmoIt has been updated to version 1.18.1. This minimalist environment introduces support for the i3 and River window managers, offering finer control to those who prefer a very lightweight, keyboard-oriented interface. It also incorporates a new menu of Quick Actions to simplify routine tasks and replaces the daemon callaudiod by WirePlumber to manage the switch to "Call" audio mode during phone conversations.
Firefox is more adaptable with mobile-config-firefox 5.1.0
The browser also receives attention in postmarketOS 25.12 thanks to the package mobile-config-firefox 5.1.0A specific configuration designed for mobile use with an emphasis on privacy. This version includes a special page. about:mobile from which the user can activate or deactivate the different options that this configuration applies.
Among the possibilities is move the address bar to the top or bottom of the screen, choose whether to display close buttons on tabs, or adjust the open tab counter. Additionally, the behavior of pop-up windows for actions such as opening the Firefox menu, adding bookmarks, or performing other common operations has been revised to work more predictably and reliably on touchscreens, and improvements related to the fractional scaling in Wayland.
Reorganization of hardware support and new devices
With this launch, the project has decided to apply stricter criteria When classifying supported devices, the generic MSM8916 kernel and the terminals that depend on it are moved to the "testing" category. This means that, although installation images are still available, the team makes it clear that the experience may not be as polished as on devices marked as stable.
Other hardware trees have also been restructured: devices based on MSM8226 They now adopt generic packaging, while models that depended on the APQ8064 kernel are integrated into the packaging corresponding to the MSM8960. This reorganization is accompanied by a long list of kernel fixes and compatibility improvements with different components, detailed in the project's official statement.
Regarding new devices, postmarketOS 25.12 introduces support for the Lenovo ThinkSmart ViewA tablet originally designed for desktop video conferencing. In this first phase, it features a functional boot, touchscreen, Wi-Fi connectivity, and 3D acceleration, while elements such as audio, camera, Bluetooth, and ambient light sensors are not yet fully operational.
Beyond the new device, improvements have been introduced in the camera and audio support from various well-known devices. Notable improvements include the camera and webcam enhancements on the Acer Chromebook Tab 10 tablet, improved call audio on the OnePlus 6, and more refined support for phones like the 5 Fairphone, the Librem 5 and the PinePhone family.
Context and availability of postmarketOS 25.12
postmarketOS continues to target an audience that values ​​the durability and software freedomThis profile is becoming increasingly visible in Europe, where legislation and concerns about the right to repair and technological sustainability are gaining traction. Devices like Fairphone are particularly favored by advancements such as those in this version, which reinforces the possibility of maintaining a fully functional phone beyond the lifespan expected by traditional manufacturers.
The new edition is available for a wide range of devices, including not only mobile phones and tablets, but also some laptops and desktops with x86 architecture. However, the project itself suggests that, for conventional desktop hardware, distributions such as Ubuntu, Fedora or Linux Mintreserving postmarketOS for those who want to seriously experiment with Linux on phones and tablets.
Those who already use postmarket OS 25.06 Users can consult the official wiki for instructions on how to update to version 25.12, with device-specific guidance. For first-time users, the installation page offers detailed guides, support status updates for each model, and links to downloadable images.
With the jump to Alpine Linux 3.23, the arrival of APK 3, the renewal of environments such as GNOME, KDE Plasma Mobile, Phosh and Sxmo, and the expansion of hardware support with devices such as the Lenovo ThinkSmart View, postmarket OS 25.12 It consolidates its role as a living laboratory for bringing Linux to mobile phones and tablets, gradually moving towards a scenario where maintaining and reusing devices is simpler and more sustainable.
