GoKawiilI love alternative operating systems, giving us a look at what’s possible outside the Android and iOS duopoly. And one of the most interesting phones of the year is the 2026 Jolla Phone, which runs Sailfish OS.
Jolla was also at MWC 2026 in Barcelona, and we visited the company’s booth to get our hands on the new Jolla Phone. So is it more than an alternative to Android and iOS? Here’s what I discovered after spending a short amount of time with this €649 (~$755) device.
Jolla Phone 2026 hardware: A mostly good throwback
Hadlee Simons / Android Authority
When I first saw images of the Jolla Phone 2026, I was immediately taken by the orange back. And it’s a pleasantly vibrant color in person, too. I’m also glad to report that this rear plastic cover is removable, although it does feel a little cheap. Thankfully, Jolla says people can also create their own covers if they’d like. Best of all, you can swap out the battery by removing a single screw. You love to see it.
Turn the phone around, and you’ll see a 6.36-inch FHD+ OLED screen. This panel was more than bright enough under the harsh lights of the show floor. It’s also worth noting that there’s a gigantic display notch (see below), which hosts the selfie camera and a notification LED. I’m willing to overlook this huge cutout, but I’d much rather see a traditional bezel like on Sony Xperia phones.
Hadlee Simons / Android Authority
As for actually holding the device, the curved sides do help make the phone feel more ergonomic. It certainly makes for a refreshing change from the sea of flat-framed iPhone clones. Those sharp corners also evoke early Nokia Lumia devices and the Nokia N9. I’m not sure whether these corners might make the phone uncomfortable to use over extended periods of time, but it can’t be worse than the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s sharp corners.
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