The PinePhone may be a smartphone designed to run any operating system you care to load on it. But Pine64 has been partnering with developers to offer PinePhone Community Edition devices that come pre-loaded with a specific OS, and which have a logo for that OS on the back.
Next up? The PinePhone Manjaro Community Edition. First announced in August, it goes up for pre-order on September 17th for $149 and up.
Update 9/18/2020: The PinePhone Community Edition: Manjaro is now available for pre-order for $149. You can also order a Convergence Package version for $199.Â
Manjaro is a Linux distribution based on Arch Linux, but known for being easier to install and use than Arch, with an emphasis on out-of-the-box functionality that has helped Manjaro become one of the most popular desktop Linux distributions in recent years.
The mobile version of Manjaro supports devices with ARM processors and there are builds available with the three user interfaces:
- phosh (Purism’s phone shell developed for the Librem 5)
- lomiri (developed by the UBports team for Ubuntu Touch)
- plasma-mobile (developed by the KDE team)
The developers are still deciding which UI will be the default on the PinePhone Manjaro Community Edition when it ships, but users should be able to switch environments after the fact.
And like every PinePhone, the new Community Edition device isn’t limited to running the software that comes pre-loaded. The bootloader is unlocked, so you can replace the operating system. And there’s also support for booting from a microSD card if you want to try a different OS without removing Manjaro first.
There’s also multi-boot support.
The PinePhone Manjaro Community Edition will be available in two prices/configurations:
- Standard version for $149 – 2GB RAM and 16GB of storage
- Convergence package for $199 – 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage
The convergence package also includes a USB-C dock that makes it easy to use Pine64’s smartphone like a desktop computer by connecting an external monitor, mouse, keyboard, or other accessories.
Just keep in mind that like most GNU/Linux distros available for smartphones today, Manjaro ARM is still very much a work in progress and not necessarily ready to be a full-fledged replacement for Android or iOS as a daily driver for most people.
| PinePhone | PinePhone Convergence Package | |
| Display | 5.95 inch 1440 x 720 pixel IPS LCD | 5.95 inch 1440 x 720 pixel IPS LCD |
| Processor | Allwinner A64 4 x ARM Cortex-A53 Mali-400 MP2 graphics | Allwinner A64 4 x ARM Cortex-A53 Mali-400 MP2 graphics |
| RAM | 2GB LPDDR3 | 3GB LPDDR3 |
| Storage | 16GB eMMC microSD (up to 2TB) | 32GB eMMC microSD (up to 2TB) |
| Wireless | WiFi 4 Bluetooth 4.0 GPS 4G LTE (Quectel E-25G) | WiFi 4 Bluetooth 4.0 GPS 4G LTE (Quectel E-25G) |
| Ports | USB-C 3.5mm audio | USB-C 3.5mm audio |
| Cameras | 5MP rear 2MP front | 5MP rear 2MP front |
| Battery | 3,000 mAh (removable) | 3,000 mAh (removable) |
| Charging | 5V/3A | 5V/3A |
| Sensors | Accelerator Gyroscope Proximity Compass Ambient Light Barometer | Accelerator Gyroscope Proximity Compass Ambient Light Barometer |
| Buttons | Power Volume | Power Volume |
| Hardware kill switches | Modem WiFi/Bluetooth Microphone Rear camera Front camera Headphone | Modem WiFi/Bluetooth Microphone Rear camera Front camera Headphone |
| Dimensions | 160.5 x 76.6 x 9.2mm | 160.5 x 76.6 x 9.2mm |
| Weight | 180 – 200 grams | 180 – 200 grams |
| Included accessories | N/A | USB-C dock |
| Price | $149 | $199 |
Are you going to sell also in Europe?
We don’t sell products at all. This is a news and info blog. But you can buy the Pinephone Manjaro Community Edition in the EU from the Pine64 Store: https://pine64.com/product/pinephone-community-edition-manjaro-limited-edition-linux-smartphone-only-eu-order/?v=0446c16e2e66
In fact, it’s only available in the EU at the moment. Stock for other regions is sold out.