Pocketblue Brings Fedora Atomic Linux to Mobile Devices

Pocketblue is a new community project focused on bringing an immutable Fedora experience to mobile devices. Built on Fedora Atomic, it adapts the Atomic model for smartphones and tablets.

At the moment, hardware support is very limited. Pocketblue currently runs on just three devices: the Xiaomi Pad 5, Xiaomi Pad 6, and OnePlus 6 / OnePlus 6T.

Fedora Atomic for Phones and Tablets

Pocketblue provides Fedora Atomic system images based on Fedora Linux 43, tailored specifically for mobile hardware. Users can choose between GNOME, KDE Plasma, and Phosh environments.

Like its desktop counterpart, the system is immutable and powered by rpm-ostree. Updates are delivered as image upgrades, while customizations are handled through layered changes that take effect after a reboot. This approach brings the stability and rollback capabilities of Fedora Atomic desktops to mobile devices.

Applications and Software Management

Applications are primarily distributed via Flatpak. Both Flathub and Fedora’s Flatpak repositories are enabled by default. Pocketblue also maintains its own repository with mobile-optimized builds, including a mobile version of Mozilla Firefox.

Users can install applications using GNOME Software, KDE Discover, or the Flatpak command-line tool. For development tasks or access to traditional package management tools such as DNF, Pocketblue supports toolbox containers. These isolated environments allow you to install and manage packages without modifying the base system.

If deeper system changes are required, rpm-ostree layering remains available, with modifications applied after a reboot.

Encryption and Current Limitations

One notable limitation is the lack of full disk encryption during installation. Instead, users can create a systemd-homed account with an encrypted home directory. However, the root filesystem and the rest of /var remain unencrypted.

Pocketblue is still in its early stages and is primarily aimed at enthusiasts and experimenters. There’s currently no indication that device support will expand beyond the three supported models, though the project may evolve over time.

For more details, visit the project’s official website or explore its GitHub repository.