Admirable, although it will take a long time just to reverse engineer a single device. Given how quickly phones change, even the same model from one generation to the next, it’s hard to see the long term or widespread impact.
But who knows? They may uncover a process through this project that makes it more efficient or provides new insights to make open source software and firmware even better.
An open-source OS would probably mitigate planned obsolescence - if the battery can be replaced and the OS altered to preserve functionality and battery life, I’d have no reason not to keep a phone for 5+ years.
Every phone I’ve bought since my Galaxy Note 3 back in like 2011 has been worse than the last, to be honest.
You can already use an open source OS on most phones. There are several options mentioned in the article. This is about the underlying firmware that controls the antennas, etc. According to the article, the project is focused on getting it working on “at least one phone.”
You are right that it’s a good idea to put an open source OS, especially on their phones. It’s an easy way to extend the lifetime of a useful device.
