Phosh 0.56: New Load Meter, App Hiding for Immutable Systems and Tablet Improvements
Phosh 0.56 has been released. The GNOME-based shell for Linux smartphones and tablets focuses mainly on improvements for immutable systems and tablets. Users of immutable distributions benefit from new app management options, while the release also includes various bug fixes and usability improvements.
New Load Meter in the Top Bar
Phosh 0.56 adds a new plugin for the top bar: a Load Meter that displays the current system load. It provides a quick way to check whether the device is currently under heavier load due to background activity.
Hide Apps on Immutable Systems
One of the most notable changes targets immutable systems such as postmarketOS Duranium and BengalOS, Phosh's Debian-based immutable image variant. On these systems, many applications are part of the read-only base image and cannot simply be removed.
With Phosh 0.56, these apps can now be hidden from the app overview. They can also be restored later through Mobile Settings if needed.
Mobile Settings Adds OS Updates
The Mobile Settings application has also received new features. A new panel allows managing atomic operating system updates on supported immutable systems using systemd-sysupdate.
The app can also manage hidden applications, and the Syncthing plugin can now be enabled directly from the settings interface.
Improvements to the On-Screen Keyboard
The Stevia on-screen keyboard received several improvements as well. Applications can now use a custom default layout, for example a terminal layout for Emacs. Arrow keys are also available by default in the shortcut bar, and key repeat support has been improved.
Tablet Improvements
On tablets, the lock screen can now rotate. Changes to the cutout configuration, such as notch handling, are applied immediately. The lock screen design has also received several improvements.
Other Improvements
- Notifications are shown when an application cannot be uninstalled
- Faster app startup handling, including improvements for apps like Firefox
- Bluetooth quick settings no longer get disabled when audio outputs change
- Various crash and memory leak fixes
Conclusion
In my opinion, Phosh remains one of the best options for Linux smartphones and tablets. Version 0.56 is not a major release with a large number of new features, but it improves many details that matter in daily use. The changes for immutable systems in particular solve a problem that has been common on mobile Linux platforms.