For several reasons I may detail later (mainly privacy and moving away from large platforms), I decided to leave the Apple/Google ecosystems and jump into the SailfishOS train. At the time of writing (August 2026), I pre-ordered my Jolla phone and I will therefore have 2-3 months to figure out how to transfer my digital life. In this post, I will go though the apps and processes I am currently using and will try to figure out a plan for the transition. This post will be divided into 8 sections: basic phone use, stock apps, specific uses, house-related apps, travel-related apps, social media, work-related apps, Belgium and banking.

Note that this will be inherently personal and subjective. I’m aware that my phone use is not my neighbor’s nor yours. But I think it’s interesting to document the transition process in case this can help someone else. And, if you have tips, if you have found other ways than I describe here, please let me know!

Basic phone use

My basic phone use is to call, send messages, take and store every day pictures.

I don’t expect any issue with calling regular phone numbers itself. However, my best friend is in the Apple ecosystem and we’ll miss FaceTime. So far, I failed to make him migrate to Signal (more on this below), so we’ll need to find a solution. In addition, I use eSIMs when travelling; SailfishOS supports eSIM but I will need to check how well the eSIM providers’ apps are working (I assume through the Android support).

I don’t expect any issue with messaging via SMS. As mentioned just above, I’ll miss iMessage for one group of friends. By default, I use Signal and there is Whisperfish, an unofficial client for SailfishOS (developed by Ruben De Smet, a Belgian engineering researcher and very active member of the SailfishOS community). The only drawback I already see is that it is still recommended to have the Android app as a primary device. That’s ok, it’s a community-driven initiative (but I wish Signal was better supported).

The phone comes with a camera and a gallery. I don’t need my “older” photos on my new phone (older photos will be all backed up). My main focus will be to automate the photo’s backup on the home server.

  • find a viable alternative to FaceTime with one specific group of friends
  • find out how to install eSIMs before next travel

Stock apps

SailfishOS has a default equivalent for most stock apps or I believe I will easily find alternatives: emails, weather, notes, reminders, clocks (including alarms, timezone, timers, etc.), browser, contacts, calculator, file browser, calendar. I will need to transfer (hopefully not manually) my current notes, reminders and contacts.

About notes, I wonder if a collection of markdown text files synchronised with rsync will not be useful (rsync might need to be installed).

I’m also expecting some manual configuration for VPN (currently using Proton that supports native solutions rather than using an app)

For news, I will revert to the publishers’ own website (instead of apps). Because I appreciate them, I’ll link them here: The Old Reader for RSS, The Guardian, BBC, LaLibre, Radio Nova, and RTBF. I hope the built-in browser is not too outdated (see Ruben’s recent comment on the default browser for daily use).

Finally, for music, I expect the speaker to be ok and the usual Bluetooth connection to my external speaker (no need for the manufacturer’s specific app). But I will also need to get out of the Apple Music ecosystem (i.e. save music files I could, and find either a friendly alternative provider or continue ripping future CDs). For podcasts, I’m rebuilding my shows’ list from their own websites; but I’ll need to investigate how to make podcast shows discovery independent from Apple/Google/Spotify/…

  • find a way to automatically backup notes, reminders, contacts and passwords
  • configure VPN before next travel
  • find a non-proprietary way to get music and podcasts

Specific uses

There are specific uses that I used to with my previous phones that will be hit-or-miss in terms of adaptations (for banking and Belgium, see below:

  • Kids and learning/leisure: for most, I will revert to their websites (DuoLingo, SmartSchool, GoodReads, Chess.com, Aimchess, lichess)
  • Voice memos: I expect a similar app to be available. However, my use case is to get the automated speech-to-text version of some recordings, something that will require some local setup (and, en passant, will gain in privacy).
  • I have a few beacons to locate some items. I expect them not to work anymore and will need to find another solution (maybe away from a digital one).
  • I sometimes use the Measure app to … measure things without any ruler. I guess I’ll revert to the rule, that’s ok.
  • Health: I already left Strava but will need the Android Garmin Connect app until my Garmin watch dies. I can revert to their website for the Belgian health insurance app.
  • Food: I mostly used supermarket or fast food apps for the client (QR) codes; reverting to physical cards won’t hurt.
  • Games, Geocaching, Totemus: I installed them but rarely use them anymore
  • Communications: besides Signal (see above), most apps I use in this category has a website (Google Voice, Discord, Jitsi Meet). I will see if Meshtastic has a native solution.
  • AI: Claude and Mistral Vibe apps will switch to their website.

In a nutshell, I will be able to use websites for most apps with specific uses.

  • build a solution to automate speech-to-text locally

Although I favour local connectivity for home appliances (Home Assistant), some hardware at home are still dependent on their proprietary apps. That’s the case for cameras (Google Home, Eufy, Nest - this is scary, when you think of it!). I still need to migrate a few blinds from IKEA Home Smart. The alarm app (iRISCO) will no longer work (that’s ok since it is piloted mainly physically). And the ventilation app (Renson) never worked anyway.

SailfishOS has as least two map apps (via Open Repos) and I was happy to see that the Android OSMAnd (that I already use) is available.

For public transport in Belgium, the SNCB, TEC, and De Lijn websites are good enough to plan journeys. The physical cards (e.g. Mobib) are still required for subscriptions anyway.

For the electric car, I will need to see if the Android version of the traditional app I use (ABRP, Chargemap, Electrip) will work. Idem for parking payment in Belgium (4411 app). I am not using the car manufacturer’s app anyway.

For car rides, I tended not to use app unless absolutely needed. I will need to see if the Android version of Uber/Lyft, Bolt, and Grab are working. For flights and high speed trains (Lufthansa, Eurostar, Brussels Airlines), I will rely on their websites if the Android apps do not work.

Writing this, I realise how motorised individual travel became very dependent on app (planning app, car app, electric charging app, flights boarding passes, …). I wonder how this can be steered towards a more privacy-focused way.

  • save passes and other codes before travelling, instead of using apps

Social media

For Mastodon, there is a native app: Harbour-tooter; connect with me at @jepoirrier@mastodon.social. For Bluesky too: Harbour-skeeter; connect with me at @jepoirrier.bsky.social.

I kept some presence on mainstream social media: LinkedIn and LinkedIn Learning, Etsy, Printerest, Coursera, YouTube, Reddit, Instagram. All of them should be available as websites (or should be left).

Despite trying to keep my personal and work phones separate, some work apps are still on my personal phone (mostly because I’m using my personal account, and sometimes finances, to use them). E.g. WeWork, mysdworx. As with many other apps above, I will rely on their website moving forward.

Belgium and banking

Here, I make a specific section for banking and Belgium-related apps, as this may not be relevant for everyone.

In Belgium, virtually all banks have an iOS and Android app. You can check here if your specific bank’s Android app is compatible with SailfishOS. The Android Itsme authentication app also seems to work on SailfishOS, but the MyGov app doesn’t seem to work.

Instead of a private Wallet, BarWal is an established native implementation.

Otherwise, I don’t expect to miss some other Belgian apps (like Proximus+, Brico, IKEA Store, BPost, Titres-Services, Total) because I mainly used them for the client’s bar code.

Conclusion

Any change is accompanied by some friction, and the migration from a mainstream mobile OS to SailfishOS is no exception. Writing this note, I realise how everything became an app, even for the majority of apps I use and they can just be a website. Seen in another way, fortunately companies maintained functional websites. In order to maintain privacy and independence from mainstream and closed OS, I’ll try to use native apps and/or websites where possible. And I’m thinking of contributing if I find time :-)