> 1) Is a Pinephone a viable alternative either iOS or Android?
No, probably not, not currently. It's a prototype phone, in low-production numbers, with a somewhat underpowered SOC (but with proper FOSS drivers/kernels).
The regular "Linux-distros" you would typically boot on this phone instead of iOS or Android are still under heavy development, although things are improving.
I consider the PinePhone a good first POC for a pure Linux phone, and I'm happy to have one though.
> 2) How do you get it connected to carrier X?
This applies to any phone any place in the world: You insert the SIM-card given to you by your carrier.
This is literally how it has been done since mobile phones were invented with no change. Seeing a question like this on HN honestly has me quite baffled.
No, probably not, not currently. It's a prototype phone, in low-production numbers, with a somewhat underpowered SOC (but with proper FOSS drivers/kernels).
The regular "Linux-distros" you would typically boot on this phone instead of iOS or Android are still under heavy development, although things are improving.
I consider the PinePhone a good first POC for a pure Linux phone, and I'm happy to have one though.
> 2) How do you get it connected to carrier X?
This applies to any phone any place in the world: You insert the SIM-card given to you by your carrier.
This is literally how it has been done since mobile phones were invented with no change. Seeing a question like this on HN honestly has me quite baffled.