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Libre Smartphone - Open hardware phone

This page contains the software used in the open hardware smartphone, related projects files and documentation. Mechanical (Freecad) and PCB schematic (Kicad) designs will be added here in the future. Visit libresmartphone.com or our YouTube channel for more information.

Objective

Libresmartphone is a smartphone that can be connected to a bigger screen and used as a desktop computer to edit documents, watch videos, listen to music, edit images, videos and much more.

Our goal is to have a 6" screen, HDMI output, cameras, Bluetooth, WiFi, GPS, 4G or better and GSM. It will also have two or more micro-usb ports that will allow you to connect a printer or other peripherals.

It will be Open Software and Open Hardware, designed with free software (Kicad) to let other users study, change and improve both the software and the hardware.

The design will allow one to add hardware kill switches for the camera, GPS, 4G, GSM. This offers security & privacy for those who want full control over their devices.

Roadmap

1. Make a Raspberry Pi prototype work as desired (Estimated time: 3 months – 1 year)(Estimated cost: <500€):

   • Software to make calls, send/receive SMS (with the Adafruit 3G Fona or similar), import contacts (csv) and take photos in any GNU/linux or BSD OS.
   • GPS navigation with navit.
   • Easy to make case (MDF) / CAD files to 3d print the case.
   • 7" capacitive screen from the Raspberry Pi foundation.
   • Make a manual so every user with a Raspberry Pi can achieve a working prototype easily.

   The Raspberry Pi prototype will attract a larger user base for the project (currently there are 8 million Raspberry Pi in the market and a lot of their users are DIY enthusiast). Many of them are not willing to pay for an open source smartphone but would love to make calls with the Raspberry Pi, send SMS for their projects, build an simple GPS unit for their car, etc.

2. Make a prototype with the components more open (Estimated time: 6 months – 4 years)(Estimated cost: 500-40.000€):

   • Use a more open HW board (A64 OLinuXino or similar) instead of the Raspberry Pi.
   • Use a more open HW screen (Manga Screen or similar) or design a 6" capacitive screen if there isn't any open hardware option available at that time (initiate a crowdfunding campaign to let others interested contribute).
   • Use a more open HW modem breakout if there is one available instead of the Adafruit 3G or design a LTE (PLS8-E) or better modem breakout (try to make a crowdfunding campaign to let others interested contribute).

   The prototype will have replaceable parts if better / smaller alternatives appear in the market.

   If no suitable screens or modem breakout are found, a crowdfunding campaign will be made. The reason to make it that way is because there are other people that could want these parts for a different project and help to make it possible faster. Even if there is not enough people willing to support a crowdfunding campaign, the current people interested in making libresmartphone are able to pay Elias Bakken, Nikolaus Schaller or others to make them.

When the prototype has the size and requirements desired, libresmartphone development will start part 3.

3. Libresmartphone final design (Estimated time: <2 years)(Estimated cost: 50.000-200.000€).
   • Design a pcb that has the CPU, GPU, RAM, modem, WiFi, etc in the same board taking in consideration all the designs used in part 2 of the development.
   • Design a case to fit all the components inside that is easy to 3D print. If there are enough people interested an injection case could be made.