Volla Phone Plinius shows Ubuntu support

Volla’s new Plinius is a rugged Android phone, but that label misses the interesting part. The real story is that buyers can order it with Ubuntu Touch or with Volla OS, the company’s de-Googled Android fork. That puts it in a very small club of phones trying to offer both repairability and software independence at the same time. And in 2026, that’s still weird enough to be news. ### What actually is the Plinius? It’s Volla’s latest semi-rugged handset — IP68-rated for water and dust resistance, built around a 6.67-inch 1080p OLED display with up to 120 Hz refresh, and powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 7300 chip. The base model comes with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage for €598, while the Plinius Plus bumps that to 12 GB and 256 GB for ### Why are people talking about Ubuntu? Because Ubuntu Touch support is the part that makes the phone more than just another niche Android slab. Ubuntu Touch is a Linux-based mobile OS built around privacy, long-term software life, and a desktop-style mode when connected to a larger display. Plenty of enthusiasts want that idea, but very few new phones ship with workarounds. ### Isn’t Volla OS the safer default? Probably for most people, yes. Volla OS is still Android underneath, just stripped of Google Mobile Services and pitched as a privacy-first alternative. That means buyers get a more familiar app world, but without handing the whole experience to Google. Ubuntu Touch is the more radical choice — cleaner philosophically, but also more limited. The point is that Volla is selling both paths at checkout instead of making users flash software later. ### Why does the battery matter so much? Because Volla combined three things that usually don’t live together anymore: water resistance, wireless charging, and a battery the user can replace. The Plinius has a 5,300 mAh battery, and Volla says owners can swap it with a standard screwdriver even though the phone is still secured by a pop-off back panel. You know it should be possible; you just rarely see anyone bother. ### Is it a flagship killer? Not really — and that’s fine. The cameras are mid-range, not premium, and the phone is thicker and heavier than mainstream flagships at 10.5 mm and 230 g. But that bulk is buying something tangible: a removable battery, ruggedness, microSD expansion, dual-SIM support, and room for Volla’s more repairable design choices. This is a priorities phone, not a spec-sheet flex. ### Who is this actually for? Privacy-minded buyers first. Linux phone fans second. And then a third group that’s easy to miss — people who are simply tired of sealed hardware and forced software ecosystems. Volla has been building around that audience for a while, but the Plinius sharpens the pitch by making the hardware less compromised than older “freedom phones” usually were. ### Why does this matter beyond one niche phone? Because most alternatives to iPhone and mainstream Android still ask you to give something up — performance, polish, repairability, or app support. The Plinius doesn’t solve that tradeoff completely, but it narrows it. Basically, it shows there’s still a market for phones that treat software freedom and replaceable parts as features, not relics. ### Bottom line? The Plinius is not important because it will outsell Samsung. It’s important because it proves a 2026 phone can still ship with Ubuntu support, a removable battery, and modern basics like IP68 and wireless charging — all in one device. That combination is the real headline.