Jolla's latest mobile OS upgrade focuses on the basics
Sailfish OS is adding features you may take for granted elsewhere.
Jolla is going some distance to putting its Sailfish OS on more phones you can buy, but it's clear the startup still has a ways to go before you're ditching your existing device. It just released an early access version of Sailfish OS 2.1 (nicknamed Iijoki) that adds features you probably take for granted on Android or iOS. For one, you can finally copy-and-paste text in the web browser -- yes, that wasn't present before. There's also a streamlined camera app with tap-to-focus, "initial" virtual private network support, basic 64-bit architecture and the ability to change system font sizes.
To be fair, Jolla doesn't have the resources of mobile industry heavyweights like Apple and Google. There's only so much development effort it can throw around at any given time. However, this illustrates the uphill battle the Finnish startup faces in becoming a mobile software licensing business. It has to entice hardware makers who'd otherwise choose Android or Windows 10 Mobile, and that means racing to include features that those rival platforms have had for years in addition to offering something unique. Sailfish certainly stands out, but it'll also have to nail the basics if it's to get significant adoption.
