postmarketOS, the Linux distribution that turns old phones and tablets into small Linux computers, made headlines in mid 2025 when it booted on an iPhone X. A lot has happened since. The project shipped two more stable releases, launched an immutable edition called Duranium, and in September 2026 changed its name to Nura. Here is where things stand in October 2026, what actually runs on the iPhone X and how you can try it yourself.
What postmarketOS, now Nura, actually is
Nura is a full Linux distribution for phones, tablets, Chromebooks and other devices, built directly on Alpine Linux. Instead of shipping a modified Android, it aims to run close to mainline Linux kernels, the same kernels desktop distributions use. That is what lets a phone keep receiving software updates years after its maker stopped supporting it, which has always been the core mission.
You choose your interface. The project ships mobile versions of GNOME and KDE Plasma Mobile, along with Phosh and the minimalist Sxmo, so the experience can feel like a small tablet, a traditional Linux desktop or a keyboard driven tool.
The rename was announced on September 27, 2026 at the project’s own conference. The team said the old name was hard to spell, pronounce and remember, and that a descriptive name could not be trademarked. Nura comes from Nuraghe, ancient stone towers in Sardinia that have stood for thousands of years, a nod to the goal of keeping devices useful for a long time. The logo stays, and some menus and tools may still show the old name while the change rolls out.
What is new in v26.06
Releases arrive twice a year, in June and December, as snapshots of the rolling edge branch. The current one, v26.06, brings:
- Alpine Linux 3.24 as the base.
- GNOME 50, Plasma Mobile 6.6.5 and Phosh 0.55, with Sxmo staying at 1.18.1. Plasma Bigscreen, the TV style interface, is back after two years away.
- systemd 261 on systemd based images.
- A new boot splash built on Plymouth, with the boot log one key press away, and a short vibration on boot for devices where the motor works.
- A Rust rewrite of sudo as the default on new installs.
- Better modem support, including cell broadcast alerts through an updated ModemManager.
The release notes are blunt: this is software for Linux enthusiasts, and you should not expect Android or iOS levels of polish yet.
Supported devices and the iPhone X port
Nura sorts devices into categories that tell you how much works. Here is how they break down right now:
Empty since v24.12, now being rebuilt with stricter rules. First candidates: Fairphone 5, Motorola Edge 30 and the Radxa Dragon Q6A board.
Well maintained but may lack features. Includes PinePhone, PinePhone Pro, Librem 5, OnePlus 6 and 6T, Pixel 3a, Fairphone 4, Pocophone F1 and many Chromebooks.
Limited functionality, possibly unmaintained. Hundreds of devices, including the Fairphone 5, the Fairphone Gen 6 and the iPhone X.
The iPhone X port arrived in July 2025, building on work from the Hoolock Linux and Asahi Linux projects. It made the 2017 iPhone the newest Apple phone that can boot the system, and the generic Apple port was widened to cover nearly every Apple chip except the M1 family. It is a proof of concept, though. Most hardware support is missing, there is no prebuilt image on the install page, and it is not something you can use as a phone. Treat it as a developer milestone, not a reason to wipe your iPhone.
The bigger story for everyday users is the new main category. In late September 2026 the team set out tough requirements: UEFI boot, upstream kernels with minimal patches, and working calls, SMS, mobile data, WiFi, audio, charging, Bluetooth and camera. Each main device needs a dedicated maintainer team and hardware testing. The team has not given a timeline, since most of the work is volunteer driven.
Duranium: the immutable edition
The experimental immutable version mentioned back in 2025 now has a name. Duranium was introduced in March 2026 and works much like immutable desktop systems. The system partition is read only and checked on every boot. Updates install as complete images into a second slot, and if the new version fails to boot, the device falls back to the previous one automatically. Your home folder stays writable and the data partition is encrypted.
Apps come mainly from Flatpak. Duranium needs UEFI boot and more storage than the standard edition, so not every device can run it. The team calls it a work in progress for testers, not a daily driver.
How to try it
- Pick a device from the community list. A PinePhone, OnePlus 6, Pixel 3a or a supported Chromebook gives you the best odds of a working system.
- Read the state of Nura page and your device page on nura.eco to see which features work.
- Download the v26.06 image for your device and interface from the install page, or use the pmbootstrap tool to build a custom image.
- Flash it following the installation guide for your device. Many Android phones use fastboot from a computer.
- Log in with the default user name user and password 147147, then change the password right away.
FAQ
Is postmarketOS discontinued?
No. It was renamed Nura in September 2026. Same team, same software and same logo, on a new website at nura.eco.
Can I run postmarketOS on my iPhone?
Only the iPhone X and some older models boot it, and only as experimental testing ports. Core phone features are missing, so it is not usable day to day.
Can Nura replace Android as a daily phone?
For enthusiasts on well supported devices, it can. For most people, not yet. The new main category exists to change that.
When is the next release?
The project releases every June and December, so v26.12 is the next one to expect. No date has been announced.
The verdict
postmarketOS has grown up without losing its spirit. Under the new Nura name it delivers a steady twice yearly release, an immutable edition for testers and a clear plan to make a few phones fully usable. The iPhone X port is a fun milestone, but if you want to try mobile Linux today, start with a PinePhone, OnePlus 6 or Pixel 3a.
Updated October 2026: rewritten to cover the Nura rename, the v26.06 release, Duranium, the iPhone X port status and how to install it.
Featured photo: Andrey Matveev on Unsplash.
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