The Volla Phone 22 is a privacy-focused Android phone from a German startup, but it does more than just do away with Google apps and services.

There is a growing market for privacy-focused smartphones, and the German-made Volla Phone 22 wants a share of it. Many more people are now concerned about their privacy when they use a smartphone, which has led to manufacturers providing more tools for users to control what is shared. For instance, Google allows users to turn off permissions for individual apps. In addition, Android 12, the latest stable version of its mobile operating system, enables users to choose if they want an app to access their precise or approximate location.

Those who want more control can decide to pick up a phone with more privacy-focused features, such as the Benco V8s, a phone without cameras and GPS. There is also the option to switch to a different operating system with more features, such as GrapheneOS, an Android-based privacy-focused but open-sourced operating system that works on select Pixel phones.

The Volla Phone 22 was made by the German startup Hallo Welt Systeme UG, and it will be its third phone since it was founded. The phone won’t have a hard time standing out from the competition since it sports a simple but elegant design. Its rear cameras are flush with the removable glass back panel. According to its Kickstarter listing, it will be available in White and Elegant Black, both of which have a piano finish. Just like several privacy-focused phones, the Volla Phone 22 runs a version of Android devoid of Google apps and services. The customized operating system with a minimalist design also has a host of security features baked in, such as a firewall to blacklist or whitelist IP addresses, an app locker, parental controls, encrypted device storage and the use of open-source apps.

Apart from its privacy-focused features, an interesting addition is a dual-boot function. Alongside running the AOSP-based Volla OS, users will be able to install a second operating system such as Ubuntu Touch on the device. When the phone is turned on, owners can choose which one of the two operating systems they want to boot into by accessing the multi-boot menu. According to Winfuture, the second operating system can only be installed onto a MicroSD card, but a feature update will add support for installing onto the internal memory. In addition, the manufacturer has revealed it is working to bring other Linux-based operating systems to the device, such as Sailfish OS, Manjaro and Droidian.

The specs of the Volla Phone 22 put it squarely in the mid-range category. It packs a 6.3-inch Full HD+ display with a notch for the 16MP front-facing camera. Powering the phone is a MediaTek Helio G85 processor, which is a 4G chip. Kickstarter backers will be able to get it in just one configuration that has 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. A MicroSD card slot (supports up to 512GB) has been included for those who wish to add more storage. The two cameras on the back are a 48MP primary sensor and an 8MP ultrawide angle camera that can also shoot macro photos. The phone also has NFC, Bluetooth 5.0, dual-band Wi-Fi, GPS, support for dual SIMs (nano only), and a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner.

The Volla Phone 22 has a 4500mAh removable battery. Hallo says it supports fast charging but doesn’t specify the rating. Nevertheless, buyers will get a power adapter included in the box. Wired charging is via a USB-C port which sits at the bottom alongside a 3.5mm audio jack. A surprising but cool feature is that the phone supports Qi wireless charging despite having a removable back panel. The smartphone is listed on Kickstarter and has already crossed its goal four times over as of the time of writing. Nevertheless, some early bird perks are available that bring the price tag lower than its official retail price of €398 (~$430). Interested buyers in the United States who want can order the phone, provided they have confirmed it can work with their carrier. Those who want a more powerful phone are better off waiting for the OSOM OV1, which is scheduled to launch later this year.

Source: This news is originally published by screenrant

By Web Team

Technology Times Web team handles all matters relevant to website posting and management.