In December they said they were thinking about opening up a reseller program so they don't have to support end users [1]. Then they announced the end of the community editions [2]. And now this announcement. I think they're trying to evolve into something more sustainable.

1: https://www.pine64.org/2020/12/02/pine-store-community-prici...

2: https://www.pine64.org/2021/02/02/the-end-of-community-editi...

In a sense yes, but PinePhone is also focused on economically feasible for developers. The hardware may be solid, but the firmware and software on it still need a lot of work. It's a frustrating experience. Others mention freezes when making or receiving calls. I have the KDE Plasma version and I sometimes get kernel panics when taking it on and off the charger. Enthusiasts (like me) will pay $200 to support the project and have a secondary handheld device running Linux, but at higher prices, not so much.

Also, I'm not trying to knock the pinephone - I have one and fully support them. Their goal is to get more linux phones into the hands of more people, both devs and end-users. They're using open-source distributions and their approach will (in theory) lead to better software. The experience should get better over time.

There is the Librem 5 by Purism. They do target the free as in freedom crowd, and it starts off at $800. They also have the same phone made entirely in the USA for $3k. The PinePhone and Librem hardware have fairly similar specs. The Librem 5 does have a better camera and a slightly larger battery, but the real difference is going to be that they put a lot more polish into the system.

https://puri.sm/products/librem-5/

> Aren't the customers people who want to switch from $1000 phones for freedom (not price)?

That's me at least.

I'm tempted to buy one just as a sign of support. We really need PinePhone to grow.

I think the problem is that the demographics are already niche for the existing Linux on mobile software ecosystem on a device with as many software issues as it has. Then the issue of what little extra money they could make doesn't make it easier to find components that match their philosophy, much less performant parts, making a high price an even harder sell. I like their current strategy and it seems to be working for them. Slowly build an audience while helping the ecosystem to develop while maintaining a sustainable business that isn't prone to demand falling off a cliff because your phone is suddenly a year old and people want the new hotness.

Pine has decided that selling their products as close to cost as possible is how they can best achieve their goals of spurring open development and a having a vibrant, international community. It seems to be working for them.