Want CNET to notify you of price drops and the latest stories?
No, thank you Accept
X
Apple Vision Pro Hands-OnBest Meal Delivery ServicesCNET CouponsNew Apple Watch PerksBest Solar CompaniesAI and Your Job SearchBest Satellite Internet ProvidersMortgage Rates
CNET logo Why You Can Trust CNET

Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement

MeeGo lives: a first look at the Sailfish OS

The mobile operating system that refuses to die is back in the spotlight. In fact, it is looking better than ever.

399ecb2b4d6af399.jpg
399ecb2b4d6af399.jpg
Joseph Hanlon Special to CNET News
Joe capitalises on a life-long love of blinking lights and upbeat MIDI soundtracks covering the latest developments in smartphones and tablet computers. When not ruining his eyesight staring at small screens, Joe ruins his eyesight playing video games and watching movies.
See full bio
Joseph Hanlon
2 min read
Advertiser Disclosure
Advertiser Disclosure
This advertising widget is powered by Navi and contains advertisements that Navi may be paid for in different ways. You will not be charged for engaging with this advertisement. While we strive to provide a wide range of offers, this advertising widget does not include information about every product or service that may be available to you. We make reasonable efforts to ensure that information in the featured advertisements is up to date, each advertiser featured in this widget is responsible for the accuracy and availability of its offer details. It is possible that your actual offer terms from an advertiser may be different than the offer terms in this advertising widget and the advertised offers may be subject to additional terms and conditions of the advertiser which will be presented to you prior to making a purchase. All information is presented without any warranty or guarantee to you.

Maemo, MeeGo and now Sailfish. The mobile operating system that refuses to die is back in the spotlight. In fact, it's looking better than ever.

The Linux-based system first created by Nokia is again seeing the light of day, with new owner Jolla now ready to show the fruits of its labour. Unlike most zombies, the system, now going by the name Sailfish, is looking fresh and smart, and has a few nice, new features.

The core user experience of the system remains strongly reminiscent of MeeGo, with recently used apps, which the Jolla team now refers to as "covers", displayed as large tiles on the home screen. Swipe up from the bottom to see all installed applications, or swipe across the covers to displays options for that particular app.

Most interesting is a feature that the Jolla team calls "pulleys". If you swipe down from the top of the screen — the same gesture used on Android and iOS to reveal notifications — the system displays a list of context-sensitive menu options. In the photo gallery, it shows sharing options, for example. From the lock screen, it has shortcuts to commonly used apps.

The future for the Sailfish OS is still a mystery, but Verge reported that the Jolla team has the support of ST-Ericsson for incorporating the system onto chips, and we've heard for a long time that some of the big-name OEMs are looking for a viable option to Android to make sure that they are not at the mercy of Google. Sailfish could be that alternative.