Phosh 0.53.0: improved auto-brightness and app thumbnails

The newest Phosh 0.53.0 update brings significant improvements to the mobile Linux shell, with a focus on usability and stability. The standout feature is the enhanced auto-brightness system, which now remembers user-defined offsets and integrates better with night light mode. Additionally, the overview screen now displays app thumbnails, making multitasking more intuitive and efficient.

Key improvements in Phosh 0.53.0

1. Smarter auto-brightness

• The shell now remembers auto-brightness offsets, allowing for more precise and personalized screen brightness adjustments.
• Improved night light compensation ensures a more comfortable viewing experience in low-light conditions.
• These refinements make auto-brightness smoother and more responsive to ambient light changes.

2. App thumbnails in overview

• The overview screen now shows thumbnails of running apps, making it easier to switch between tasks.
• Visual and stylistic improvements enhance the overall user experience, creating a more polished interface.

3. Notification and plugin fixes

• Notification activation has been fixed, improving reliability.
• The Caffeine plugin (which prevents screen dimming) now allows users to open preferences directly from the status panel, streamlining customization.

4. Phoc compositor enhancements

• Added support for the xx-cutouts-v1 protocol, enabling apps to detect screen cutouts (e.g., for cameras or sensors).
• Apps can now stay fullscreen even when losing focus, which is particularly useful for games and media players.
• Fixed issues with GTK3 popup menus and X11 window resizing after exiting fullscreen mode.

5. Stevia on-screen keyboard upgrades

• Scaling improvements allow for larger keys in landscape mode, making typing more comfortable on bigger screens.
• Font and icon scaling adjusts dynamically with key size, improving readability.

6. Mobile settings app updates

• A new “About” panel provides system information at a glance.
• The feedback panel now offers audible volume adjustment feedback and alphabetically sorts apps displaying notifications.

What is Phosh?

Phosh is a graphical shell designed for mobile Linux devices, originally developed for the Librem 5 smartphone. It provides a user-friendly, touch-optimized interface for smartphones, tablets, and convertible laptops, built entirely on free and open-source software.