German smartphone maker Volla has launched two new mid-range telephones that go in opposition to the grain. The Volla Cellphone Plinius and Plinius Plus are constructed to final, ship with out Google, and allow you to swap the battery your self. That final half alone makes them stand out from nearly each different smartphone available on the market.
Each telephones share the identical core design: a flat body, slim bezels, and a 6.67-inch OLED show with a 120Hz refresh charge and 1,000 nits of peak brightness. It even works with moist fingers and gloves, which is a pleasant contact for those who spend time open air.
Volla
Regardless of permitting for a user-replaceable battery, the telephone options IP68 water and mud resistance. Additionally, within the age when corporations aren’t even transport chargers within the field, Volla ships the telephone with a display screen protector and a replaceable again cowl proper within the field.
Is the thick physique a dealbreaker?
The Plinius is 10.5mm thick and weighs 230 grams, so it’s not a telephone for individuals who need one thing feather-light like an iPhone Air. That stated, the chunky construct is what makes the replaceable 5,300 mAh battery attainable. You’ll be able to swap it your self with a regular screwdriver.
Beneath the hood, you get a MediaTek Dimensity 7300 chip, a 64MP most important digital camera, an 8MP ultra-wide, and 32MP selfie digital camera. Volla has additionally added on-device AI for photograph optimization, which processes every thing regionally with out sending your information wherever.
Volla
The standout function is that the telephones ship with Volla OS, which is an open-source Android working system with out Google companies. You too can select the Linux-powered Ubuntu Contact working system.
In the event you wished to de-Google your telephone for privateness and attempting totally different working programs like GrapheneOS, the Volla Plinius telephones is perhaps price looking.
Which model do you have to purchase?
The usual Plinius comes with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage for €598 and is out there now. The Plinius Plus bumps that as much as 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, provides a bolstered again with pogo pins for future modular equipment, and launches in June 2026 for €698.
Seeing the worth distinction is barely €100, and also you get double the storage and an additional 4GB of RAM, I’d counsel ready for the Plus mannequin for those who can afford it. It can be sure that you should utilize the telephone for a very long time with out feeling RAM constraints.
