Let's make a thought experiment: let's think about designing a new Linux distro from scratch. Obviously starting with Linux-the-kernel, and then thinking about what we need to be a modern smartphone OS.
- We'll probably want the security model, with the nice sandboxing and I would argue the verified boot.
- We'll want the battery optimisation.
- We'll want access to the firmwares of the components running in the phone.
- ...
From the very first step "start from Linux-the-kernel", every single question I ask myself goes towards the Android design and away from the classical Linux distro design.
In other words, the open source Linux distribution that is the closest to a modern mobile system is... Android :-).
- We'll probably want the security model, with the nice sandboxing and I would argue the verified boot.
- We'll want the battery optimisation.
- We'll want access to the firmwares of the components running in the phone.
- ...
From the very first step "start from Linux-the-kernel", every single question I ask myself goes towards the Android design and away from the classical Linux distro design.
In other words, the open source Linux distribution that is the closest to a modern mobile system is... Android :-).