Privacy protection: Volla Phone X23 review
27/1/2024
Translation: Julia Graham
German company Volla Systeme has developed a particularly robust device in the form of the Volla Phone X23. However, this smartphone was primarily designed to protect your privacy.
The Volla Phone X23 is the successor to the Volla Phone X, also designed for robustness. While the X23 doesn’t boast any exciting hardware, the software is worth a look. The Volla Phone X23 was created to treat your personal data as just that: personal. This is reportedly made possible by the in-house operating system Volla OS and various open source programs. I wonder what I’ll have to forgo for this privacy.
I should mention that the first batch of Volla Phone X23s is already sold out. However, a cheaper, somewhat slimmed-down version called Volla Phone X23E is meant to be launching. Alternatively, there’s the Volla Phone 22, with the same data protection concept, only slightly more sophisticated.
A look at the exterior: stylishly water-resistant
At present, most smartphones look pretty similar. The Volla Phone X23 scores points in this area. Its robust black housing with red accents and ribbing on the back appeals to me. The camera is enclosed in an LED ring that lights up depending on status information and charge level. A nice gimmick that reminds me of the Nothing Phone.
Source: Michelle Brändle
But the phone is quite bulky for my small hand. With its 6.1-inch display, it measures 16 × 8 × 1.2 cm and weighs an impressive 270 g. It comes pretty close to my Oppo Find X5 when in a case (16 × 7.2 × 0.9 cm, 6.6-inch, 196 g) but weighs noticeably more.
Source: Michelle Brändle
The IPS display resolution is 1560 × 720 pixels, barely enough for watching videos. With a brightness of 550 nits, the screen isn’t particularly gleaming, but it makes up for this with a high-contrast design.
The Volla Phone X23 is protected with Gorilla Glass 5 and boasts an IP68 dust- and waterproof rating. It can withstand a 30-minute dive to a depth of 1.5 metres in fresh water, despite the fact it doesn’t have a cover for the USB-C port and headphone jack.
The software: in-house operating system and control concept
You can either opt for the Volla Phone X23 with Volla OS 12 on Android (as in my test device) or with the Linux-based Ubuntu Touch. With the latter, you can use the multi-boot function to load an operating system of your choice – from Lineage OS, to /e/foundation, grapheneOS and calyxOS. If you have two accounts, assign them to the desired operating system. This is practical if you want to separate home and work, for instance.
Source: Michelle Brändle
The Volla OS quick access feature springboard takes a little getting used to. It’s a smart text field on the home screen that lets you directly enter commands. For example, if you start with an @ sign, the text field will show name suggestions from your contact list. If you tap on a name, you can call them. If you hit Enter after selecting a contact, you can either send them a text message or an e-mail. Another way to use it is to enter keywords for internet searches.
Source: Michelle Brändle
That didn’t always work for me. The phone didn’t necessarily show me the contacts I was looking for. Other times, it wouldn’t differentiate between text and e-mail. If the springboard isn’t to your liking, there’s a red dot at the bottom right you can tap on. This reveals a range of options, such as contacts, text messages or calls. If you’d rather work directly via apps, swipe to the right of the springboard and you’ll see all programs installed. Or you can set the app overview as your first choice on the home screen.
Source: Michelle Brändle
The Volla Phone X23 reportedly comes with at least two years of security patches. When asked, Managing Director Jörg Wurzer says that Volla is keen to provide updates as long as possible. The Volla Phone from 2020 with Volla OS 9 has already been updated to Volla OS 12. Volla OS 13 is currently being finalised for the Volla Phone X 23. Volla OS 14 follows on from this.
Apps and data protection: just omit Google
Straight out of the box, the Volla Phone X23 doesn’t come with Google services. Does that mean you’ll have to do without certain apps? Not necessarily. I’ll need to go into a little more detail.
You can choose from two different stores. In F-Droid, you’ll find open source apps that protect your privacy and keep you on the safe side. The Aurora Store requires more research. What’s good is you get all the same apps as in the Google Play Store, which it mirrors. Better yet, you don’t need a Google account and remain anonymous.
Something to bear in mind: while you’re allowed to use the Aurora Store, it’s in a bit of a grey area when it comes to downloading paid apps given that the Store itself isn’t officially from Google. This is because Aurora creates a fake Google account, which violates Google’s guidelines. Using free apps keeps you on the safe side.
This also includes the likes of Instagram, Facebook and X (Twitter), which can access your data as before. If you’re not keen on this, you can use the mobile website option if necessary. You can put these on your home page for quick access like an app. Extremely practical.
Alternatives for Google services
I’ve tried to avoid Google apps in general to see how well I can manage without them. The following programs are already installed on the Volla Phone as open source alternatives:
- Gmail: K-9-Mail
- Maps: OsmAnd+
- Chrome: Fennec with DuckDuckGo search engine
- Google Music: MaxFour
- Google Notes: a simple notes app
- Google Drive: none
K-9-Mail is the pre-installed mail app. You can connect both Gmail and Microsoft accounts. I didn’t notice any restrictions.
Rather than Google Maps, you’ll find OsmAnd+ pre-installed. The app is based on data from OpenStreetMap. To access a map, I download it as a package. After activating location services, it downloads the appropriate data package for me. The app is clearly laid out and shows me the points I’m looking for, including public transport or driving routes, just like in Google Maps. The app displays shops along with their opening hours, website and other details.
Source: Michelle Brändle
Instead of Google Chrome, I’ve got Fennec at my fingertips. It’s a mobile web browser based on Firefox, and it lets me select my preferred search engine in the search bar. The default is DuckDuckGo. You can also use Google Search or Ecosia.
MaxFour is a solid media player. It plays the music files stored on your smartphone or memory card. Apart from that and a basic equaliser, there aren’t a lot of settings. For really good sound, I recommend connecting headphones via Bluetooth or, even better, via the 3.5 mm jack socket. If you prefer YouTube functions, Newpipe would be an alternative with online access and videos.
In terms of note taking, I use a simple app, Notes. But for my taste, it’s a bit too simple. It only gives you the option to write blank text on a neutral background. Instead, I’d recommend an open source app called Joplin that’s also secure.
Speaking of the cloud, rather than Google Drive, I’d suggest Nextcloud. With it being free to use, open source and designed with security in mind, this software stops files getting lost.
Text messages and finances
As web-based messaging services, WhatsApp and Telegram have a bad reputation when it comes to your privacy. Possible secure alternatives are Signal and, if you’re happy to pay, Threema.
That being said, it’s worth remembering that some messaging services run via a Google interface. As a result, you have to do without push notifications and view your messages manually. Personally, I liked not being constantly distracted.
As for finance apps, these are available for download from Aurora. However, I’m yet to find any that don’t require active Google services. This applies to Deutsche Bank, Swiss Cantonal Banks and Raiffeisen Bank but also to PayPal.
Even other well-known programs, such as Adobe apps or Microsoft Teams are only available with Google Play services. You’ll be able to tell from the app descriptions. A shame, but at least you can choose to activate the services or look for a secure alternative.
Hardware: does what it should
Like previous Volla models, the Volla Phone X23 was developed in collaboration with Gigaset. Its hardware is that of a lower-class smartphone. The Mediatek Helio G99 SoC also falls into this category, and as a result it doesn’t deliver outstanding performance.
Source: Michelle Brändle
The phone reacts slowly when surfing the web and some apps take noticeably longer to load. What’s more, this smartphone has limited suitability for gaming. In a cross-comparison, the Fairphone 5 performs much better in Geekbench 6, while the Fairphone 4 is about the same.
Camera: the big surprise
Initially, I was extremely disappointed with the photos it took. The specifications actually sound good. It boasts a 48-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel ultra wide-angle camera and a 16-megapixel selfie cam. But the results on the smartphone look clumsy. When I uploaded them to the computer, I was surprised. The pictures were quite good and some even extraordinary. Sadly, the Volla Phone X23 screen doesn’t show images at their best.
Source: Michelle Brändle
Source: Michelle Brändle
This smartphone would cut it for taking a few nice snapshots on holiday, but you can’t check the image quality on the phone itself. Close-ups are also perfectly fine.
Source: Michelle Brändle
Source: Michelle Brändle
Source: Michelle Brändle
SIM, eSIM or both
With two SIM card slots that can be used together, the Volla Phone X23 scores well in terms of flexibility. The 128 GB of memory can be expanded with an extra MicroSD card. Getting the SIM cards into the two slots was easy, but removing them was fiddly. After looking about for a while, I discovered a small lever that can be pushed down with a needle or tweezers. If fiddling around annoys you too, you can also register an eSIM.
Source: Michelle Brändle
Replaceable long-lasting battery
The 5000 mAh battery is easy to replace and lasts a long time. But I personally use the Volla Phone X23 differently to the way I’d normally use my smartphone. In other words, without social media, with little gaming and I only listen to music I’ve downloaded directly to my phone. Of course, these things save battery, but the phone also seems to cope well on standby. It’s nice only having to plug the Volla Phone X 23 into my 22-watt power supply for just under two hours every few days.
Verdict: robust mid-range phone is a hit with good concepts and plenty of privacy
The Volla Phone X23 seems expensive for its mediocre hardware. It’s quite clunky and the chipset weakens with daily use. The springboard, a start screen for shortcuts, takes some getting used to. But you can still use a speed-dial list or your app overview.
To make up for the clunkiness, you get a smartphone that’s robust, waterproof and has a replaceable, long-lasting battery. Various open-source software included in the price protects both the device and your privacy. With two SIM cards, you can also separate work and home life. And the two app stores offer everything you need in terms of software.
If privacy is important for you and you don’t want your data to be siphoned off by Google and various apps, the Volla Phone X23 is a good choice. The cheaper and handier Volla Phone 22 is an alternative that, unlike the X23, is also available right now.
Meanwhile, if you’re familiar with booting operating systems and other smartphone hacks, you can also opt for a sustainable Fairphone 4 or 5, for instance. The former is a somewhat cheaper and sustainable alternative. The latter will cost more, but you get a stronger chipset and can replace other parts yourself, including the battery.
Are there any other open source apps you’d recommend? Or smartphones suitable for booting?
Header image: Michelle Brändle
In my world, Super Mario chases Stormtroopers with a unicorn and Harley Quinn mixes cocktails for Eddie and Peter at the beach bar. Wherever I can live out my creativity, my fingers tingle. Or maybe it's because nothing flows through my veins but chocolate, glitter and coffee.
