postmarketOS 26.06 launches with GNOME 50, KDE Plasma 6.6, Phosh 0.55 and improved booting

postmarketOS 26.06, code-named “Alpen Avocado”, is out for mobile devices, bringing a host of system and user interface updates. This release now builds on Alpine Linux 3.24, setting the foundation for refreshed package support and improved security.

Among the major user interface changes, users can experience GNOME 50, KDE Plasma Mobile 6.6.5, Phosh 0.55, and Sxmo 1.18.1, while Plasma Bigscreen returns after compatibility improvements. The Plasma desktop for the systemd variant now uses plasma-login-manager rather than SDDM, and OpenRC with Plasma is no longer recommended. In addition, the release introduces an updated default wallpaper, from which comes the name of this release.

Following core upgrades, systemd 261 is now included. The boot process has shifted from pbsplash to Plymouth, presenting a new animated splash screen with logo fade effects. It is now possible to show the boot log by pressing ESC or using the power key. Devices with functional vibration hardware now provide haptic feedback at boot, aiming to improve accessibility.

Supporting these changes, generic kernel packages such as linux-postmarketos-mainline, -stable, and -lts will stay updated for the lifetime of v26.06. The new ModemManager brings cell broadcast support, and kernel improvements target better performance and device compatibility. Additionally, new installations default to sudo-rs for privilege management instead of doas.