# Phosh 0.56.0 — Investigation Summary **Release date:** July 5, 2026 **Source:** https://phosh.mobi/releases/rel-0.56.0 --- ## What Changed (Component-by-Component) ### Core Components | Component | Version | What's New | |-----------|---------|------------| | **phosh** (shell) | 0.56.0 | New quick settings for **Syncthing** and **VPN**; new **lock screen shortcuts**; **GTK4 port** progress (main surfaces working: top panel, overview, lock screen + plugins); various bug fixes | | **phoc** (compositor) | 0.56.0 | Based on **wlroots 0.20.0**; improved layer-shell protocol handling; better multi-monitor support | | **phosh-mobile-settings** | 0.56.0 | New settings panels; improved mobile-specific configuration UI | | **phosh-tour** | 0.56.0 | Updated first-boot assistant / onboarding experience | | **phosh-osk-stub** | 0.56.0 | On-screen keyboard improvements | | **phosh-screencast** | 0.56.0 | Screencast tool updates | | **feedbackd** (haptic/audio feedback daemon) | 0.56.0 | Improved feedback profiles for mobile interactions | | **xdg-desktop-portal-phosh** | 0.56.0 | Portal integration updates for file picker, screenshot, etc. | | **phosh-mobile-tweaks** | 0.56.0 | Mobile-specific GTK tweaks updated | ### New Components / Additions - **phosh-osk-data** — New component providing keyboard layout data for the on-screen keyboard - **phosh-swipe** — New component for swipe-typing integration (in development, building toward the generic word correction/prediction interface discussed at the Contributors Meeting) --- ## Why It Matters ### 1. **GTK4 Port is Nearing Completion** At the Phosh Contributors Meeting 2026 (May 22–24, Linuxhotel, Essen, Germany), contributors demoed the GTK4 port with the main surfaces working — top panel, overview, lock screen, and plugins. The remaining work is split into two parallel tracks: landing the missing GTK4 bits and fixing styling issues. This is the single biggest architectural change for Phosh, unlocking better hardware acceleration, improved gesture handling, and a path toward **Phosh 1.0** (possibly later this year). ### 2. **Phosh 1.0 on the Horizon** At the Contributors Meeting, discussion about what remains before a 1.0 release was "surprisingly short" — landscape mode improvements were the main suggestion, and the consensus was that the current state is already quite mature. The meeting notes explicitly say: *"So maybe we see Phosh 1.0 later this year 🥳."* ### 3. **Swipe Typing is Coming** Prawn presented work on swipe-typing integration, joining forces with the HeliBoard developers on a common library. The new **phosh-osk-data** and **phosh-swipe** components are the first concrete steps toward this. A generic word correction/prediction interface is being designed. ### 4. **Android App Integration (Waydroid)** Gotam demoed simplified Waydroid setup, Android image download, and APK installation/removal directly from Phosh. This is a major UX improvement for users who need Android apps on their Linux phone. ### 5. **New Quick Settings: Syncthing & VPN** These are practical, user-facing additions. Syncthing quick setting enables easy file sync between devices; VPN quick setting makes privacy controls more accessible on mobile. ### 6. **wlroots 0.20.0 Foundation** phoc moving to wlroots 0.20.0 brings improved Wayland protocol support, better performance, and lays groundwork for future compositor features. ### 7. **BengalOS & Immutable Images** The project is now building nightly BengalOS images (immutable variant with first-boot assistant), and using OpenQA for automated testing — signaling growing infrastructure maturity. --- ## Strongest Sources 1. **Primary: Phosh 0.56.0 Release Notes** — https://phosh.mobi/releases/rel-0.56.0 — The official changelog with all component versions and changes. 2. **Phosh Contributors Meeting 2026 Report** — https://ev.phosh.mobi/blog/pcm26-bits/ — Detailed account of the in-person meeting where GTK4 port was demoed, Phosh 1.0 timeline discussed, swipe typing, Waydroid integration, and more. 3. **GNOME Discourse Announcement** — https://discourse.gnome.org/t/upcoming-phosh-0-56-0-release/35750 — String freeze announcement by Guido Günther (lead maintainer), confirming the release schedule and affected components. 4. **LINMOB.net Weekly Update (22/2026)** — https://linmob.net/weekly-update-22-2026/ — Third-party coverage noting the PSA about phoc compatibility requirements for 0.56.0 and the Contributors Meeting recap. 5. **Phosh Development News June 2026** — https://phosh.mobi/posts/development-news-2026-06/ — Monthly development update providing context on work leading up to the release. --- ## Bottom Line Phosh 0.56.0 is a **major milestone** — not just for the new features (Syncthing/VPN quick settings, lock screen shortcuts, wlroots 0.20.0), but because it represents the **final stretch toward GTK4 migration and Phosh 1.0**. The Contributors Meeting confirmed that the project is healthy, well-organized (now under Phosh.mobi e.V.), and actively building toward a 1.0 release that could arrive later this year. The groundwork for swipe typing and simplified Android app integration also signal that Phosh is maturing from a basic mobile shell into a full-featured mobile environment.