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German smartphone maker Volla has launched two new mid-range phones that go against the grain. The Volla Phone Plinius and Plinius Plus are built to last, ship without Google, and let you swap the battery yourself. That last part alone makes them stand out from almost every other smartphone on the market.
Both phones share the same core design: a flat frame, slim bezels, and a 6.67-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 1,000 nits of peak brightness. It even works with wet hands and gloves, which is a nice touch if you spend time outdoors.
Despite allowing for a user-replaceable battery, the phone features IP68 water and dust resistance. Also, in the age when companies are not even shipping chargers in the box, Volla ships the phone with a screen protector and a replaceable back cover right in the box.
Is the thick body a dealbreaker?
The Plinius is 10.5mm thick and weighs 230 grams, so it is not a phone for people who want something feather-light like an iPhone Air. That said, the chunky build is what makes the replaceable 5,300 mAh battery possible. You can swap it yourself with a standard screwdriver.
Under the hood, you get a MediaTek Dimensity 7300 chip, a 64MP main camera, an 8MP ultra-wide, and 32MP selfie camera. Volla has also added on-device AI for photo optimization, which processes everything locally without sending your data anywhere.
The standout feature is that the phones ship with Volla OS, which is an open-source Android operating system without Google services. You can also choose the Linux-powered Ubuntu Touch operating system.
If you wanted to de-Google your phone for privacy and trying different operating systems like GrapheneOS, the Volla Plinius phones might be worth taking a look.
Which version should you buy?
The standard Plinius comes with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage for €598 and is available now. The Plinius Plus bumps that up to 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, adds a reinforced back with pogo pins for future modular accessories, and launches in June 2026 for €698.
Seeing the price difference is only €100, and you get double the storage and an extra 4GB of RAM, I would suggest waiting for the Plus model if you can afford it. It will ensure that you can use the phone for a long time without feeling RAM constraints.
