Life & fun · February 11, 2015
JanOS – A new OS that turns your smartphone into an IoT board
JanOS – A new OS that turns your smartphone into an IoT board launched on February 11, 2015 with 123 votes, #211 of 1,772 launches that month and more than 95% of that year's launches. The site was still online in September 2026, 11 years on.
In plain words
JanOS is an operating system that runs on smartphone chipsets without requiring a screen, enabling developers to control phone hardware like cameras and calling functions through JavaScript APIs. It targets Internet of Things developers seeking a cost-effective alternative to traditional development boards like Raspberry Pi or Arduino, which charge premium prices for basic expansions. By repurposing affordable smartphone components, JanOS offers full smartphone functionality at a fraction of the cost of conventional IoT solutions.
written from the facts on this page · September 2026
From the sources
JanOS is an operating system designed to run on the chipset of mobile phones. It runs without a screen, and allows you to access all phone functionality, from calling to the camera, through JavaScript APIs. Current development boards for Internet of Things solutions have one big problem: they are very expensive. Boards like the Raspberry Pi or Arduino have a limited feature set and simple extensions, like a GSM shield, can cost $80. That is a shockingly high price when a full smartphone can be available for just $30. Why not break out the mainboard from a mobile phone and use that to develop embedded projects? Cheaper and more powerful. Can I attach sensors or LEDs? Most phones have some…from janos.io
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