So yes, one could run Arch on a phone, even today.

But you'll be basically stuck with only having a serial console over the SoC's UART, probably some USB networking (or at least a serial-over-USB console), and maybe if you're lucky some Wifi networking.

Everythink else (screen, even leds, camera, sensors) staying desperately un-powered.


(Basically like when playing with some quick port of a distro on the OpenMoko back then).