I have been able to successfully install Ubuntu Touch on a Google Pixel 3a XL.
Call and texts do work in UK.

Battery life is very good. My device is a refurbished, bought for 140£, used mostly with Teleports and Morph browser, audio messages, calculator and alarms. Battery is now at 35% and I charged it more than 36 hours ago.

I was used to Iphone with replaced battery more or less lasting this same much.

Features are different than an iPhone or an Android, but if we exclude the missing video calls and proprietary apps which can not be found on this platform, it is an excellent replacement and am not planning to go back to any Android or iOS device.

Biggest advantages imo are:

• all code can be inspected, so no backdoors
• it is the true community to device for it, not CEOs of businesses
• all that is missing, with a little time and fun, can be coded

For installation I used Android platform tools + Chrome (it automates installation of images) + Ubports(manually select device and tick all options). Had a rough start with Ubports but once you get the setup (android dev mode, disabled boot locker and flashed to a specific firmware version) it does all the work for you in no time.

(PS: This is more to create indexable content and allow people to get a feedback.)

Bought a refurbished Pixel 3a XL and successfully installed Ubuntu Touch on the device.

UK based - standard phone calls seem to be working

I've documented my steps here: https://forums.ubports.com/topic/6396/pixel-3a-xl-experience

But we should converge all documentation in one central section. It's not been easy for me to install it at all. I worried I irreversibly crashed it at some point.

I'd be keen to help with any sort of development, so will see if I can find some resources or maybe join the Telegram group.

The state of art is "huuuuuge potential, lack of everything" at the moment. If you consider I rarely use the phone to make audio only calls, there is a lot of work to do.

I too installed successfully Ubuntu Touch with UBports-installer on my Google Pixel 3a XL from a Mac OSx system

I bought a refurbished Google Pixel 3a XL for 140£ (UK) and and should I need it, replacment batteries are available for 10-15£.

It's been very difficult for, specially in the understanding of the very composition of the boot loader, the screens, lock/unlock, and tools available.

I manage to install only by selecting manually the device on ubports and by flagging "erase user data

Zlamalp summary of steps is great and is a reassurance.

The final result is impressive, yet still lacking a lot of features.

Usable, 100% usable, but something that has great potential.

The more people (and developers) get on the platform, the more it will evolve.

My contribution to the installation is this.

Concepts

Abandon any hope on data while installing: sounds like a dire warning, but is just the basic. You are installing something new. Until you are familiar with it, like a good old PC, chances are you will "format and reinstall" many times. So, you are expected to lose all data on the device.

Fastboot: is a screen that appears before the operating systems are loaded - you can get stuck there, but it's fine, you can always reinstall either Ubuntu Touch or any version of the firmware of your device

Recovery Mode: is a special option you can get into after the fastboot. Best, is to get to it from android, with ./adb reboot recovery

Developer Mode: this an android setting - you tap 7 times on the android version (google it)

OTA images and flashing: these are usually zip files of the Android version you want to install. You will have to revert your android to an old "firmware" version. But if you use the crome installer, you will never need these. Here their location anyway (you might have to agree with Google T&Cs) https://developers.google.com/android/ota#bonito

Preparation - IMPORTANT!!!

• Chrome - it uses an integrated tool for reinsalling the OS (it's fantastic and works like a charme)

• This url https://flash.android.com/back-to-public - or more specific https://flash.android.com/build/5674421?target=bonito-user&signed=true for the specific version to install - should you crash the device, you can always recover it - this toole will allow you to reinstall the base public installation

• ubports (mine was 0.8.8-beta)

• OTA image - if you use Chrome's tool, you really won't need this

• Android SDK platform tools https://developer.android.com/studio/releases/platform-tools - download and unzip it - cd into the folder and you can run scripts straigthaway

Good to know commands

• ./adb devices run when you are logged in android, in developer mode, and usb debug is enabled - response is instantaneous - you don't need to wait for devices. Either works or something's amiss
• ./fastboot devices - same as above, but only should you be stuck inside the fastboot
• ./fastboot flashing unlock - to manually unlock the device

Unlocking boot loader

As zlamalp wrote (plus a bit of mine):

- on android enable developer mode
- on android enable USB debug
- on android allow OEM unlock
- ensure device is connected and adb works with `./adb devices`
- `./adb reboot bootloader` - will reboot android to the boot loader
- `./fastboot flashing unlock` - this, once you are inside the bootloader, and then **follow on screen instructions to confirm**

Installation

1. With Chrome, flash your Pixel 3a XL device to PQ3B.190801.002 - Chrome will tell you to confirm unlocking/locking the boot loader - use volume keys to switch options and power button to confirm
2. Once in Android older firmware PQ3B.190801.002, a. enable developer mode b. enable usb debug
3. Open up ubports, choose manually your device, and begin installation with both 2 options flagged: wipe user data AND bootstrap
4. ubports will tell you what to do next

In theory, once the device reboots, and gets past the recovery mode, as instructions on ubports will tell, you should get a blank screen with Google logo, and then you should see the Ubuntu Touch boot loader - do not touch anything and let it run.

So, great achievements.

Next will be choosing on what of the many options to contribute with