As I do the same on my phones as on my computers, put alternative os on them, I am a little active on xda developers forum to find roms for my phones.
One of my phones is a Sony Xperia Z1 Compact and now there are one of the developers on xda (munjeni) that is booting his Z1 compact on I think 4.11 kernel.
He is trying to run Lede, router firmware on the Z1 compact and also convinced that he would be able to run a "native Linux" on the phone. The guy seems to be very productive on xda and doing a lot of work, you can read a little here. (https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=74827339&postcount=1040)
Android is linux so maybe this is no different from before, or is something happening? Will normal linux be more working on phones in the future?
Android isn't Linux
Quote from: melmarker on 2017/12/14, 01:26:04
Android isn't Linux
OK, anyway, munjeni is using main Linux kernel to boot the Z1 compact
Well, we can do on the pixel, not sure on your phone (android kernel is modified linux kernel)
Stable kernel
https://forum.xda-developers.com/pixel/development/reference-pixel-kernel-source-linux-t3717141
https://forum.xda-developers.com/android/software-hacking/reference-how-to-upstream-android-kernel-t3626913