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First Ubuntu Phone Will Launch In Europe This February
Bq Aquaris e4.5The first Ubuntu Phone will go on sale in Europe in the second week of February.
Made by Spanish device company Bq, the handset will mark the first time that an Ubuntu Phone is sold directly to consumers
The First Phone: Specifications
For its first Ubuntu Phone Bq is launching a repurposed version of the its popular Aquaris e4.5 handset preloaded with Ubuntu for Phones.
Unlike the version that developers can (and have) been downloading and flashing to their Nexus devices, the commercial version of Ubuntu on phones will ship with a number of differences in software, including new ‘Aggregator Scopes’ and support for paid content.
As smartphones go Aquaris e4.5 is a capable daily driver, a dependable and competent handset.
No, it’s not the most flashy or high-end of devices but that’s not what Ubuntu’s debut devices needed to be. It needed to balance price and performance so that hesitant developers and enthusiasts can pick one up to tinker with.
Inside it offers:
- 4.5-inch screen (qHD resolution @ 540×960)
- 1.3 GHz Quad Core ARM Cortex A7 (MediaTek)
- Mali 400 GPU @ 500 MHz (MediaTek)
- 8GB eMMC Storage
- 1GB RAM
- 2150 mAh Battery
- Dual micro-SIM
As for pricing, while Canonical hasn’t given us any firm details has been suggested to us, albeit with a wry wink and a cheeky smile, that buyers won’t pay more than the ~€149 or so that Bq sells the Android version at.
Looking Ahead
The Bq Handset In Hand
The elephant in the room is the USA. Initially Bq will only sell their Ubuntu phone in Europe, and that through their website. US plans are yet to be divulged, and it’s not clear if it will be Bq, Meizu or an as yet unannounced partner jumping through the hoops required to launch a cellular device there.
Looking ahead, I think it’s likely that we’ll see Bq launch an Ubuntu version of its 4G-equipped Aquaris 5 model later in the year. The model is a little larger than the e4.5 and features an HD IPS screen screen and marginally faster processor. It’s this device that was launched at Bq’s ‘mystery press event’ last month, alongside several new Android tablets.
A video advert directed by renowned Spanish filmmaker Álex de la Iglesia premiered at that event — an advert I’ve a hunch we’ll be seeing a little more in the near future… ;)
via: http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2014/12/bq-ubuntu-phone-launches-in-europe-this-february