Ubuntu Edge will miss $32M crowdfunding target

#1

Post by kshatrea » Sat, Aug 03, 2013, 5:17 AM UTC

Ubuntu Edge will miss $32M crowdfunding target
theguardian.com

Re: Ubuntu Edge will miss $32M crowdfunding target

#2

Post by t0 » Sat, Aug 03, 2013, 5:25 AM UTC

I don't think they ever planned on hitting $32m. This was simply a way to gather information and see just how much interest there really is.

Re: Ubuntu Edge will miss $32M crowdfunding target

#3

Post by WestCoastJustin » Sat, Aug 03, 2013, 5:34 AM UTC

Here is the link to their crowdfunding page http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/ubuntu-edge for anyone interested.

Re: Ubuntu Edge will miss $32M crowdfunding target

#4

Post by kushagrawal » Sat, Aug 03, 2013, 5:35 AM UTC

If they don't hit the $32m, I'm pretty sure they have some deals with telecom giants lined up. This was probably an attempt to keep the ball in their own court

Re: Ubuntu Edge will miss $32M crowdfunding target

#5

Post by throwawayyyz » Sat, Aug 03, 2013, 5:38 AM UTC

$32m seems like too much money to be crowdfunding at this point in time. Few years too early.

Re: Ubuntu Edge will miss $32M crowdfunding target

#6

Post by Alterlife » Sat, Aug 03, 2013, 5:47 AM UTC

t0 wrote: post #2

I don't think they ever planned on hitting $32m. This was simply a way to gather information and see just how much interest there really is.

I think they did plan to hit 32 million. Nobody plans to fail.

32 million = ~45000 phones pre-booked? It doesn't sound impossible...

Re: Ubuntu Edge will miss $32M crowdfunding target

#7

Post by Alterlife » Sat, Aug 03, 2013, 5:48 AM UTC

Canoical has made the same mistakes Microsoft did by branding their phone and tablet OS "Ubuntu"... It hurt Ubuntu desktop in the process with Unity.

Convergence might be the future, but the breakpoints in usability and public imagination just haven't been hit yet.

I think Android and iOS have a better opportunity to scale up and meet desktop needs without alienating users than Windows explorer, Gnome 2.0 or KDE have to scale down and take over mobile while keeping true to their core UI patterns.

Re: Ubuntu Edge will miss $32M crowdfunding target

#8

Post by zombio » Sat, Aug 03, 2013, 5:52 AM UTC

t0 wrote: post #2

I don't think they ever planned on hitting $32m. This was simply a way to gather information and see just how much interest there really is.

Mark Shuttleworth said in his Reddit AMA that if the project was not successfully funded he would not close the gap. Are you suggesting he would let the project die, only to reintroduce it later?

http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1j166z/hi_im_mark_shut...

Re: Ubuntu Edge will miss $32M crowdfunding target

#9

Post by mtgx » Sat, Aug 03, 2013, 5:54 AM UTC

Mistake #1: Pricing it over $600 unlocked. I know they feel very strongly about the 128 GB of storage, but if doing that meant pricing it over what seemed like the sweet spot of $600, then it was killer mistake.

Mistake #2: Not making it dead clear that they can return your money if for whatever reason the phone doesn't get built or you don't like it. This is not typical of such crowdfunding campaigns, and everyone assumed they could be "risking their money" (in this case, a lot of money).

I bet a lot of people are now seeing that it probably won't reach the goal (also these articles rubbing it in their faces aren't helping...) so even if they considered it, now they won't bother because it looks like a dead project that won't happen anyway - game theory and all.

Re: Ubuntu Edge will miss $32M crowdfunding target

#10

Post by zombio » Sat, Aug 03, 2013, 5:58 AM UTC

Given the nature of this campaign the boost at the end will probably be larger. There will be a lot of hype when the final day comes and everyone will want to get their phones before it closes.