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Ubuntu Touch OS wins its first smartphone partner

news.cnet.com

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Re: Ubuntu Touch OS wins its first smartphone partner

#3

If it's Verizon, I intend to be their first smartphone customer :) edit: mind you - I'm guessing this is a manufacturing partner, not a network / distribution partner...

Yes, it is a manufacturing partner, since they've already announced network partners. I do wonder which manufacturer it could be...

Re: Ubuntu Touch OS wins its first smartphone partner

#4
Excellent for Canonical. I look forward to the day I can walk into the local phone shop and buy an Ubuntu Mobile.

Bit worried by the 'high end' qualification in the OA. I'd imagine Apple/Samsung have that sewn up, and the lower end in China/Asia has the volume. But we shall see.

Re: Ubuntu Touch OS wins its first smartphone partner

#6

If it's Verizon, I intend to be their first smartphone customer :) edit: mind you - I'm guessing this is a manufacturing partner, not a network / distribution partner...

Yes, it is a manufacturing partner, since they've already announced network partners. I do wonder which manufacturer it could be...

This might be far-fetched, but I wonder whether it is Lenovo. Just saying because Lenovo's PCs and Servers have excellent Ubuntu support.

Re: Ubuntu Touch OS wins its first smartphone partner

#7
"Shuttleworth founded Canonical in 2004, back in the day when Linux on the desktop was, if not exactly a contender, at least a more widely discussed alternative to Windows PCs than it is today."

I feel like Linux is a better contender now then it was in 2004. Or am I just in a "developers tech savvy world" and viewing linux as a viable contender now compared to the typical layman?

Re: Ubuntu Touch OS wins its first smartphone partner

#8

This would be amazing on a device like the Moto G or something similar. If they get this in the sub $200 or sub $100 price point with reasonable performance, it could be a real big deal.

They should be able to hit the sub-$200 price point with one of their hardware partners, but that is hardly a differentiator these days now that the Moto G and the Lumia 520 are already there for Android and Windows Phone.

I'm personally mildly excited for the idea of a "real" Linux phone, if it carries out the concept of being a phone that can be used in desktop/laptop docks (which various people have attempted without success on Android phones) to serve as your one very portable computer. Also it needs to have a competent nav/driving app. Basically the sole thing that keeps me on Android these days is Google Maps, and Google has even been testing me with that since the dreadful redesign they did with 7.x.x.

Re: Ubuntu Touch OS wins its first smartphone partner

#9
post #7

"Shuttleworth founded Canonical in 2004, back in the day when Linux on the desktop was, if not exactly a contender, at least a more widely discussed alternative to Windows PCs than it is today." I feel like Linux is a better contender now then it was in 2004. Or am I just in a "developers tech savvy world" and viewing linux as a viable contender now compared to the typical layman?

They are simply wrong on this.

Re: Ubuntu Touch OS wins its first smartphone partner

#10
post #7

"Shuttleworth founded Canonical in 2004, back in the day when Linux on the desktop was, if not exactly a contender, at least a more widely discussed alternative to Windows PCs than it is today." I feel like Linux is a better contender now then it was in 2004. Or am I just in a "developers tech savvy world" and viewing linux as a viable contender now compared to the typical layman?

It was discussed (in tech media) much more back then ("This is the year of Linux on the desktop!" used in a non-sarcastic manner), but you're right in that it is actually more viable today than it was then, mostly due to Microsoft shooting itself in both feet in the interim.

It is still unlikely Linux will achieve any sort of mainstream adoption (for a few reasons, including Ubuntu following a very Microsoft-like policy of going all-in with touch at the expense of UX for traditional desktop users, continued fragmentation of the various distros, etc), but at least these days it isn't nearly as surprising to learn some of your more casually tech savvy friends use Linux as it would have been back then.

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