Named the first manufacturers of smartphones Ubuntu

Canonical has signed agreements with two companies that will produce Ubuntu smartphones and sell them around the world. The first partners were Meizu (China) and bq (Spain).

Meizu is one of the largest hi-end smartphone manufacturers in China. The company has 1000 employees and 600 retail stores, and the brand has strong positions in China, Hong Kong, Russia, Ukraine and Israel.

The bq company is the largest seller of unlocked phones in Spain. Over the past year has sold nearly 1.5 million devices.
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Meizu and bq should release smartphones in a modern configuration by the end of 2014. Sales will be made through their online stores, as well as the Ubuntu.com site.

Recall that in August 2013 on the crowdfunding website Indiegogo ended a campaign to raise money for the production of a smartphone Ubuntu Edge. The Canonical device set a world record for the amount of money raised from the public for the release of a future product: almost $ 13 million, although it was less than the “planned” $ 32 million.

Ubuntu Edge is a smartphone computer with the following advanced features: 4 GB RAM, dual LTE, desktop version of Ubuntu and Android, and the ability to connect an external monitor and keyboard. What are the characteristics and the name of Meizu smartphones and bq - is still unknown.

Another good news is that support has been received from several telecom operators in several countries that are also ready to distribute Ubuntu smartphones through their communication salons. To date, the Ubuntu advisory group has 16 operators , including Vodafone, EE, T-Mobile USA, Three Group, Deutsche Telekom, Verizon, Telstra and Portugal Telecom.