Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu, announced plans at this year's Mobile World Congress to partner with China's Meizu and Spain's BQ, makers of mid- to high-range mobile devices, in order to release the first two Ubuntu phones: Meizu MX3 and BQ Aquaris.
Meizu MX3 and BQ Aquaris Specs
Meizu MX3 features a 5.1-inch display, rounded plastic back side and an 8MP camera at the center. It is powered by an octa-core, three-core graphics processor, 2GB RAM and a 2,400mAh battery. There will be three versions available - 16GB, 32GB and 64GB.
BQ Aquaris has no specific specs yet, but images reveal a minimalistic handset with a pearlescent tinted frame. Its build is like that of iPhone shape-wise, but the design seems to be intended for a choosey crowd.
Looking ahead
Future Ubuntu phones (not including these) will run the dual Ubuntu operating system, allowing the phone to be plugged into a large screen and transformed into a desktop.
Canonical CEO Jane Silber predicts that Ubuntu will break into crowded and congested markets and since Canonical is a British firm, it is assumed that Ubuntu phones will spread in the UK. Silber added that launching the phones will not be in conjunction with a carrier at first, an unusual move intended to allow people to understand what they've signed up for rather than inheriting it due to a network's push.