ubuntu-phone team mailing list archive

[Greg W <mttbrnsmls@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I didn't miss the point (Canonical is making an erroneous assumption about the market--let me explain). I am aware of all the Ubuntu "supported models" available on the market. But frankly, I don't like any of them. 

The Edge design is unlike any of the Android phones (AKA supported models) on the market. So I think it is Canonical that is missing the point by assuming the Edge doesn't offer anything more than convergence over an "Android container." My argument is that it does to such an extent that people will buy it over current "Android container" offerings.

The only physical shell (size/container/design) I really like that is on the mobile phone market today is the iPhone 5, and it cannot run Ubuntu. My primary hardware criticism with the iPhone 5 is that it does not have stereo speakers. The Edge does have stereo speakers and has similar design parameters to the iPhone 5: roughly the same size, shape, similar speaker placement, button arrangement, etc.

So as the market stands today I am faced with this dilemma: do I want to buy the hardware-container I prefer or the software I prefer? With the Ubuntu Edge Phone as an option, I could buy both the hardware-container I prefer & the software I prefer.

Mobile Phones are different than Laptops/Desktop. You carry them around with you all day in a pocket. And the shape/weight/thickness/shell-arrangement all become important considerations that aren't as important for Laptops/Desktops. I love open source, but I do not like Android, and I do not like any of the hardware-containers Android offers. 

From: joerlend.schinstad@xxxxxxxxxx
Date: Sun, 4 Aug 2013 17:55:01 +0200
Subject: Re: [Ubuntu-phone] Ubuntu Edge (constructive criticism/advice on Canonical's approach)
To: mttbrnsmls@xxxxxxxxxxx
CC: estelar57@xxxxxxxxxxx; ubuntu-phone@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

You seem to have missed the point entirely. If you want an Ubuntu Phone, then there are phones already available on the market. Supported models now, are LG Nexux 4 and Samsung Nexus Galaxy. But there are many more unofficial ports. 



The reason for the Ubuntu Edge was never to win the market or anything like that. Canonical isn't a hardware company. The whole point was to create a phone that was much more powerful than any phone that could realistically be launched as a commercial product. It is supposed to be a means to try out _future_ hardware and to push all boundaries. Even a very low-spec smart-phone that you describe, would have to be much more expensive than comparable models on the market, simply because of the low number of devices that could be sold. 



If what you want is for Canonical to become a hardware company and compete with Samsung and Apple, then I don't think that's realistic. It's much better to attract existing manufacturers who are already in the hardware game.