ubuntu-phone team mailing list archive

[Greg W <mttbrnsmls@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks :)

Canonical's influence on the Edge resulted in a great looking/sized/arranged phone. Hopefully Canonical will exert influence in a Huawei designed phone. I'm just reading a lot that makes it sound like Canonical will not bother with hardware design at all unless the Edge succeeds. Yet Canonical's influence on the design of the Edge is really impressive. So I hope Canonical will stay open to designing/influencing hardware design for at least one Ubuntu phone even if the Edge isn't successful.

From: joerlend.schinstad@xxxxxxxxxx
Date: Sun, 4 Aug 2013 23:00:51 +0200
Subject: Re: [Ubuntu-phone] Ubuntu Edge (constructive criticism/advice on Canonical's approach)
To: mttbrnsmls@xxxxxxxxxxx
CC: coder543@xxxxxxxxx; ubuntu-phone@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I haven't read anything insulting from your mails. :) 

I can understand your point of view, but any "low-spec" phone that Canonical could push would still be a lot more expensive than anything comparable that's already on the market. So if price is an issue, then it's unlikely that the Edge would be an option in any case. Things have to be mass produced in order to force prices down. I don't think Canonical is in any position to do that. They're a rather small company compared to the giants out there. There are other players who are much better positioned to do so, such as Huawei. They are my personal favorite for a big-hit Ubuntu phone, because they're a large company with the resources to push out high-quality phones, and they've been struggling in the Android market. Ubuntu can be a good way to get a head start in a new market, and I think Ubuntu also has an advantage being a Chineese reference thing. 



Canonical wants to partner up with existing hardware manufacturers and I think that's the best way to go.