Jolla to Separate Hardware and Software Businesses to Focus on Sailfish OS

Finland-based Jolla on Tuesday announced that to focus on the licensing and development of its Sailfish OS, it is splitting into two companies. Jolla says a new company will be formed to handle the firm's own device business.

In a press statement, Jolla stressed that it will concentrate on the development and licensing business of the open mobile OS, the Sailfish OS. "A new company will be established to continue Jolla's device business, where the company sees a specific interest from privacy-aware consumers and corporations around the world," notes Jolla. The new mobile business unit is expected to be announced after summer.

The company alongside also announced management changes which will see Antti Saarnio, Chairman of Board of Jolla taking charge of leading Jolla. Meanwhile, Tomi Pienimaki, former CEO, has been appointed to a new position outside the company and will take charge in August. The company revealed that a new head of Jolla devices business will be appointed during autumn.

Additionally, Jolla revealed that the company is working hard to meet the first shipments of the Jolla Tablet to its Indiegogo crowdfunding contributors. "The software (Sailfish OS) part of the work is in good shape but we have been slowed down by supply issues of certain hardware components. We expect to solve this issue very soon," said Saarnio.

Commenting on the announcement, Antti Saarnio said, "Every young company has to find its clear focus at some time, and for Jolla that time is now. We have huge opportunities in the Sailfish OS licensing business, and I am very proud and excited to take responsibility of steering the Jolla ship to a new commercial phase. After three years of intensive Sailfish OS research & development we are now moving full speed to new bigger waters, which require full focus on software from the team."

The company will be present at the Mobile World Congress Shanghai next week to showcase progress in the Sailfish OS licensing business. There has been interest shown in the recent past around the Sailfish OS, with Russia planning on a customised version of the operating system to help reduce the reliance on the potentially-unsafe Android and iOS. Russia's Yota Devices was recently reported to be considering offering future devices with Sailfish OS. It notably features Android app compatibility.

While talking to TechCrunch, Saarnio revealed the company is "committed" to build new devices. He however explained some limitations and said, "There's a limitation that the company is not yet established so there's a plan to start producing it. I personally believe they will start producing smart hardware, smartphones or smart devices, in the future. That's the plan and the intention."