Canonical is speeding up its Ubuntu handset launch cycle - while the first smartphone took over two years to reach the markets since the announcement of the OS, the second was launched earlier this month, and now the third and the latest is set to go on sale starting Thursday.
The smartphone named Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition is only Europe-centric for now, with no word on its launch in other regions expect China. The handset was launched in China last month for developers. Priced at EUR 299, the handset will be sold via Meizu's website through an invite-only system. Canonical had previously launched two smartphones in collaboration with Spanish manufacturer BQ.
(Also see: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition vs BQ Aquaris E5 HD Ubuntu Edition vs BQ Aquaris E4.5 Ubuntu Edition)
It is worth noting that the Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition is the original Meizu MX4 handset but with Ubuntu Touch OS instead of Android 4.4.4 KitKat. As before, Canonical once again touts the Ubuntu Scopes UI as what would make the device stand out. Scopes, or categorised home screens, provide a unified view of content in the particular category.
The smartphone features a 5.3-inch screen with 1152x1920 pixels resolution display covered by Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and is powered by a 64-bit octa-core MediaTek 6595 processor (four 2GHz Cortex-A17 cores + four 1.7GHz Cortex-A7 cores) clubbed with 2GB of LPDDR3 RAM and PowerVR G6200 GPU.
The Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition houses a 20-megapixel rear camera powered by Sony IMX220 Exmor RS series sensor, and features a blue glass filter apart from f/2.2 aperture. A 2-megapixel front-facing camera with Sony IMX208 sensor and f/2.0 aperture is also included. While the Android-powered version is available in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB inbuilt storage versions, the Ubuntu-based variant would only come with 16GB inbuilt storage.
The smartphone features 4G LTE, TDD-LTE and FDD-LTE networks besides dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a,b,g,n,ac, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, A-GPS, and USB connectivity. Backed by a 3100mAh battery, the Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition measures 144x75.2x8.9mm and weighs 147 grams. The handset will be available in Black, Golden, Black/White, and Silver/White colour variants.
"Meizu pioneered the new wave of innovative Chinese manufacturers of high quality, high end devices who have mastered the user centric distribution model that is so popular in China. Their hunger for breaking down current ecosystem dynamics make them a perfect partner for Ubuntu," said Cristian Parrino, VP Mobile at Canonical of the launch.
"We're proud to be partnering with Ubuntu on our first major smartphone launch in Europe, which is a huge milestone for us. Ubuntu is breaking down new barriers in mobile user experience and ecosystem development, and we're excited to be a part of it," added Li Nan, VP at Meizu.
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