More information on the hardware specifications of Bq’s Aquaris Ubuntu Phone have been revealed at Mobile World Congress, in Barcelona.
Attendees visting the Canonical booth have already been able to get a hands-on grope of the proposed design of the device.
But in addition to getting a close up, further details on the sort of specifications buyers can expect to find powering the dual-SIM, Ubuntu-powered phone have been shared.
4.5-Inch Screen
Despite appearances to the contrary the Bq Aquaris is smaller than the 5.1-inch Meizu MX3, with a display size of ‘just’ 4.5-inches.
It also forgoes the eight-core power of the MX3, instead opting for a MediaTek A7 Quad-core processor. The precise model number and clock speed of the processor have yet to be confirmed.
Speculating Specifications
With the above in mind, we can likely expect the device to match or best the current specifications of the Aquaris 5, currently sold by the company.
If so, that would see the first Ubuntu Phone powered by the following specs at a minimum:
- MediaTek Quad Core Cortex A7 @ 1.2 GHz
- PowerVR SGX544 @ 286 MHz
- 1 GB RAM
- 16GB Storage
Pricing
Both the Aquaris from Bq and the MX3 from Meizu will, according to comments made to a Cnet reporter by Canonical CEO Jane Silber, be pitched at the $200 – $300 price point, though it’s not yet clear if that price is ‘contract-free’ or ‘carrier subsidised’.
If the former then it certainly sounds like the Meizu will be competitively priced. In China, where the Meizu MX3 Ubuntu will be sold, an unsubsidised iPhone 5S bought from the Apple Store is said to cost an eye-watering US$872. A carrier-free Android-powered Xiaomi 3, which boasts a 5-inch screen and a quad core processor, relieves buyers of $330.
In Europe, a Bq Aquaris 5 running Android sells for €179 unlocked, which translates roughly as US$250.