The next Ubuntu Phone flash sale will take place tomorrow February 26, Spanish mobile maker Bq has announced.
As before, a limited number of €169 ‘Aquaris E4.5 Ubuntu Edition’ handsets will be made available to buyers in Europe from 8 AM – 5 PM (GMT) via the Bq website.
It is the fourth such ‘flash sale’, a marketing concept Canonical proposed to Bq, to be held this month.
Though a little pricey compared to phones running the more established Android OS (the new Moto E, for example, beats it in price and specs and comes with Android 5.0 Lollipop) the fact that it is the first commercially available Ubuntu Phone to be released, and is being pitched at enthusiasts, fans and developers rather than regular users, means it’s still a great buy.
Canonical launched the device informally at an ‘Insiders’ event held in London earlier this month. Attendees — disclaimer: including us — received a limited edition white handset in exclusive packaging. The regular version as sold in the flash sale is all black.
For a quick recap of the Ubuntu Phone specs check out our little chart below.
Comparison chart pitting the Bq #UbuntuPhone against similar models running other OSes pic.twitter.com/qt510n66Gp
— OMG! Ubuntu! (@omgubuntu) February 8, 2015
To Grab a Bq You Gotta Be Fast
If you plan on nabbing the phone you will want to move fast. The first two batches sold out in under ten minutes a piece.
Bq also say they have no plans to stock the Aquaris Ubuntu Edition normally once the spate of limited run sales are over — if you want to nab a first run device you’ll need to run to a computer as close to 8 AM (GMT) tomorrow as possible!
The Ubuntu Phone OS is designed around the concept of ‘Scopes’. These panels make up the home screen and can be swiped through easily to reveal contextual information based on location, media type, online sources, etc.
Meizu Coming
If the Bq device isn’t for you don’t panic. Chinese mobile upstart Meizu will unveil an Ubuntu-powered version of their mid-range MX4 device in March with a suggested release date in China and EU of April.
America will hear news about an exclusive Ubuntu Phone from an as-yet-unnamed manufacturer in June.