It just got even easier to buy Ubuntu laptops, desktops and phones from India’s biggest online retailer.
Canonical has opened a brand new “brand store” for Ubuntu products on Snapdeal, who are the exclusive stockists of the Bq Aquaris E4.5 Ubuntu Edition and E5 Ubuntu Edition smartphones in India.
The Snapdeal Ubuntu Store groups together Ubuntu powered notebooks and desktop PCs from HP and Dell, and promotes them alongside the newly launched Ubuntu Phones from Bq.
Ubuntu joins thousands of other companies, among them Samsung, Apple and Dell, in creating a custom storefront to sell their products through.
Brand stores allow companies to group their products into one easily accessible place, use custom branding, a Snapdeal sub-domain and integrate their social media accounts to drive engagement.
In launching an Ubuntu Store on Snapdeal Canonical not only makes it easier for Ubuntu enthusiasts in India to see, compare and buy Ubuntu laptops and PCs, but makes it easier for its hardware partners to their promote devices to potential customers.
This is not the first time Canonical has teamed up with an online retailer to promote Ubuntu powered devices. Last year UK retailer eBuyer launched a line of budget HP laptops running Ubuntu 14.04 LTS.
Prices of devices
A wide selection of devices with Ubuntu preinstalled are available on Snapdeal though it should be noted that not all products are fulfilled by Snapdeal.
Those looking for an Ubuntu laptop on a budget there’s the Dell Vostro 15 3558. This is a 15-inch laptop powered by an Intel Celeron processor, 4GB RAM and comes with a 500GB mechanical hard-drive. It has a 3 hour battery life and costs Rs 19,989 (~$300 US).
For something more powerful the store offers the HP 2311ix. This is a 20-inch all-in-one PC featuring a 4th Gen Core i3, 4GB RAM and a roomy 500GB HDD. It is the most expensive device sold through the Snapdeal Ubuntu Store and costs Rs 54,156 (~$800 US).
The cheapest Ubuntu Phone is the Bq Aquaris E4.5, a low-end 4.5-inch handset running Ubuntu Touch with 8GB of storage. It costs from Rs 11,499.
The move is a positive one for Canonical, for Ubuntu, for its OEM partners and for users.
OEMs have been shy about promoting their Ubuntu-powered devices in Europe (let’s not mention the Ubuntu billboard contest that wasn’t). This is less of a problem in India (and China), where Ubuntu laptops from Dell and HP are readily available and often aggressively promoted.
Launching a branded store front on one of India’s biggest online retailers is a smart move. It will help promote Ubuntu as a first-class OS, make it easier for buyers to find devices, and increase sales for OEMs.
Check out the store for yourself at the link below.