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Operating system specialist Canonical has revealed the Ubuntu Edge – a "superphone" that doubles up as a desktop PC.
The company is seeking $32 million on crowdfunding website Indiegogo to produce the new type of smartphone, which Ubuntu founder Mark Shuttleworth describes as "a proving ground for the most advanced mobile technologies on the horizon, a showpiece for true mobile innovation".
The Ubuntu Edge will boast 4GB of RAM, 128GB storage and a 4.5-inch display made of pure sapphire crystal. It’s expected to launch in May 2014 in limited numbers.
It can connect to a standard HDMI screen and work as a desktop PC, and its dual-LTE chip will connect users online with 4G. The smartphone will dual-boot with the Ubuntu phone OS and Android.
"The phone industry today is a bit like the camera industry five years ago," said Shuttleworth. "Stuck in a mega pixel race chasing wasted resolution. What’s much more interesting is colour accuracy and brightness.
"Convergence is the key idea we’re exploring, so this phone needs to be a potent little PC when docked. We’ll select the very latest fastest multi-core processor as we finalise the design. It’s going to redefine PC portability.
"It’s desktop computing gone truly mobile.
He added: "We’re not trying to get into the phone business – we’re working with phone companies for your normal mid and high end phones. This project is just for us – the real enthusiasts. That’s why a crowdfunding approach is perfect."
The Linux-based Ubuntu OS is currently used by 20 million users worldwide.
You can check out Shuttleworth’s full pitch video here:
