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MeeGo Startup Jolla Signs Phone Deal
chill writes "Mobile company Jolla, which is continuing development of Linux-based mobile OS Meego, signed its first sales deal today, with D.Phone, China's largest smartphone retail chain. Jolla has not released details about its first product, which is expected to be revealed later this year. The company has not yet received access to any Nokia patents."
When they decide to put countries like China on the backburner and start making things like this available in more conventional markets, this might be an improvement. Otherwise, it's just the N9 situation all over again.
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Hopefully they'll have a model with modern hardware specs, matching the the best Android and Apple phones.
If their best model sports some 320x400 resolution and 3 generation old graphics hardware, it'll be a non-starter with a lot of ppl. If it can compete toe to toe, then I'll consider buying one. Let's say something comparable to the Galaxy S3: 1280x720 pixel screen, one microSD slot, a modern GPU, multi-touch, good GPS, and so on. Be actually competitive, and I'll give it a shot. Ship 3 gen old hardware, and sorry, no dice.
If you're a startup I don't see how it's a mistake. From TFA: "China was selected because it is the largest, most rapidly expanding smartphone market in the world, according to Jolla Chairman Antti Saarnio." This seems like a logical first step to me. Get established there first, then move on to more expensive markets once you are established.
They don't have the patents to release it in the US or most of the rest of the First World.
Companies with key patents to smart phones can't even avoid import bans and I would bet they infringe on a lot Nokia patents that they developed.
The N9 did not get into the US because MS did not want it beating their OS.
Despite that, the N9 has outsold the entire Whorephone platform.
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Man, you feel strongly about this issue. Jolla doesn't have to care. They will make phones appropriate for the markets they can get into the most easily, and make some starter money, and build their business from there. They don't have to conquer the world on the first day.
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Has there really been anything that has started in China and made it big in Europe/North America? I really can't think of anything. Sure, there's been stuff that's been Korean and Japanese and sold quite well, but the Japanese and Korean markets are much different than the Chinese market.
They might not be as successful as their Japanese counterparts, but from the top of my head Huawei, Lenovo and Haier are chinese.
Some time ago Japan was today's China, they were just copying and improving upon others designs, and they were regarded as lower quality products. Now they are leading in the automobile industry, electronics, and pretty much everything.
I think the same kind of evolution is possible in China in the next few years. The only thing they are lacking is the ethics and values, but maybe its not necessary.
Look back to the USA of Edison's day and you'll see how ethics and values were rarely allowed to get in the way of a sale.
The China-first strategy seems brilliant to me. Far more price sensitive, which plays to their strength.
Life's a bitch but somebody's gotta do it.