Here Comes the Ubuntu Smartphone….Maybe
Open-source web developer, Ubuntu, has announced a Kickstarter type campaign to fund the development of a new open-source smartphone: the Edge. The project is ambitious, Ubuntu has asked for $32 million in order to develop 40,000 units (a contribution of $600 to the campaign on the first day or $830 on the following days guarantees you one of those units) and Indiegogo (the site that’s hosting the campaign) has already confirmed that this campaign has the highest funding target of any project ever announced on the site and possibly has the highest funding target of any web-based crowdfunding site ever. For comparison’s sake, the Kickstarter campaign to make a movie for the cult TV series Veronica Mars, which by all accounts is one of the most successful campaigns in the history of crowdfunding, raised $5 million. How does Ubuntu plan to raise more than 6 times that amount for a product that will have to compete in an already well-established market? Part of the solution is that Ubuntu’s smartphone will be more resistant and versatile than other smartphones. The current design of the Edge features an operating system that can run both Android and Ubuntu interfaces, a scratch-proof touch screen (claimed to be made from pure sapphire crystals), and presumably more freedom to alter your phone than you would get with either an iPhone or Android phone. Additionally, Ubuntu makes standard claims about having longer battery life and faster processing speed than other smartphones. Many technology sites are already impressed with the Ubuntu design and are hoping that they will be successful in their endeavor.
However, this is all contingent upon the Edge being completely funded on Indiegogo in a mere month. And $32 million is a steep amount to raise in so short a time, especially since there are not many rewards for donating except for getting the phone. Most projects offer numerous and varied prizes. The aforementioned Veronica Mars campaign had nearly 40 different kinds of prizes but Ubuntu is only offering 3 types of prizes: a thank you, a phone, and a VIP invite to be present at the official unveiling of the Edge but these prizes are so costly that most average contributors cannot afford the price range and thus have no incentive to contribute. However, such steep barriers have not stopped donations and as of this writing, the phone has already garnered $1 million in pledged contributions. If the phone continues to be funded at this rate, Ubuntu should meet its crowdfunding goal just before the 30 day time limit expires. However, Ubuntu is apparently not going to be providing any of its own funding to this project unless the project meets its goal of getting all $32 million, so the project will be scrapped if the crowdfunding falls short in any way.
It will be interesting to see what will happen if Ubuntu succeeds; they are already a well-respected software development organization that has worked with many big corporations in the past but this new move may allow them to transform into a large corporation themselves. It is currently not know what, if any, aspects of the Edge design will be patentable or trademarked but it seems likely that there will be more than a few design elements that could become a source of intellectual property litigation down the line. Especially given that Ubuntu has worked with larger corporations, there is always the possibility of infringement on those larger corporations’ existing technology or, at the very least, of those corporations claiming that Ubuntu infringed on their technology in order to keep them from stealing a valuable share of the smartphone market. But again this is all contingent on the success of the crowdfunding campaign, so it’s all irrelevant unless Ubuntu gets its $32 million by August 22. Still it’s always interesting to see potentially new technology developed and maybe even just the threat of new competition will spur current smartphone makers on to new innovations in order to protect their market share from the possible threat of the Edge.
Kevin James
Intern at
JAFARI LAW GROUP®, INC.