I'd love for this to succeed but without apps I don't see it gaining traction. But good luck to them.
Librem 5 smartphone hits its $1.5 million crowfunding goal - Liliputing https://liliputing.com/2017/10/librem-5-smartphone-hits-1-5-million-crowfunding-goal.html
I don't think it is the lack of apps, they surely would come the same way they came for the Linux desktop. I think the big stumbling block is that there isn't a giant corporation backing the project like Android and the iphone.
Littleman, on reflexion I agree with you that apps might not be as big a block as I thought. I suspect the Linux community will rally to the flag and build apps after this gets built. Also, I suspect many apps previously prepared for Ubuntu Phone can be salvaged and ported over.
In looking into the phone being offered I could almost live with it as described. It looks good. The lack of a calendar app is kind of a deal breaker. Unfortunately, I've also been spoiled by larger phablet screens for my aging eyes. OTOH the price is right. I just might jump in for a second generation phone.
> OTOH the price is right.
What price range do you think the non-crowdfunded retail version will be?
Quote from: rcjordan on October 13, 2017, 02:08:51 PM
> OTOH the price is right.
What price range do you think the non-crowdfunded retail version will be?
Hmm I'm guessing it will go up. I have no idea how much.
Maybe I should get in on the viewfinder price while I can.
If it gets legs and the apps are developed I don't see why it couldn't just be an alternative OS to Android and run on the same hardware. There are probably some patents that Google holds right now on the Android platform that could be bypassed if the Linux phone OS became viable. I could see a situation where the low cost manufacturers like BLU start selling phones for a bit less than their Android alternatives.
> BLU start selling phones for a bit less than their Android alternatives
That was what I was thinking, and $599 seemed high-ish even in the age of $1k iphones.
The announcement today is that the Librem 5 phone will offer and fully support Ubuntu Touch OS.
https://puri.sm/posts/ubports-ubuntu-touch-on-librem5-collaboration/
This is good news because there has been little word from Gnome about what it will look like on a 5 inch screen. KDE has Plasma Mobile but it looks Beta-ish and I don't have confidence that they will be ready by Jan 2019. Ubuntu Touch has had years of work poured into it and has quite a few apps ready to go.