TelecomTV TelecomTV
  • News
  • Videos
  • Channels
  • Events
  • Network Partners
  • Industry Insights
  • Directory
  • Newsletters
  • Open RAN
  • Digital Platforms and Services
  • 5G
  • Access Evolution
  • Private Networks
  • Cloud Native
  • Edge
  • Open Networking
  • Sustainability
  • AI, Analytics and Automation
  • 6G Research and Innovation
  • Security
  • More Topics
  • Network Partners
  • Industry Insights
  • Directory
  • Newsletters
  • |
  • About
  • Contact
  • |
  • Connect with us
  • 5G
  • 6G Research and Innovation
  • Access Evolution
  • AI, Analytics and Automation
  • Cloud Native
  • Digital Platforms and Services
  • Edge
  • Open Networking
  • Open RAN
  • Private Networks
  • Security
  • Sustainability
  • Connect with TelecomTV
  • About
  • Privacy
  • Help
  • Contact
  • Sign In Register Subscribe
    • Subscribe
    • Sign In
    • Register
  • Search

News

News

Jolla shows off first son of MeeGo

May 21, 2013

Jolla's first phone (also called Jolla - pronounced yo-la, of course) has been pre-announced and can be pre-ordered with a deposit (£85) even though the thing won't be delivered until some vague time near the end of the year.

It's what you might call crowd-funding, and there's been more than a touch of crowd-cheering for the entire Jolla adventure. The company is staffed by former Nokia employees keen to carry on with a project (MeeGo) that they felt has been unfairly cut short by Nokia's decision (or rather the then new Nokia CEO, Stephen Elop's decision) to throw in its lot with Microsoft and its Windows OS. In other words there is a huge store of good will behind Jolla, especially be those around the world who used to be part of the very first smartphone ecosystem - Nokia's.

The first fruit of the MeeGo project, the N9, actually managed to do very well in the marketplace - some argue strongly that it was clearly superior to, say, the Lumia line.

So right from the start Jolla has had a tail wind of support in Finland and beyond to develop what it called its Sailfish OS (derived from MeeGo) and products that would make use of it.

The Jolla phone is a fairly standard-looking slab - 4.5 inch screen, 8 Megapixel camera, LTE support - but it does have a hint of the sort of hardware innovation that is surely possible in a market now dominated by two operating systems and just one phone 'style'.

Jolla has developed a detachable back panel it's calling 'The Other Half'. The OS weirdly changes the panel's colour and the phone's fonts and ringtones. There is also a removable battery.

When it comes to apps, Jolla has done the only sensible thing and made the OS Android compatible. It has a slight problem at the moment around app stores, but no doubt that will be solved one way or another (there are enough Android app stores out there now for Jolla to choose from). And there are no navigation keys - the phone supports gestures and swipes.

Does Jolla have a chance? Some commentators have pointed out that the specs are a little underwhelming and will appear even more so once the phone hits the market in six to eight month's time. It's not that cheap either, at £340 in the UK. Then there is the competition - Lumia will still be around and Firefox OS will just be making itself felt in the market.

But then, who says smartphone users are particularly rational. Jolla has a huge asset - a loyal (if possibly fairly small) fan base, many of whom owned or knew the N9 and liked what they saw. There will be a cult market for this phone, sight unseen.

Then - seeing we're in the slightly irrational realm - let's just suppose for a moment that Jolla in some way 'takes off', just as Elop is clearing his desk after yet another year of Lumia non-performace.

Will whoever takes over Nokia bring MeeGo/Jolla back into the fold? It's a satisfying rags to riches fairy story and, if it comes about, I claim the film rights.

Related Topics
  • Analysis & Opinion,
  • News

More Like This

Access Evolution

What’s up with… Huawei, BT, Telstra, Cardinality

Aug 12, 2022

Digital Platforms & Services

Openet holds no grudges against parent Amdocs, says CEO

Aug 12, 2022

Access Evolution

Globe offloads towers for $1.28bn

Aug 12, 2022

Access Evolution

What’s up with… Starlink and the FCC, Deutsche Telekom, T-Mobile US, MTN

Aug 11, 2022

Access Evolution

Riding the FTTH wave: Google to expand its fibre network for first time in years

Aug 11, 2022

Email Newsletters

Stay up to date with the latest industry developments: sign up to receive TelecomTV's top news and videos plus exclusive subscriber-only content direct to your inbox – including our daily news briefing and weekly wrap.

Subscribe

Top Picks

Highlights of our content from across TelecomTV today

0:46

The Cloud Native Telco Summit returns this September!

8:32

Azita Arvani on Being a Female Leader at Rakuten Symphony

16:19

AT&T Amy Zwarico on securing telco applications in the public cloud

1:44

Join us for the greatest industry debate of the year!

TelecomTV
Company
  • About Us
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us
Our Brands
  • DSP Leaders World Forum
  • Great Telco Debate
  • TelecomTV Events
Get In Touch
[email protected]
+44 (0) 207 448 1070
Connect With Us
  • Privacy
  • Cookies
  • Terms of Use
  • Legal Notices
  • Help

TelecomTV is produced by the team at Decisive Media.

© Decisive Media Limited 2022. All rights reserved. All brands and products are the trademarks of their respective holder(s).