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Is this new smartphone OS real competition for Android and iOS? (spoiler: no)

Published Feb 6th, 2015 7:45PM EST
BQ Aquaris E4.5 Ubuntu Edition

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Let’s face it, if you’re going to buy a new smartphone, you’re probably looking at the iPhone and Android first, because almost everyone you know has either one or the other, You may also be inclined to try other things such as Windows Phone and BlackBerry, which may better suit your current smartphone needs. But don’t forget that there are plenty of other mobile operating systems to choose from, although they’re not very popular.

Now, there’s a new smartphone platform on the scene, but the vast majority of smartphone users out there likely won’t pay it much attention.

DON’T MISS: I took the same photo with an iPhone 6 and a 6 Plus, the difference is incredible

The first Ubuntu smartphone is going to be available to interested buyers in the coming days, The Next Web reports, costing just €170 in Europe. Unfortunately, the handset is only going to be available in limited numbers, and it’s also not going to be released in other markets for the time being.

The phone you should be looking for if you’re determined to buy an Ubuntu smartphone is the “BQ Aquaris E4.5 Ubuntu Edition” — yes, that’s its awful official name. The device should have been released a year ago, but the launch was continuously delayed.

The phone offers a 4.5-inch display, a 1.3GHz MediaTek quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of storage, dual-SIM support, a microSD card slot and… Ubuntu.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.