Currently, the smartphone market is dominated by iOS and Android platforms. Other platforms such as Windows Phone and Symbian exist, but their aggregate market share is minimal. Jolla, a Finnish startup, aims to change this by offering its Sailfish OS which, it cites, can be used by different companies to run on their own hardware.
Jolla is not just any other startup company – it primarily comprises of employees which left Nokia when the company gave up on MeeGo. So with the 60 odd employees that are currently a part of Jolla, this startup packs a lot of expertise and skill-sets required for mobile development.
The startup’s CEO, Marc Dillon, says that currently, smartphone market offers very little freedom of choice to the average consumer. The consumer either has to go for an Android handset or an iPhone. Then he pitches Jolla’s Sailfish OS.
Talking about this new mobile OS, he says, “We are providing a unique product with a very fresh user interface. We’ve given a tremendous amount of thought and work into making something that’s powerful yet easy to use. And we’ve also created an operating system for our devices that’s very portable. It’s easy to put onto different hardware so we’re able to give something that will allow consumers to have another choice.”
According to Dillon, he has pitched the very idea to a number of companies, many of which have expressed interest in the prospect of using the Sailfish OS to launch their own smartphone. Interestingly, Jolla is currently focusing on the Chinese market and hopes to launch its first-ever handset in China during the second half of this year.
The launch in China will be followed by a launch in Finland and then in Europe. However, Dillon says that Jolla has no plans of entering the US market yet; citing the patent issues is a huge barrier for new startups. Preparing for its launch in China, the company has already convinced a Chinese retailer to come on board.
Dillon seems very hopeful with Jolla’s future and believes that Sailfish OS is a truly versatile solution for the mobile platform. This optimism remains to be tested once the company launches its first handset.
Courtesy: TechCrunch
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