Ubuntu to follow Xiaomi, the BQ Aquaris E4.5 to be available in flash sale

After a year of promises, Ubuntu is finally ready to launch its first smartphone this coming week. Looks like, everyone wants to cash in on Xiaomi’s success with the unique ‘flash sale’ method of selling devices. News has it that the software maker now plans a flash sale for the BQ Aquaris E4.5 Ubuntu edition. It will be available in limited quantities and cost 169.90 Euros, which translates to approximately Rs 11,900. The Aquaris E4.5 Ubuntu edition sports a 4.5-inch display with 540 x 960 pixels of resolution, a 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek processor coupled with 1GB of RAM, 8GB of storage, microSD card support, and 5-megapixel rear camera. The phone will have dual SIM slots, but do not expect support for 4G LTE networks. In terms of the software, Ubuntu’s interface does not emphasize on apps, and instead is offering themed panels that it calls Scopes. “Users can swipe between Scopes for news, music, videos, contacts, and nearby points of interest, in theory saving you from having to dive into traditional apps,” points out PCWorld. The report also points out that the lack of app support could be a reason for it. However, Canonical, the company that has built Ubuntu, claims support for popular apps like Facebook, Twitter, Dropbox and so on. According to Cnet, the flash sale is only in the Europe. The device will be sold unlocked, but users will be offered SIM bundles. There is no word when the device will hit other regions.