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Ex-Nokia team makes rival smartphone Jolla | Ex-Nokia team makes rival smartphone Jolla |
(about 17 hours later) | |
A company made up of former Nokia employees has shown off Jolla, a new smartphone with a custom operating system known as Sailfish. | A company made up of former Nokia employees has shown off Jolla, a new smartphone with a custom operating system known as Sailfish. |
The software has been built from the remnants of MeeGo, a project abandoned by Nokia in 2011 in favour of adopting Windows Phone for its handsets. | The software has been built from the remnants of MeeGo, a project abandoned by Nokia in 2011 in favour of adopting Windows Phone for its handsets. |
The Jolla phone - pronounced Yol-la - is due to be released by the end of the year, and will only be sold online. | The Jolla phone - pronounced Yol-la - is due to be released by the end of the year, and will only be sold online. |
It will enter a market already heavily crowded with several operating systems. | It will enter a market already heavily crowded with several operating systems. |
"For a couple of years we haven't had anything really interesting in the mobile phone market," said Antti Saarnio, chairman and co-founder of Jolla. | "For a couple of years we haven't had anything really interesting in the mobile phone market," said Antti Saarnio, chairman and co-founder of Jolla. |
"This creates opportunities for newcomers to come in. It's different, but it's purposefully different." | "This creates opportunities for newcomers to come in. It's different, but it's purposefully different." |
The Other Half | The Other Half |
The phone has a 4.5in screen, with an eight megapixel camera. It also supports 4G and is compatible with apps made for Google's Android. | The phone has a 4.5in screen, with an eight megapixel camera. It also supports 4G and is compatible with apps made for Google's Android. |
Among the handset's other features is what the company has called "The Other Half." | Among the handset's other features is what the company has called "The Other Half." |
The coloured back of the phone is interchangeable - and the operating system's interface will change depending on what type of cover you have. | The coloured back of the phone is interchangeable - and the operating system's interface will change depending on what type of cover you have. |
These changes could include, for example, team colours for a football team. | These changes could include, for example, team colours for a football team. |
"You connect it to the phone, and the user interface reflects the players and colours of the team," Mr Saarnio told the BBC. | "You connect it to the phone, and the user interface reflects the players and colours of the team," Mr Saarnio told the BBC. |
"It's an interesting way to show you 'belong' with something." | "It's an interesting way to show you 'belong' with something." |
He would not confirm how exactly this feature works - but many speculate the use of near-field communication (NFC) technology. | He would not confirm how exactly this feature works - but many speculate the use of near-field communication (NFC) technology. |
Splinter group | Splinter group |
Mr Saarnio left Nokia in 2011, along with several other employees who had been working on a joint Nokia-Intel project to create a new mobile operating system to rival the likes of Apple's iOS and Google Android. | |
Nokia released one handset running the MeeGo software, the N9-00. | Nokia released one handset running the MeeGo software, the N9-00. |
Mr Saarnio felt it was not given enough of a chance to succeed. | Mr Saarnio felt it was not given enough of a chance to succeed. |
"The team really felt that this was one of the best phones in the market, even though it was quite under-marketed," he said. | "The team really felt that this was one of the best phones in the market, even though it was quite under-marketed," he said. |
"Everybody felt so strongly that they wanted to continue." | "Everybody felt so strongly that they wanted to continue." |
Several of the team left the Finnish mobile giant to start their own company and remain working on MeeGo, which it has renamed Sailfish. | Several of the team left the Finnish mobile giant to start their own company and remain working on MeeGo, which it has renamed Sailfish. |
Despite leaving the company, Mr Saarnio said he wished Nokia well - and that Jolla was open to letting them use Sailfish in future handsets. | Despite leaving the company, Mr Saarnio said he wished Nokia well - and that Jolla was open to letting them use Sailfish in future handsets. |
"We are actually quite open - we are offering this operating system for other smartphone makers to use. | "We are actually quite open - we are offering this operating system for other smartphone makers to use. |
"Let's wait and see and we will just do our best in our business." | "Let's wait and see and we will just do our best in our business." |
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