For you who wants to buy the BQ Ubuntu phone

**Jaxilian** · May 9th, 2015

Hi
For those who considers of buying the BQ Aquaris 4.5 phone with Ubuntu, please consider this.
Look around on the official site at http://www.ubuntu.com/phone. There isn't much there except a "How to buy"-button which leads you to http://www.bq.com/gb/ubuntu.html
And if you look at this forum, you only see a category named "Ubuntu Phone and Tablet"....nothing more

When this phone was teased to the public before release, I thought it was a new step in mobility and that it would be cared for by Canonical, that it would be symbiotic to the Ubuntu Desktop, bringing out cool features that other phones might lack. It isn't so at all.
As of now I regret so much of buying this phone. The care for this phone is....rubbish

15.04 has been released already, but not to the phone. Since I bought the phone, it have gotten 1 system update which brought it up to 14.10. Apps have gotten updates, but not many. The desktop OS receives updates constantly which hints also that it being maintained. Phone seems so far dead.

It will probably improve (hopefully) when they see the angry mob that have bought it and feel tricked, but as of now I strongly advised against of buying it

**jmonroe2** · May 9th, 2015

The question I have for you @jaxilian is how do you like the phone thus far? I wish I could purchase one to be sent here in the US. Does it work well? Is it fast? Smooth?

**lgd** · May 9th, 2015

To America will only come the Meizu MX4 with more power under the hood but my BQ is mostly fast. But scrolling through many pictures and videos can lag a bit.

The phone has another release schedule then the pc version. It is rolling release with new updates every month and 15.04 vivid will come in at least 2-3 weeks. A 15.10 development channel is not needed for now because there could maybe some trouble with the new systemd so that the developers decided to use 15.04 with new features from 15.10 integrated. There will be no systemd for the next 6 months. This is information from the Ubuntu Online Summit this week.

This means you will receive always new versions and features automatically every month and the greatest step in some weeks. You can update your phone for some years I think but there is no plan when to stop it or how long it should be updated.

**axerun** · May 9th, 2015

I'll admit, the phone is not ready for everyday use, not by a long way - and that is really no surprise to me. It is the first Ubuntu phone and should be regarded as a beta/test device. The OS will grow better month by month. Will it ever be my main mobile phone? No for sure, but I will have the pleasure to follow the development of the OS closely and that was the main reason for my purchase.

Regarding bugs, the most annoying is lost network when the phone has to switch between wifi and cellular. Bluetooth connection is horrible, no success except with my cars handsfree system (!). No trouble though, with usb-connection to my Ubuntu PCs.
The lack of apps is for the moment no surprise either, but this has to improve rather quickly if the OS should gain any traction. With my Jolla/sailfishOS phone there is an android fallback - with Ubuntu there is no such, so developing native apps will be a big issue.

..and lately there is some talk about a mobile device with desktop capabilities - that would be something (else),

Rune

**Yaowang_Li** · May 9th, 2015

I admit what you said. I tried make it more powerful these days, which also is happy. Personally, if I really need a well-organized phone, everything is ready, ios or android is the best option.

**lgd** · May 9th, 2015

Yes. I think it takes 3-6 months again for some more power (less bugs, more features) on the phone. But you get updates for this incessantly.

**coffeecat** · May 9th, 2015

The Ubuntu Phone and Tablet sub-forum is for:

Support for smartphones, tablets, and anything to do with Ubuntu mobile technology.

Support, as in, someone has a technical question, asks it and gets support from the other volunteer members of this forum. As this does not appear to be a support request...

Thread moved to Mobile Technology Discussions.

**Jaxilian** · May 11th, 2015

Originally Posted by jmonroe2

The question I have for you @jaxilian is how do you like the phone thus far? I wish I could purchase one to be sent here in the US. Does it work well? Is it fast? Smooth?

The phone sits still in its box most of the time, except when I check for updates on it, hoping that new updates will do some magic with it. I am waiting for 15.04 update. If that doesn't improve it so I can use it, I will try wipe it and install android on it or sell it

That's how I feel. I been a huge fan of the Ubuntu OS for many many years, but this phone is so disappointing. It should never been released.

**extremss2** · May 12th, 2015

Originally Posted by Jaxilian

this phone is so disappointing. It should never been released.

Why not? it's my main phone. Why I can't use my Ubuntu Phone? Maybe its not a phone for everybody, I know that, but they are a lot of people around the world and some of they can work every day with that phone, myself.

**GladToLink** · May 22nd, 2015

Originally Posted by extremss2

Why not? it's my main phone. Why I can't use my Ubuntu Phone? Maybe its not a phone for everybody, I know that, but they are a lot of people around the world and some of they can work every day with that phone, myself.

Would love to try it.^^