Later this year the Meizu MX3 will become one of the first smartphone to ship with Ubuntu Linux. An Android version of the 5.1 inch smartphone is already available, but the Chinese phone maker started showing of an Ubuntu version at Mobile World Congress in February.

Now Meizu has posted a video providing an overview of Ubuntu running the MX3 to give us a better idea of what to expect when the phone launches.

meizu mx3 ubuntu

There aren’t any real surprises in the video — Canonical has been developing Ubuntu for phones and tablets for well over a year, and you can already download and install the software on a Google Nexus 4, Nexus 7, or other supported device.

But the Meizu video provides a good look at the home screen, task switcher, on-screen keyboard, notifications, and other elements of the operating system. It also shows how far Ubuntu for phone has come — the operating system looks polished and full-featured, and it seems to run about as smoothly as any mobile operating system when installed on high-end hardware.

The Meizu MX3 features 2GB of RAM, up to 128GB of storage,, and a Samsung Exynos 5410 octa-core processor, and an 1800 x 1080 pixel display.

via Phoronix

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18 replies on “This is Ubuntu running on the Meizu MX3 smartphone (video)”

  1. When, oh when, are they going to release this in America? I already use Ubuntu on my laptop and Nexus tablet. To be able finally have a phone using Ubuntu, as well as to be free of google, microsoft and apple is just too great to pass up.

    1. Keep in mind this is Ubuntu Touch and not a direct port of the desktop version… Right now it’s more a Ubuntu based phone OS than traditional Ubuntu… The present app focus is HTML5 based, etc.

      They’re suppose to eventually bring integration with the desktop Ubuntu but that’s an unspecific point in the future…

  2. I would love an Ubuntu phone with a 4.3″ to 4.7″ screen. I think that is the perfect screen size.

  3. I wonder if you connect this to a monitor, whether it will bring up a desktop mode like the Ubuntu Edge was planned to do?

    1. I think it should. That wasn’t supposed to only be a feature of the Ubuntu Edge, but also of Ubuntu Touch in general.

  4. Looks good. However, I think I may have a hard time using it with one
    hand due to the gestures. I like how Sailfish has a bottom centric UI
    that helps with thumb use.

    Anyway, I can’t wait to try it out on
    an official phone. I’d prefer if Canonical can have official images for
    the Samsung Galaxy S5. I really want a Linux UMPC and the USB 3.0 port
    and SD card slot of the S5 will definitely help with that.

    1. I hope the Galaxy S5 gets an official Ubuntu image too. It seems to be closest to a good UMPC with it’s USB 3.0, SD card and removable battery. It just needs a terminal friendly slideout keyboard and mouse pointer (either an active stylus or optical thumb mouse).

      1. But most probably it will not get an official image since it is not the ideal developing device (i.e. not from the nexus line). If they are not going to officially support the nexus 5 there is almost no chance for the S5. The community can try though…

  5. This is the coolest and it looks like if you know the desktop this will be a breeze to learn.
    Can i have mine now.

  6. The operating system looks great! It’s fresh and different!
    Can’t wait to try it!!

  7. That’s an out of ordinary 1800 x 1080 screen resolution. I always thought getting non-popular screen resolutions and apsect ratios cost more unless you’re Apple or Samsung.

    Anyway, I hope the Samsung Galaxy S5 gets an official image. I’d get a Nexus but I like the SD card slot, removable battery and USB 3.0 of the S5. Hopefully, a nice 3rd party back cover will come out so I can replace the bandaid back.

    1. Yes, the cost is very high, but Meizu has always been “out of ordinary” with their screen resolutions. The owner of the company has long preferred the extra real estate and ease-of-use you can achieve with well-sorted 16:10 and 15:9 resolutions. Given the cost vs. ease of sourcing, there’s an internal debate about 16:9 vs. 15:9 for the next Meizu, though. An informal poll on the Meizu forums shows fans clearly prefer 15:9 (almost 5:1) but the fact that the Meizu boss Jack Wong admitted there’s discussion means that the bean counters have a strong voice in the matter. Hopefully they’ll keep 15:9 as a distinguishing feature. The MX3 is still quite easy to use with one hand despite being a 5.1″ device.

        1. sorry im from england so not sure but i think it looks nicer than samsung

          1. I’d definitely get the Z2 but I live in the US and use Verizon as well. I hear Sony changed their mind recently and decided to take the US market more seriously. Maybe I’ll see a Sony Android phone for Verizon soon.

          2. i hope so, sony make the best designs imo, if they gain traction in usa then it’s good for the world. they are already gaining traction in india which is another important market as it is so big. theyve always been pretty popular here in the uk and europe, most of my phones have been sony ericsson or nokia. i feel samsung had cheaper quality and too common and generic. and i’ve always stayed away from apple

            i like android but dont like google, i would probably be happy with a sony windows phone too (with 8.1) but of course the idea of a true open phone like linux would be great.

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