The Ubuntu Edge may have broken a record for the most money pledged in a crowdfunding campaign, but ultimately it failed to reach its $32 million goal by a long shot. A focus on enterprise would be smart now.
Canonical’s hybrid mobile-PC concept device has overtaken the Pebble smartwatch’s $10.27 million haul to become the biggest crowdfunding pledge recipient. The Edge campaign will probably still fail, but at least Canonical’s idea has received validation.
Bloomberg is the first large company to buy into an Ubuntu Edge “Enterprise 100 Bundle”. It’s a vote of confidence that comes from the right direction, but probably won’t be enough to help Canonical reach its goal.
Canonical is not on track to hit the lofty $32 million crowdfunding target it set for its smartphone. And telling its Linux-centric fanbase that openness and hackability are not top priorities will not help its cause.
Canonical’s Indiegogo campaign for the highly-specced Ubuntu Edge smartphone was racing ahead while the $600 “perk level” was available, but slowed once it was gone. The company got the message: cheaper tiers are once more on offer.
