Ubuntu Edge Fails Crowdfund Goal – What Failed?

It was an ambitious number. Even though they had 13,232 people back with $12,813,501, the Ubuntu Edge did not reach its goal of $32 million dollars.

The Ubuntu Edge was a concept open source phone using the Ubuntu OS. The phone was planned to dual-boot Android and Ubuntu mobile and almost double the specs of an iPhone or Android.

The Canonical team posted on their Indigogo page that although they didn’t make the goal, they did break records. $12 million was the worlds’ biggest fixed crowdfunding campaign. The pebble watch was the current holder of that record with $10 million.

Does Ubuntu Edge Still Win?

With Indigogo, they have a choice of  Flexible funding or Fixed funding. Ubuntu Edge didn’t reach their goal and their campaign is Fixed funding. Therefore, all backers will get their money back, but might be on a email list when Canonical decides to do this again.

So going back to that previous statement – they DIDN’T raise $12 million because of the fixed funding. So did they really break the record since it failed?

Things for Canonical to Think About on the Next Crowdfund

1. 32 million is probably too much to ask at this point. $10 million would have been better
2. Flexible funding would have ensured the phone would have gotten started
3. Canonical did not post any estimated release dates, which might have put some off. If I have to wait a whole year to get the phone, what good is touting features that surpass iOS and Android?