As campaign tops a few million, Ubuntu Edge adds a few more price points

Ubuntu Edge side
The Ubuntu Edge could be worth the price

Canonical has added three new pricing tiers to its Ubuntu Edge crowdfunding campaign, which already surpassed $5 million (about £3.25m, AU$5.44m) in just a few days.

If that sounds like a lot, it's because it is - but it's only a fraction of the $32 million (about £20.8m, AU$34.8m) Canonical is seeking to fund its high-end new smartphone on Indiegogo.

The $600 (about £390, AU$653) price point - which allowed 5,000 backers to secure the phone for themselves when it launches - sold out practically immediately, so the company has added $625 (about £406, AU$680), $675 (about £439, AU$734), and $725 (about £471, AU$789) tiers as well.

The next-lowest pricing tier after $600 was previously $830 (about £540, AU$903), and Canonical is likely trying to rope in more on-the-fence customers while it's still riding the wave of buzz from its initial announcement.

Get 'em while they're hot

Like the original $600 tier, each of the new price points gets backers a pre-order Ubuntu Edge smartphone.

All three have 1,250 slots available, though Canonical will offer more and more sub-$830 spots as the campaign continues.

The Ubuntu Edge is designed to be more powerful than anything that's being offered on the smartphone market today, including flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S4, HTC One, iPhone 5, and Lumia 928.

With 4GB of RAM, dual LTE receivers, 128GB of storage, and likely a 4.5-inch display made of pure sapphire crystal, it may well succeed. It's more concept car than consumer product however, but it could well be the beginning of something bigger at Canonical and for Ubuntu.

That of course depends on Canonical actually raising that $32 million, which seems only slightly less insane now that the campaign has reached $5 million since Monday.

The company currently plans to make just 40,000 of the high-end Ubuntu Edge smartphones, with other, low- to mid-tier phones running Ubuntu possibly coming afterward.

Via The Next Web

Michael Rougeau

Michael Rougeau is a former freelance news writer for TechRadar. Studying at Goldsmiths, University of London, and Northeastern University, Michael has bylines at Kotaku, 1UP, G4, Complex Magazine, Digital Trends, GamesRadar, GameSpot, IFC, Animal New York, @Gamer, Inside the Magic, Comic Book Resources, Zap2It, TabTimes, GameZone, Cheat Code Central, Gameshark, Gameranx, The Industry, Debonair Mag, Kombo, and others.

Micheal also spent time as the Games Editor for Playboy.com, and was the managing editor at GameSpot before becoming an Animal Care Manager for Wags and Walks.