Jolla (smartphone)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Consumer electronics, Telecommunications |
| Founded | June 1, 2011 |
| Headquarters | Helsinki , Finland |
| Products | Jolla smartphone, Sailfish OS |
| Website | jolla |
The Jolla smartphone—also referred to as Jolla 1 or J1—is a mobile device developed by Jolla that operates on the Sailfish OS. Following a successful crowdfunding initiative, production took place in China, with the official release date on 27 November 2013. Support for Sailfish OS on this model concluded with version 3.4.0 on 22 September 2020.
Building upon the heritage of the Nokia N9, the Jolla smartphone eschews traditional home button layouts, instead incorporating just a power key and volume controls. Its navigation system is primarily gesture-driven, complemented by a pulley menu for accessing in-app functions.
To broaden application compatibility beyond native Sailfish software, the device incorporates Alien Dalvik, a proprietary virtual machine that allows running Android apps (up to version 4.1.2 "Jelly Bean") through the Aptoide app store.
Key technical details include a 4.5-inch IPS qHD screen, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 dual-core processor clocked at 1.4 GHz, 1 GB of RAM, and 16 GB of built-in storage expandable via microSD cards up to 32 GB officially. Connectivity options cover GSM/3G/4G LTE networks, WiFi-N, Bluetooth, GPS/GLONASS, and NFC. Photography capabilities feature an 8 MP rear camera with LED flash and a front-facing 2 MP camera. The battery is user-replaceable with a capacity of 2100 mAh, providing roughly 9 to 10 hours of talk time.
At launch, the Jolla smartphone was priced at €199 and was aimed at consumers seeking distinctive alternatives to dominant operating systems emphasizing openness and innovative user interface design.
Initial Device Announcement
On 20 May 2013, following the IamTheOtherHalf campaign, Jolla introduced their inaugural device equipped with:
- A 4.5-inch IPS qHD (540×960) "Estrade" display
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 dual-core processor running at 1.4 GHz
- 16 GB internal storage plus microSD card support
- An 8 MP autofocus rear camera and a 2 MP front-facing camera
- A user-removable battery rated at 2100 mAh
- The modular "The Other Half" design concept
- Gesture-based navigation powered by Sailfish OS
- Compatibility layer for Android applications
- MicroUSB port and standard 3.5 mm headphone jack
- Buttonless touch interface relying on gesture controls
- English language support
- Development environment utilizing Qt, QML, and HTML5 technologies
The Sailfish OS SDK had been made available earlier in February 2013.
The device supports frequency bands aligned with ITU region 1 standards: for 4G (LTE) bands 3 (1800 MHz), 7 (2600 MHz), and 20 (800 MHz); for 3G (WCDMA / UMTS) bands 1 (2100 MHz), and 8 (900 MHz); as well as for 2G (GSM) bands at 850, 900, 1800, and 1900 MHz. Although the phone supports European LTE and UMTS frequencies, functionality outside this region is not assured even when bands correspond.
Market Release
Distribution of the phone commenced in late November 2013 with availability restricted initially to online sales within European Union countries.
Starting from 11 December 2013, Finnish carrier DNA began retailing the device in physical stores.
By April of the following year, Estonia's Elisa Eesti became the first operator outside Finland to offer the phone.
On 25 July 2014, Jolla inaugurated its first retail outlet in Kazakhstan through collaboration with Mobile Invest.
In August of that year, Jolla entered the Hong Kong market by partnering with 3 Hong Kong.
September marked Jolla's entry into India via e-commerce platform Snapdeal.
Finally, in November 2014, Jolla extended its presence into Russia.
Support
The Jolla 1 received Sailfish OS updates for a duration of seven years. Although alternative Linux-based operating systems such as postmarketOS still maintain support for the original Jolla device, this support excludes functionalities like calling, SMS messaging, and mobile internet access.
See also
External links
- Engadget review (2013-11-29) A closer look at the Jolla phone: good intentions, bad delivery
- TechRadar hands-on review (2014-02-25) Hands on: Jolla Phone review
- Jolla Phone data and reviews on GSMArena
- Slashgear (2018-11-01): Jolla Sailfish OS 3 launches on few new phones