Jolla looking for local partners in India for Sailfish OS

Finnish firm Jolla, founded by former Nokia employees, is looking for Indian partners to develop smartphones powered by its Sailfish operating system.

The company, which has launched its maiden handset on Tuesday in the Indian market with eCommerce major Snapdeal for ₹ 16,499, said its OS offers users a differentiated user experience compared to Android and other operating systems.

The handset has been launched globally in Europe and Hong Kong.

'We are looking for local players for using Sailfish OS.

Android is dominant in the market but we feel users should have a choice. We would want to expand the market for Sailfish OS,' Jolla co-founder and Chief Operating Officer Marc Dillon told PTI.

Google's Android OS is the most popular OS globally, including India. Handset makers like Samsung, LG and Sony as well as domestic firms like Micromax and Intex offer slew of handsets across price points starting as low as ₹ 1,999.

Other popular OS' include Apple's iOS, Microsoft Windows as well as BlackBerry.

The Jolla handset features 4.5-inch IPS display, 1.4GHz dual core Qualcomm processor, 8 MP rear and 2 MP front camera, 1 GB RAM and 16 GB storage.

Globally, the smartphone is available to European users from the company's online store for 349 euros (about ₹ 27,500).

The smartphone, which draws inspiration from Nokia's MeeGo software, has a distinct button-less design, gesture- based user experience and is compatible with Android applications.

Handset makers are focussing on India, which is one of the world's fastest growing smartphone market. According to research firm IDC, smartphone shipment to India grew 3-fold to over 44 million units last year.

While companies like Oppo, Gionee and Xiaomi have entered the market recently, other firms like OnePlus are also expected to foray into India soon.

'India is the biggest growing market in the world. Also, Online shopping is taking off in a big way. India is therefore a crucial market for us,' Dillion said.

Asked about the marketing, Snapdeal Senior Vice President (Electronics and Home) Tony Navin said the eCommerce firm will promote the device on the digital platform.

'This is one smartphone that a lot of people in India have been waiting for. With its independent and distinctive Sailfish OS, gesture-based user experience and Android application compatibility, Jolla offers a great alternative for smartphone users looking for something new and different,' he added.