OpenMoko FreeRunner development canceled, staff slashed

by Nilay Patel posted Apr 6th 2009 at 10:53AM

We've always had a soft spot for the OpenMoko FreeRunner open-source phone, but it looks like quirky and charming weren't enough -- the company's discontinued work on handset's planned successor and laid off 50 percent of its staff in an effort to stay afloat. CEO Sean Moss-Pulz says that work will continue on a new-non-smartphone he's calling "Plan B," with plans to work on a new phone in the future -- we're guessing Android might figure prominently into that plan, since it's already been ported to the hardware and the rumor mill was already churning. We'll see.

P.S.- Along with the Dash Express, that's now two different FIC-built Linux devices that have met an untimely demise, and not for lack of effort or enthusiasm -- the beginnings of a trend, or merely a coincidence?

Update: OpenMoko pinged us to say that the current FreeRunner will still be produced and components will still be available for devs -- but it won't be succeeded by the planned next-gen model. Check a video statement from marketing director Steve Mosher after the break.

[Via PhoneScoop]

Filed under: Handsets, Linux

Tags: freerunner, neo, neo freerunner, NeoFreerunner, openmoko

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Neutral

PeterF @ Apr 6th 2009 11:07AM

Well if it wasn't so ugly and they actually RELEASED something maybe they wouldn't have this problem.

Neutral

Nostromo @ Apr 8th 2009 4:47PM

What do you mean, "if they actually RELEASED something"? You can buy an Openmoko Freerunner. They've sold more than 10,000 of them. I've got one. It isn't slick, it isn't "cool", it isn't a yuppy fashion accessory, but it works.

Maybe you have some unusual definition of the word "released"?

Neutral

Eric @ Apr 6th 2009 3:44PM

How about slashing prices? My router has better specs.

Neutral

Nostromo @ Apr 8th 2009 5:23PM

The headline to this article is misleading, to the point of being just plain wrong. Watch the video.

Development and support of the Freerunner are NOT canceled. On the contrary: the project to develop a SUCCESSOR to the Freerunner is canceled, so that more focus can be put on the existing Freerunner.