14 DAY TRIAL // In a surprising twist today, Meizumart, the official website used by Meizu to promote and sell its devices overseas, has been closed. The company has apologized for the change in strategy and left no other word. This also means that Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition no longer has a home.
The only place to get the Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition was Meizumart, and that store is now closed. Other products were provided in the same store, so it's not something Ubuntu-related. From the looks of it and from the language being used in the message left on the official website, Meizu has closed shop and it's now concentrating its business in China.
It's difficult to understand what exactly is happening and what the future of the Ubuntu phone made by Meizu is, but it's still listed on the official Meizu website, only that it appears to only be available in the European Union, and there is no purchase button. It's true that it had been out of stock for a while, but at least it was something.
Does Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition still exist?
Well, that's the obvious question. For now, it is not clear. The fact that it's still listed on the official Meizu website gives us hope that it won't end here, but on the other hand, it could just be an oversight. The best scenario is that Meizu is reorganizing some things and that people will have to order them from China.
This is what's right now on Meizumart.com:
"Dear customer, this page (Meizumart.com) is now closed. Previous orders purchased in Meizumart cannot be inquired; however, your Flyme account can still be used as usual in the Forum. If you have any questions related to after-sales services, please consult [email protected] directly. We are truly sorry to make you inconvenience of changing in strategy. For Meizu products purchasing, please visit the following link WHERE TO BUY to switch to other authorized websites."
There are no other websites listed where to buy the phones. Also, it's been suggested that Alibaba, one of the major companies that invested in Meizu, is pushing them to focus more on China and to release new phones. Apparently, there is a new Meizu phone coming, dubbed Meizu M57A, which will be powered by Alibaba's Yun OS and not Android.
We've contacted both Meizu and Canonical for comments.