Ubuntu Edge Smartphone Campaign Ends $19 Million Short

Last week, Canonical was busy boasting that its Indiegogo campaign was the biggest crowdfunding campaign ever (though that's debatable given it wasn't successful in the end). Unfortunately, the support from Ubuntu fans was not enough to bring Canonical's dream to fruition. The company's campaign for the Ubuntu Edge smartphone expired at 11:59pm last night and was more than $19 million short of its goal.

Canonical launched its Indiegogo campaign on July 22 with the intention of raising $32,000,000. The company hoped to produce 40,000 devices and promised backers donating $830 a device in May of 2014. Earlier this month, Canonical lowered the price for an Edge phone to $695 in an effort to boost funding. Sadly, it wasn't enough. When the campaign closed last night, it had raised only $12,812,776 of its goal sum. Speaking via Indiegogo, Canonical said that though the Edge won't be released, other Ubuntu devices will be out next year.

"While we passionately wanted to build the Edge to showcase Ubuntu on phones, the support and attention it received will still be a huge boost as other Ubuntu phones start to arrive in 2014," said Canonical's Mark Shuttleworth. "Thousands of you clearly want to own an Ubuntu phone and believe in our vision of convergence, and rest assured you won’t have much longer to wait."

Because the campaign didn't reach its funding goal, the $12,812,776 raised will be returned to those that donated the money. Shuttleworth has said all refunds will be processed within five working days.