Skip to main content

Sailfish OS creator Jolla will restructure debt, cut half its workforce

jolla debt restructuring tablet desk
Image used with permission by copyright holder
After the loss of Nokia’s mobile division, ex-MeeGo developers founded Jolla as a replacement Finnish mobile company. Unfortunately, after four years in business, Jolla has now filed for debt restructuring, with plans to halve its workforce.

Jolla claims that it will continue to push into the commercial market with Sailfish OS, its flagship mobile platform. A few commercial and security vendors are apparently interested in licensing the platform, which first appeared on the Jolla smartphone in 2013.

“Our operating system Sailfish OS is in great shape currently and it is commercially ready,” said Antti Saarnio, co-founder of Jolla, in a statement. “Unfortunately the development until this point has required quite a lot of time and money. To get out of this death valley we need to move from a development phase into a growth phase.”

Earlier in the year, Jolla announced plans to spin-off hardware operations into a separate company. Since the split, the company has been focused primarily on building Sailfish OS for commercial, enterprise, and emerging markets that want an alternative to Android.

That has pushed Jolla away from the consumer market, although the Finnish company never made it over one percent with Sailfish OS. The company has two hardware products, a self-titled smartphone and tablet, both recently updated with Sailfish OS 2.0.

Jolla did not comment on what operation would see the most cuts, but hardware seems to be a lower priority than the Sailfish OS, which Saarnio describes as a “valuable asset and worth fighting for.”

”In Finland we have very good laws for corporate restructuring,” said Saarnio. “These enable the continuation of businesses through debt restructuring, which gives a company more time to take care of its financial liabilities.”

Finland will provide financial aid to Jolla until it can recover from its present state. The company currently employs around 200 developers and engineers according to its LinkedIn page, and expects to cut that in half by the end of the year.

This is another case of a hardware startup failing to make it in an extremely tough market. Jolla, like many other companies, is now looking to the more promising enterprise market, where it might be able to win contracts from ex-Android and BlackBerry customers.

David Curry
Former Digital Trends Contributor
David has been writing about technology for several years, following the latest trends and covering the largest events. He is…
Best Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 deals: How to get the phone for free
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 display.

Topping our list of the best folding phones, you can't go wrong with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 if you want a super stylish yet practical phone that stands out from the crowd. However, it's an expensive phone so if you want to see how you can save on your purchase, keep reading. We've got everything you need to know about all the best Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 deals going on right now across the internet. Let's get straight to how you could save including discounts, trade-ins, and much more.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 deals at Samsung

Samsung offers a free storage upgrade with select Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 devices so you get 512GB of storage instead of 256GB. It's also possible to get up to $1,000 trade-in credit depending on the phone you're trading in.

Read more
Xfinity iPhone 15 deals: Get the latest iPhone with these offers
The Home Screen on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Those iPhone 15 announcements were truly something, weren't they? Exciting news for anyone looking to upgrade to the newest iPhone, and it opened the floodgates for a ton of excellent iPhone deals, older models included, and iPhone 15 deals, specifically. The problem with so many deals available is that you have to sift through a lot of the noise if you're looking for something from a particular wireless carrier or one of the many new models in particular. This guide quickly breaks down the best Xfinity iPhone 15 deals available to you all in one place. Let's dive in.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max -- save up to $830 with eligible trade-in
You can get up to $830 off the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone Pro MAX, applied to your wireless account over 24 months, with an eligible trade-in. You'll also need to activate a new Xfinity Mobile Line within 30 days of purchase.

Apple iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus -- Free with eligible trade-in
Right now, you can get up to $400 off instantly and then the rest of the cost of an iPhone 15 or 15 Plus -- bringing it down to free -- with an eligible trade-in. Credits are applied to your monthly bill over the course of 24 months.

Read more
Best Google Pixel 7a deals: Get Google’s budget phone for free
The Google Pixel 7a face down on a table.

The Google Pixel 7a is a popular smartphone option amongst Android users, and it puts a lot of features in your pocket at a fairly reasonable price as smartphones go. Still, it’s almost always worth hunting for some savings when it comes to tech, and the Pixel 7a is a device that often turns up some deals. There are a lot of options out there for pocketing some savings on the Google Pixel 7a. We’ve tracked down the best places to buy the Google Pixel 7a for you, so read onward for more details on the best Google Pixel 7a deals.
Google Pixel 7a deals at Amazon

Amazon doesn’t carry the Google Pixel 7a for specific carriers, but you can buy an unlocked model here. And while it isn’t currently seeing a discount, Amazon has a range of used models to choose from. Used models in Like New condition are available for as little as $409. You’ll need to double check return policies and warranty information if you choose to buy used from Amazon, as they’re likely to be different from seller to seller.

Read more