Jolla launches first gesture-based Sailfish OS phone: customizable halves, Android app compatibility

It sports 4G connectivity, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and will run you about $540, or €399, or £332 without a contract. The phone also offers a bevy of chassis customizations before it became cool with the Moto X. "Personalise your Jolla with "The Other Half" smart covers to match your mood and persona," tout the makers.

The interesting thing here is not just the hardware, but the fact that it is the first to sport Sailfish OS, which is open-sourced from Nokia's MeeGo. The big news is that Sailfish can piggyback on Android applications, so it starts off with a million of them out of the gate. How smooth it will emulate Android apps, remains to be seen, but we are all for choice.

"There's different opportunities for people to get apps form different places, different stores," said Dillon. "We are ramping up our Jolla community right now. There's already a Sailfish website so that developers can come and contribute."

Finland should be proud with Jolla, as after Nokia's Devices&Services division gets sold to Microsoft, the Sailfish OS guys will be the de facto local smartphone maker. Jolla says it has secured preorders from over 130 countries, preparing to start more conveyor belts and satisfy demand, said the co-founder. Take a look at photos of the unveiling event and the first unboxing in the slideshow below.