Yota Devices, maker of the dual-screen Yotaphone smartphone line, shelved the launch of a US-targeted version of Yotaphone 2, citing manufacturing issues.
The company noted “unforeseen delays including both production and delivery of the North American variant of YotaPhone2 from our manufacturer”.
In an email sent to backers of an Indiegogo campaign supporting the launch, Matthew Kelly, its US head, said: “It’s not an easy life for a startup smartphone company and the aforementioned manufacturing difficulties have been one of the biggest challenges we’ve faced”.
The company said that while it had met with its manufacture partner “in a last-ditch effort” to bring the device to North America, it would arrive too late.
“We believe the likelihood of a severe delay in these shipments would have created a conflict with our international roadmap for 2016, leaving Indiegogo supporters behind when customers in other regions will be offered a newer, cheaper and better Yotaphone.”
According to Kelly, Yota Devices is now “bringing on a new manufacturing partner who can support the scalability we need in order to quickly bring YotaPhone to various regions around the world, including North America”. A “new generation YotaPhone with the latest specs and technologies, but also at a lower cost”, was promised.
Two options are now available: customers in North America can receive the international version of the device, which means that while 3G connectivity will be supported, 4G (LTE) will not.
Alternatively, refunds will be made.
The Yotaphone 2 Indiegogo campaign was heavily over-subscribed, hitting 572 per cent of its target, reaching nearly $300,000.
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