Sailfish to set sail: Jolla to launch on 27 November

A day after Jolla signed a deal with Russian search giant Yandex, the Finnish firm has announced the launch date for its first handsets: 27 November.

Via a tweet on the official Jolla Twitter account, the company has announced the first device will be sold fittingly enough in Finland's capital, Helsinki.

Finland first

The first device a 4.5-inch handset with an 8MP camera and 16GB of storage, running Jolla's linux-based Sailfish OS - will be sold by local carrier DNA for €399, with the operator organising a launch event where 450 pre-order customers will received a handset each.

Jolla phones are then expected to roll out on general release in December, though it's not clear what kind of international presence the platform will have.

"Jolla is about participation and contribution, so if you're a blogger, please write about us," says co-founder Marc Dillon back in May.

"If you're a developer, please start creating Sailfish applications. If you're into design or fashion, start creating new styles for Jolla. But, most importantly, Jolla is a movement. Join the tribe."

Jolla has confirmed that Yandex's Android app store will be preinstalled on devices, enabling users to download apps from an 85,000 strong library.