BQ (former name: Mundo Reader) was a Spanish company brand of user electronics devices, such as smartphones, tablets, e-readers and 3D printers among other products.
Among BQ's most notable products are the first AndroidOne mobile phone in Europe (the BQ Aquaris A4.5),[1][2][3] as well as both the world's first mobile phone and tablet running the Ubuntu Phone operating system, (the BQ Aquaris E4.5 and BQ Aquaris M10).[4][5][6][7]
The company started its business in 2009 importing e-readers from Asia.[9] In 2010 it started to produce its own tablets and e-readers.[9]
In 2013, the company had 600 employees and it produced 400,000 tablets and 100,000 e-readers.
In 2014, the company entered the Portuguese market.[10]
In 2015, the company produced a smartphone (BQ Aquaris E4.5 Ubuntu Edition) that runs the Ubuntu operating system.[11]
In 2016, the company released the BQ Aquaris M10 Ubuntu Edition tablet.[12]
In August 2016 BQ filed a lawsuit in the Moscow Arbitration Court against the Russian smartphone manufacturer Antares LLC for the use of the BQ trademark. The Spanish company demanded three million rubles, but the Russian company claimed that it was using the brand legally. The court sided with the Russian company.[13]
After the sale to Vingroup in 2018, BQ remained active in the Vietnamese market under the name VinSmart, producing Vsmart-branded phones. In 2021, Vingroup withdrew from the smartphone market, and BQ filed for bankruptcy.[14]
Revenue, by year:
AndroidOne:
Android high-end:
Android mid-range:
Android Cyanogen:
Ubuntu Phone:
Other:
