Canonical is finally launching its first Ubuntu smartphone on Monday, Feb. 9, as the handset will go on sale in Europe.

Linux enthusiasts have been waiting for a long time for such a device to finally hit the market, as the first Ubuntu smartphone comes after more than a year of promises.

The BQ Aquaris E4.5 edition is all set to go on sale on Monday, Feb. 9, but will be available only in Europe and only in limited quantities. More specifically, the handset become available across Europe from BQ.com, through a series of Flash Sales that will occur over the coming weeks. The world's first Ubuntu phone will sport a price tag of €169.90 (roughly $190), allegedly delivering "the perfect balance between price and specifications."

"The launch of the first Ubuntu smartphones is a significant milestone.  The new experience we deliver for users, as well as the opportunities for differentiation for manufacturers and operators, are a compelling and much-needed change from what is available today. We're excited that a rising star like BQ has recognised this opportunity and is helping us make it a reality," touted Canonical CEO Jane Silber.

In terms of specifications, the smartphone will feature a 4.5-inch display with a resolution of 960 x 540 pixels and pack a 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek processor under the hood, paired with 1GB of RAM. Other specs include 8GB of internal storage capacity, microSD card support for additional storage, a 5-megapixel rear camera, and dual-SIM support, among the highlights. The handset will not support 4G LTE, however.

When it comes to software, meanwhile, the Aquaris E4.5 will offer just a few apps, as it will replace most of them with themed panels called "Scopes." Users will be able to swipe between Scopes to find news, contacts, music, videos, and nearby points of interest, so they don't have to use special apps for each of them. Nevertheless, the smartphone will include apps from Facebook, Twitter, Evernote, Dropbox, Amazon, and others.

"Scopes are a reinvention of the mobile UI, presenting a new way to rapidly and visually access the most important digital life services - music, social, web, local services, photos etc - directly on the home screen. The richness and unfragmented experience delivered by Ubuntu Scopes are a world away from burying content and services inside multiple apps in an icon grid - reversing the industry's hackneyed status quo," the press release further explains.

"Ubuntu presents users with an entirely different way to engage with their devices - Scopes guide you to content you want - in the same way you think about it - to deliver a smooth, engaging experience," added Cristian Parrino, VP Mobile at Canonical. "For developers, Scopes are a much simpler and more valuable way to build mobile experiences than apps - significantly changing ecosystem dynamics."

Canonical will announce the date, time, and links for the first Aquaris E4.5 Flash Sale through social media channels @Ubuntu, @bgreaders, Ubuntu G+, and Ubuntu Facebook, next week.