Ubuntu Phone Emulator and Developer Phone Release Date

Will they release an emulator on which apps can be tested? If yes, which IDE will they choose? (eclipse, qt creator, mono, all of them?)

Also is there any way to get an Ubuntu Phone for developing purposes? I'd buy one for developing apps on it even if it does not run as slick as expected but I wouldn't buy an Android phone just to install Ubuntu afterwords.

Thank you!

Solution 1:

QtCreator is the recommended IDE. An emulator is currently in the works and will hopefully be available shortly. In the mean time, you can run your app as an Ubuntu desktop app.

There is no planned developer phone, but images of the Ubuntu for the phone will be made available for the Galaxy Nexus in the near future.

Solution 2:

The emulator is released. Check this out: http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2013/11/ubuntu-touch-emulator-released