Four years since it first went on sale to eager developers, the credit card-sized Raspberry Pi computer has sold an impressive 10 million units.
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“When we started Raspberry Pi, we had a simple goal: to increase the number of people applying to study Computer Science at Cambridge”, wrote Foundation founder Eben Upton. 10 million to be more precise.
With this in mind, you can imagine how unusual it feels to be able to announce that over the last four and a half years we’ve sold a grand total of ten million Raspberry Pis.
In four and a half years, we’ve seen the company expand its line-up to cater for smaller budgets, incorporate more features into its computing boards and inspire kids all over the world to get into coding.
“[I’m] still amazed by the popularity”. “It was a thing that people already wanted, particularly in the maker community, there was a latent demand for something like that”, he said.
Finally there’s an optical mouse and a keyboard along with a copy of Adventures in Raspberry Pi Foundation Edition.
Three generations of Pi have launched to date, with the latest released in February this year. Included is a Raspberry Pi 3 Model B, premium accessories and a guidebook.
Also helping fuel the computer’s popularity has been the diversity of Pi boards, which have appealed to tech enthusiasts of all ages and more recently to businesses.
Next up for the Pi is a software upgrade to the board’s official Raspbian OS, which Upton says will reinforce the Pi’s credentials as a low-priced alternative to a desktop PC.
“If you bought a Raspberry Pi 1 in 2012 then you’ll get a better experience, just as it’ll make the experience better for someone who’s got a Pi 3”, he said. The update will most likely arrive later this month, he said.
Now the Foundation behind the little computers is launching a new £99 ($132) Raspberry Pi Starter Kit that gives you almost everything you need to use a Raspberry Pi as a full-fledged desktop computer.
An SD storage card, official case, power supply, HDMI cable, mouse, keyboard and guidebook are included in the bundle which will cost £99 plus Value-Added Tax.
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Initially available online in the United Kingdom (from partners element14 and RS Components), the £99 ($132) collection will roll out to the rest of the world over the coming weeks.
