Canonical, which aims to dominate the next generation of cloud-based operating systems with a truly converged desktop/mobile platform, has released the biggest step so far towards that goal, Ubuntu 13.10.
This the first true mobile release of the popular business PC distribution of Linux, and is also available for desktops, although the two versions are not yet identical ‘ but full convergence is on the cards, built around the new Touch user interface and streamlined core OS already seen in 13.10.
“This is a milestone in Ubuntu’s history; the exact same Ubuntu OS runs on ARM phones and modern HP Moonshot ARM servers, and provides exactly the same capability as x86 platforms,” said Rick Spencer, who heads up engineering of consumer-focused projects.
Canonical hopes partners will bring Ubuntu smartphones and other devices to market in 2014, despite the failure of its own attempt to raise sufficient crowdfunding to launch its own handset.
Ubuntu Touch is an important step in the process, already three years old, of creating a single platform united by Canonical’s Gnome-based interface, Unity. Touch is currently supported on the
Galaxy Nexus and Nexus 4 smartphones; and also on the 2012 Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 tablets, though reviewers say it is very much a work in progress on tablets, which will be fully supported with the release of Ubuntu 14.04 in April next year.