Canonical, the company behind Linux-based Ubuntu OS, has announced that
it is going to release a version of its popular OS designed specially to
run on smartphones. The company says its eventual plan is to offer
consumers a unified experience on TVs, phones and PCs. The Ubuntu mobile
OS designed specifically for smartphones will feature a new UI in order
to provide better experience for its users.
"We expect Ubuntu to be
popular in the enterprise market, enabling customers to provision a
single secure device for all PC, thin client and phone functions. Ubuntu
is already the most widely used Linux enterprise desktop, with
customers in a wide range of sectors focused on security, cost and
manageability," said Jane Silber, CEO of Canonical. "We also see an
opportunity in basic smartphones that are used for the phone, SMS, web
and email, where Ubuntu outperforms thanks to its native core apps and
stylish presentation."
Ubuntu OS has support for both ARM and x86
processors. This means it could be made to run on most, if not all, of
today's Android-powered smartphones without too much effort.
Announced
back in February last year, Ubuntu OS (for phones) constitutes similar
drivers kernel seen on Android. Canonical's chief Mark Shuttleworth
showcased a Galaxy Nexus running the mobile version of Ubuntu featuring a
swipe-based Menu. Other known features are voice command, a dedicated
app store and personalised welcome screen.
The OS will have both
web-based as well as native apps. Unfortunately, there is still no news
regarding what kind of hardware to expect, other than the fact we are
looking at a 2014 release.
Ubuntu is considered by many to be the
best Linux distro out there, and it does enjoy a lot of developer/
community support. It is the latest in a series of smartphone operating
systems from companies and associations not known for their smartphone
lineup. This includes Open webOS, FirefoxOS, Jolla's Sailfish OS and
Samsung-owned Tizen. While we have already seen Sailfish and Open webOS
in action, most things about FirefoxOS are still unknown.