The Ubuntu operating system for smartphones is nearing an official release, as Canonical officials indicated the release could come later this year or sometime next year. Speaking at the Computex trade show in Taipei, Canonical global marketing manager John Barnard said the company will make announcements on the Ubuntu OS for smartphones later this year.
On the other hand, asked whether the release would be later this year or next year, Canonical founder Mark Shuttleworth said "possibly," without providing a specific date, Computerworld reported. In response to Shuttleworth's vague comment, Bernard said it is possible the OS will be released next year, but a specific date could not be narrowed down.
According to Bernard, the smartphone OS would not be directly released for download, but it would be available for device makers to pack on smartphones. Bernard refrained from giving further details on the OS, saying people will have to wait until the announcements are made later this year.
Canonical announced plans to develop the Ubuntu OS for smartphones and tablets last year, after several years of teasing. There was an earlier version of Ubuntu previously available for smartphones, but it was ditched shortly in favor of the desktop and server OS versions.
Merging Ubuntu with Android
At the Computex trade show, however, Canonical indicated that this time Ubuntu for smartphones would merge a version of the OS with Android, and demonstrated a smartphone that served double function as a PC running Android and Ubuntu side by side. Though the smartphone booted with Android, it could load Ubuntu as well, provided it was placed on a dock that was connected to a monitor.
According to Barnard, the version of Ubuntu for smartphones is running the same kernel used to run Android. When connected to a dock, the smartphone version of Ubuntu offers a full experience, including access to the Ubuntu Software Center for downloading apps. Moreover, the Ubuntu operating system fired up from the smartphone also features the Unity user interface, the same UI found in desktop versions of the OS. Even when the smartphone is in Ubuntu mode, users will still be able to access contacts and receive text messages and notifications.
Canonical officials said the dual-OS is possible due to the multicore ARM CPUs and graphics processors that are being employed in today's smartphones. Device makers reportedly showed a lot of interest in loading the dual-OS on smartphones, added Barnard.
