Ubuntu to Launch on Galaxy Nexus in February

By Zak Islam
published

Device has been used as its primary test platform and demo unit.

Canonical, the company responsible for the Linux-based Ubuntu operating system, said the platform's mobile OS will make its debut on smartphones via Samsung's Galaxy Nexus handset.

Canonical Engineering Manager Alan Pope said during CES that that the firm is aiming to launch a downloadable image of Ubuntu for the Galaxy Nexus during the latter stages of February, 2013.

The company, which unveiled the mobile platform prior to CES 2013, built the mobile OS for use on Android's drivers and kernals, consequently allowing existing Android devices to integrate Ubuntu.

Ubuntu for smartphones will launch initially for the Galaxy Nexus, which is the device Canonical has been using as its primary test and demo unit thus far.

However, features including voice control and an app store are apparently set to be missing from the initial release, with the apps which are available said to have limited functionality.

Stay tuned for a hands-on from CES.

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Zak Islam
15 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Abion47
    I don't know, as far as freely available and open-source mobile operating systems go, Android is pretty good and stable. Do we really need a Linux-based mobile OS too? I mean, unless Ubuntu brings something really neat to the table, I don't really see a point for this other than tech-savvy hipsters getting it just to say they have it.
    Reply
  • MatthiasB
    Abion47I don't know, as far as freely available and open-source mobile operating systems go, Android is pretty good and stable. Do we really need a Linux-based mobile OS too? Android is also based on Linux -_- And yes, Android is free, but far from open source, it is developed by Google, not by a community that develops the code
    Reply
  • jreed38
    MatthiasBAndroid is also based on Linux -_- And yes, Android is free, but far from open source, it is developed by Google, not by a community that develops the code
    And Ubuntu is developed by Canonical, not so much by the community. And as for your use of "open source", I don't think it means what you think it means.
    Reply
  • Abion47
    MatthiasBAndroid is also based on Linux -_- And yes, Android is free, but far from open source, it is developed by Google, not by a community that develops the code
    source.android.com would like a word.
    Reply
  • WithoutWeakness
    MatthiasBAndroid is also based on Linux -_- And yes, Android is free, but far from open source, it is developed by Google, not by a community that develops the codeAndroid most certainly is open source and the source code is available for download. Google does for Android what Canonical does for Ubuntu; they host it, maintain it, and determine release dates and features. Individuals can absolutely write and submit their own code to the project for use in future releases.

    Ubuntu for Android is a great step into building one ecosystem to run across all devices. The level of integration you can offer by running one operating system on phones, tablets, and laptop/desktop computers is unmatched by anything else that is out right now. Microsoft had the right idea with Windows 8 but their poor UI design and subsequent low market share is killing them. Dual and quad core phones with 1GB+ of RAM are already as powerful as low-end desktop computers and mid-range laptops from a few years ago. Putting a lightweight and extremely powerful OS like Ubuntu on them opens the doors for what can be done with these devices.
    Reply
  • Abion47
    WithoutWeakness
    Fair enough.
    Reply
  • jn77
    If Android was 100% truly "Open Source" then Then Apple, Microsoft and everyone else would have no reason for patent suits against each other because no one would be violating anyone crap and paying them off to shut their mouths.

    A key example is apples suit against :"pinch to touch" really? How else do you use a touch screen?
    Reply
  • vmem
    jn77If Android was 100% truly "Open Source" then Then Apple, Microsoft and everyone else would have no reason for patent suits against each other because no one would be violating anyone crap and paying them off to shut their mouths. A key example is apples suit against :"pinch to touch" really? How else do you use a touch screen?
    Open source and free to pirate/copy/share/sell are two VERY different things
    Reply
  • WithoutWeakness
    otacon72Boy is this going to be a flop.1: Ubuntu is free and open source. They don't make money off the OS. The code is mostly community-sourced so whether people buy the phones or not they would at most be losing a marginal amount of money. Therefore it can't really "flop" in the same way something like HP's TouchPad did (interestingly, after HP discontinued the TouchPad it made webOS open source in order to attract the same sort of community following Ubuntu has).

    2: They aren't shooting for the same consumer market Android and iOS are gunning for. They are likely looking for the OS to be adopted by businesses running Ubuntu and IT groups that want a unified experience between their work computers and mobile devices. This will never claim anywhere near the sizeable market share that Android and iOS dominate but it will be massively popular with users who want to get more out of their devices and how they interact with their desktop OS.
    Reply
  • jhansonxi
    I guess this means that Ubuntu could be used on rice cookers and refrigerators:
    http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/google-android-baked-into-rice-cookers-in-move-past-phones-tech/2013/01/08/a272a620-5955-11e2-b8b2-0d18a64c8dfa_story.html
    Reply