Currently, in the mobile operating system(OS) space, we have iPhone iOS, Android, Windows Phone 8 and Blackberry OS. Now Ubuntu, popular open source desktop OS, available for mobile OS. This new phone operating system unveiled by its parent company, Canonical.
Canonical are ‘confident’ a major manufacturer will ship Ubuntu for Android this year; that will be the first step. But the first pure Ubuntu Phone devices will appear towards the end of the year.
Unlike Android, Ubuntu Phone OS has been designed from the ground up to deliver a ‘crisper, sharper’ experience on low-powered devices – a market segment Shuttleworth sees as being key to adoption. These ‘starter smartphone’ users will, he says benefit from a leaner, ‘less complex’ user experience than rivals. Something he says emerging markets are calling out for.
Although Canonical’s ‘primary market’ will be selling Ubuntu Phones via retail, and making a cut from such sales, you will be able to download and install the phone OS on certain device handsets.
Alan Pope has reportedly confirmed Ubuntu for Phone available late February. For all its glitz and glamour, the Ubuntu Phone image due in February is unlikely to be feature complete – and it’s important that anyone contemplating installing it is aware of this beforehand. Please take a look this video. Looks promising.
