No new Ubuntu smartphones have been released in a while. But owners of existing devices can experience a new feel by updating them to UBports Ubuntu Touch OS.
After Canonical suddenly announced their plans to terminate support of Ubuntu Touch in the beginning of 2017, the programming source code for the project was taken up by the UBports community. UBports have developed their own version of the Ubuntu Touch OS. They have been hard at work making sure that you can update your legacy Ubuntu phone to the new version.
So, while no-one is making any new Ubuntu smartphones for now, you can experience a new feel on your existing Ubuntu device. In the early days of UBports, the update was a tedious process that required some technical knowledge. How, there is a software that has made the process easy to complete by anyone with a PC.
What You Need To Update To UBports Ubuntu Touch OS
- Download the Ubports Installer HERE. Available for Windows PC, Linux,
- Launch the software
- Connect your Ubuntu phone to your PC with a USB cable and enable developer mode
- Select “Switch to UBports” on the software
- Your Ubuntu phone will enter FastBoot mode
- Follow the prompts to complete the update
Note that your Ubuntu phone will be wiped during this update. As such, we advise that you make a backup before starting.
New Features of UBports Ubuntu Touch OS
The new version of Ubuntu Touch OS has some new features that you just might like. These include:
- Flashlight toggle in the battery indicator (For Qualcomm devices only, due to closed-source Mediatek drivers)
- A new version of the OpenStore (the original one died with Canonical’s abandonment)
- Updated boot spinner
- Optional custom backgrounds for the homescreen
- Calendar can now sync with generic CalDAV servers
- Display changelogs for stable OTA updates
Let us know how your update experience went.
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Way back from the days of EPOC, Symbian, Palm, PocketPC/Windows Mobile, BlackBerry/BB10, webOS, Windows Phone, Firefox, Ubuntu Touch, to Android, iOS, and KaiOS operating systems, founder of MobilityArena, Mister Mobility, has owned a few hundred smartphones and tablets, and counting.