There are high hopes for the Ubuntu Phone: users of the well-known PC platform are hoping for a quick and seamless integration between desktop and mobile phones. Unfortunately, the reality is very different. Today, Ubuntu Phone is still relatively unknown, but its showing at Mobile World Congress leads us to believe that this might change very soon.
During today’s events at MWC, we had the opportunity to talk with developers from Canonical, who make Ubuntu Mobile. Here’s what we learned:
- Project Ubuntu for smartphones hopes to see quicker development thanks to two partners who have agreed to install the operating system on their phones: BQ and Meizu.
- The Ubuntu app store is continuously growing. Developers can already upload programs written in HTML 5, and the company has reached out to leading developers, like Instagram, although it’s still too early to tell which major apps will be available.
- By the end of the year, the mobile and PC operating systems will look exactly the same.
- Ubuntu Phone will be updated the same way as the PC system. This will help avoid fragmentation, like we’ve seen in other systems (e.g. Android).
- Canonical works with many mobile networks around the world, which will lead to better visibility of their phones, although its still unknown which markets it’ll tap.
The Ubuntu booth at MWC also gave attendees the opportunity to test out the OS on their own Nexus 4’s. After downloading and installing the OS, you can choose to run your phone on either Ubuntu or Android operating systems.
It seems as if there’s still a lot of work to be done with the Ubuntu OS. Nevertheless, it already has a well-known name, easily recognizable brand, and good connections with phone manufacturers and mobile carriers.
What’s missing? Definitely some more interesting apps.
