Hands-on with the Ubuntu Touch Linux smartphone
The early and surprisingly nice version bodes well for Canonical's Linux smartphone — but you may not want to install it yourself Ubuntu Touch's home screen Developers got their first hands-on peek yesterday of Canonical's Ubuntu Touch OS for mobile phones …
Context & Ripple Effects
Canonical’s phone effort follows its 2011 plan to bring Ubuntu to smartphones, tablets and TVs, and its January 2013 phone-OS announcement. The first installable build is the practical test of that strategy, limited to the Galaxy Nexus and Nexus 4 preview devices.
The preview also carries Ubuntu’s desktop identity into mobile: Canonical has confirmed a terminal application with access to the underlying Linux system. That makes early developer experience—not merely interface polish—central to the project’s positioning.
First-order effects
- Galaxy Nexus and Nexus 4 owners can evaluate Ubuntu Touch directly, while Canonical gains hands-on feedback from an early developer-oriented install base.
- Canonical’s phone software is immediately judged against the usability of a working touchscreen build rather than its January announcement alone.
Second-order effects
- A rough installation process narrows early participation to enthusiasts, concentrating feedback among users willing to modify supported Nexus hardware.
- The promised terminal gives technically experienced Linux users a distinct reason to test Ubuntu Touch, raising the importance of whether Canonical can translate desktop-oriented openness into a usable phone experience.
Third-order effects
- If Canonical can turn its Nexus preview into a broader device strategy, Ubuntu’s mobile effort would extend the company’s push to make one Linux brand span desktop, cloud services and connected screens.
- The project points toward mobile Linux differentiation based on control of the underlying system, rather than competing only on touchscreen design.
The trend: Canonical is testing whether Ubuntu can become a cross-device Linux platform by carrying its desktop openness and developer appeal into phones.