Skip to main content

Ubuntu for Mobile preview coming to a Nexus near you on February 21

ubuntuUbuntu for Mobile was announced at the beginning of the year, when it was expected we’d see the first phones running the operating system to go on sale in 2014. This changed recently when Canonical’s CEO said in an interview the firm was now on track for an October 2013 launch, however some questioned this accelerated launch date as being overly hopeful, particularly as the promised test version of the software had been delayed.

Canonical has now confirmed the test image, officially called the Touch Developer Preview, will be released on February 21, when eager fans will be able to install the software on their Nexus 4 and Galaxy Nexus smartphones. Canonical’s quick to point out this is for, “Enthusiasts and developers,” rather than the general public, so if you don’t fall into either of these groups, it would be wise to wait until the real thing before trying it out.

Recommended Videos

Software to help flash the Touch Developer Preview onto your phone will also be released, plus if you’re headed to Mobile World Congress, Canonical will have a team ready to install the software onto your (presumably spare) Nexus phone. Phones running the software will also be on display at the Barcelona show, but with at least six months to go until it’s ready for general release, we aren’t expecting anything more than the basics to be demonstrated.

Ubuntu for Mobile is one of several new mobile operating systems expected to be released this year and early next. Firefox OS is one of its closest competitors, and there’s a good chance the first phones using Mozilla’s new software will be launched at Mobile World Congress, while both Jolla and Tizen will both be there too, although in what capacity we don’t know.

By following this link on Thursday, February 21, you’ll be able to download and test the very first public version of Ubuntu for Mobile, provided you’re brave enough.

Andy Boxall
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
Nothing Phone 3 is the firm’s biggest swing at Apple and Samsung yet
Is this the shot-in-the-arm the smartphone market desperately needs?
A person holding the Nothing Phone 2, with the lights active.

The Nothing Phone 3 will officially be available in the US, as the company looks to take on the likes of the iPhone 16, Samsung Galaxy S25 and Google Pixel 9 with a handset Nothing founder and CEO, Carl Pei, calls its "first true flagship smartphone".

Those looking for an alternative smartphone option this year will be able to pick up the Phone 3 from Amazon and Nothing's own website, reports TechCrunch.

Read more
This one iPadOS 26 feature has me excited for the iPhone Fold
Semi-open state of a foldable iPhone concept

Samsung is set to launch the seventh generation of its Galaxy Z Fold book-style folding phone this Summer, but its biggest rival is yet to show its folding phone hand. Apple has long been expected to unveil an iPhone Fold, and the latest rumors suggest that it will launch next year.

I’ve used almost every folding phone released globally, with some exceptions for extremely obscure ones. While I've always been curious what an iPhone Fold would look like, I was fairly certain that Apple shouldn't build it, as I wasn’t sure they could deliver on one necessary feature.

Read more
These are the 4 best alternatives to the Google Pixel 9a
A person taking the Google Pixel 9a out of a pocket.

The best cheap phone race has been reignited by the Google Pixel 9a, which brings the Google Pixel 9 series experience at a significantly lower price. Starting at $449, Google’s latest Pixel offers the flagship processor of its siblings for flagship-level performance, an excellent camera, and long-term software support.

Yet, Google’s software experience won’t be for everyone; there are obvious tradeoffs in the specs sheet to enable the low price; the camera bar design is somewhat polarizing for long-term fans, and there’s no telephoto camera. 

Read more