Skip to main content

Ubuntu OS coming to smartphones in October

phone-design-hero-584x340
Image used with permission by copyright holder

It’s long been known that the Blackberry has ultimately proven to be the device of choice for most businesses. And why not? With its secure network and history of maintaining customer privacy, it’s ideal for any businessperson, particularly those that work with sensitive information. But that has started to change recently, particularly with the proliferation of the smartphone. Not to mention, more and more companies now allow—likely for cost-cutting purposes—staff to begin using their own personal devices for work purposes.

Come October, things may be shaken up once again. According to the Wall Street Journal, open source operating system Ubuntu is planning to launch its new smartphone platform in at least two major global markets. (While the company hasn’t mentioned which markets it will launch in, it has confirmed that North America is a high priority market for its business plan.)

Recommended Videos

So, what is it about this operating system that could have businesses salivating over? For starters, while it won’t help cut back on the amount of work to be done, it will help to make it significantly easier for employees to take their work with them anywhere. How? Ubuntu-enabled smartphones will be able to dock with external screens and keyboards, and will allow users to access all of their files wherever they are – no need to tout a burdensome laptop around at all times.

One of the bigger benefits in the eyes of businesses may be that, since the software was created by open-source software designers, it’s absolutely free, which is always beneficial when it comes to a company’s bottom line.

The company’s biggest hurdle, however, is the aforementioned proliferation of companies allowing employees to use their own phones. It’s such a tremendous convenience for employees, and a money-saver for employers, that having to carry a laptop may not seem like such a burden. Not to mention, in comparison to the thousands of apps available on iOS and Android phones, among others, the apps that would be available on an Ubuntu-powered device are minimal.

The company has also been shopping its services around to various cellular providers, though it isn’t revealing who, just yet. But for certain, it’ll be interesting to see how it all plays out come October.

Joshua Pramis
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Spending a childhood engrossed in such technologically inspiring television shows like Voltron, Small Wonder, and Power…
Early Black Friday Garmin Watch Deals 2024: Up to $100 off
Garmin Forerunner 255

Even though Black Friday starts on November 29, which is still a while away, there are a lot of great early Black Friday deals on Garmin watches that are worth grabbing. As you may know, Garmin watches tend to be quite pricey, with some of the best Garmin Watches easily going into the thousand-dollar range. Of course, being some of the best smartwatches on the market, it makes sense, which is why we've gone out and collected some of our favorite early Black Friday Garmin watch deals for you below to help save you a little extra.
Garmin Forerunner 55 -- $170 $200 15% off

If you're an avid runner and want something that's specially made to track that, then the Forerunner 55 is a great budget-oriented option that won't break the bank. For $170 instead of the usual $200, you get a variety of tracks, such as Vo2 Max and resting heart rate, internal storage of 32Gb, and water resistance down to 165 feet.

Read more
Early Black Friday Google Pixel deals: Pixel 9, Pixel Watch 2, and more
The Google Pixel 8's screen.

We’ve still got some time until Black Friday deals officially arrive, but now is a good time to start your shopping, as there are a lot of early Black Friday deals worth grabbing. Among them are devices from Google’s Pixel lineup, which is great news of you’ve got your eye on Black Friday phone deals, Black Friday smartwatch deals, Black Friday tablet deals, or Black Friday headphone deals. We’ve tracked down all of the best early Black Friday Google Pixel deals available in the lead-up to the sales event, so read onward for all of the details on how to land some savings right now.
Google Pixel Buds Pro — $136 $200 32% off

If you’re looking for some of the best headphone deals during these early Black Friday offerings, you definitely want to pounce on this deal. The Google Pixel Buds Pro are seeing a $64 price drop and a Black Friday price of $136. The newer Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 are also on the market, but they aren’t seeing any Black Friday deals, and this first generation model of the popular earbuds will provide plenty of audio quality for most people.

Read more
5 phones you should buy instead of the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL sitting upright outside.

If you’re in the market for a new smartphone, you could be eyeing the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL. And there’s nothing wrong with that — it’s a great phone! It has Google’s Tensor G4 chip inside, along with 16GB RAM, up to 1TB storage, plenty of Google Gemini AI goodies, ample storage, and a fantastic triple lens camera system. Plus, it even comes in a gorgeous pink Rose Quartz color.

But as great as the Pixel 9 Pro XL is, there are also plenty of other excellent alternatives if you want to save some money or get even better features. Here are some phones to consider instead of the Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Google Pixel 9 Pro

Read more