The first public version of Ubuntu Touch, the mobile operating system from Canonical, will be ready to download on October 17 according to the company’s Quality Assurance Community Coordinator, Nicholas Skaggs. The news comes from a blog post written by Skaggs saying, “We are exactly one month away from the release of Saucy Salamander.” The article was published on September 17, and Saucy Salamander is the codename for Ubuntu’s next version of its desktop software. Skaggs continues to say, “As part of that release, Ubuntu is committed to delivering an image of Ubuntu Touch, ready to install on supported devices.”
Version 1.0 of Ubuntu Touch will be compatible with Google’s most recent Nexus phones, which means if you own a Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 4, Nexus 7, or Nexus 10, you’ll be able to install the software if you like the idea of giving it a try. In the meantime, the race is on to rid the OS of any last bugs before the software is released.
While Ubuntu Touch may be out next month, at this stage it doesn’t look like it’ll be accompanied by a dedicated phone, like rivals Jolla’s Sailfish OS and Mozilla’s Firefox OS. Canonical had a go at financing a super phone running Ubuntu Touch, called the Edge, through Kickstarter and although it was a valiant effort, it ultimately failed to reach its goal. Even if it had, the Edge wouldn’t have been out until next year anyway.
Instead, anyone who wants an Ubuntu Touch phone will have to be patient, potentially until early 2014, which is the latest Canonical hopes to have a phone on sale. Otherwise, if you own a Nexus phone or tablet, and don’t mind messing around with the software, look out for Ubuntu Touch on October 17.
