Ubuntu’s push into the mobile world has taken many forms, but one of its most promising incarnations, may have just been stopped in its tracks.
Canonical’s popular Linux distribution, Ubuntu, has lived quite happily on desktop computers for many years, offering up a robust and streamlined computing experience that’s a great alternative to Mac OS or Microsoft Windows.
More recently, the team behind Ubuntu started looking at the mobile market as a means to expand the OS’s feature set and one such project: Ubuntu for Android, looked very promising indeed, until the team decided to hold fast on development, indefinitely.
The idea (above) was that, using the powerful hardware you already carry in your pocket, you could do away with your home computer, instead docking your phone into a keyboard, mouse and monitor and being presented with a full desktop computing experience, running from your Android smartphone. Cool right?
A recent bug report from Canonical (which Engadget has confirmed has subsequently been hidden from the public) contained word that, “Ubuntu for Android is no longer in development,” also stating that its landing page should be removed from the Ubuntu website (it’s currently still up).
Another mobile project, the Ubuntu Edge, failed to meet its crowdfunded goal of $32 million, and the lack of interest may have spurred Canonical to reconsider its other mobile endeavours too. We previously encountered Ubuntu’s own tablet experience at MWC last year as well, which itself was in a pretty complete state, leading us to believe that this is where the company may well push its efforts going forward.
Whilst on the surface Ubuntu for Android still looks like it’s ticking away nicely, it would appear that this is going to change very soon, and we for one, will be sad to see it go.
Leave a Reply