OTA-21 arrives with the final touches for the version based on Ubuntu 16.04

I don't know if it will be for the OTA-30, but at some point we will be right. UBports has been working for a long time to re-base Ubuntu Touch on Focal Fossa (20.04), but what is delivering us They are still versions based on Xenial Xerus (16.04). A few hours ago they have made official the launch of the OTA-21, with different numbering for the PinePhone and PineTab, and it continues to disappoint that it is still based on a version of Ubuntu that was no longer supported about nine months ago.

Ubuntu 16.04 Xenial Xerus arrived in April 2016. As an LTS version, it was supported until April of last year, but the truth is that it hurts less when we remember that, at least on PineTab, we cannot install programs with GUI from official repositories . The first thing they tell us about the OTA-21 is that it is based on Xenial Xerus, so we must continue to be patient if we want to make the leap.

Highlights of Ubuntu Touch OTA-21

• Based on Ubuntu 16.04.
• Redesigned welcome screen, that is, the screen on which you enter your PIN or password.
• Compass and magnetometer for devices based on Halium 9 or later.
• Possibility to clear the list of recent or missed calls.
• Improved storage page in settings.
• It is assumed that the ability to add a Google account has been fixed.
• The default browser now has access to the microphone.
• Improved support for MMS; If a message has not been downloaded, the device alerts us.
• Libmedia-hub-qt has been switched to for the media-hub service.

The OTA-21 update It is now available on the stable channel, so all users can install it from the same operating system. UBports is working hard to move to base its operating system on Ubuntu 20.04, but we will not say that the OTA-22 will already be. The only certain thing is that the 21 has already arrived, and it has done so with few important news.