If I'm not mistaken, Ubuntu Touch OTA-25 will be released tomorrow. It will be the last one based on Xenial Xerus, and the next one will already be based on Ubuntu 20.04. In fact, that "next" has arrived today: with the name of Ubuntu Touch OTA-1 Focal, the first stable version can now be used on an Ubuntu Touch that is not based on 16.04. It is true that there was something before, but this was the basis with which this touch version of Ubuntu began to become popular.
The good news is not for everyone. Right now, UBports says that Ubuntu Touch OTA-1 Focal (which we'll see if it continues to be called that in the future) can only be used on the Fairphone 4, Google Pixel 3a, Vollaphone 22, Vollaphone X and Vollaphone. They also say that there other devices that are working with this version of Focal, but many functions may be lost in this OTA-1, so they will have to wait.
The most prominent changes of Ubuntu Touch OTA-1 Focal
- Based on Ubuntu 20.04 Focal Fossa. It seems worth mentioning that this version came out 3 years ago, so there are "only" two support left.
- Support for devices based on Android 9+.
- Lomiri is available on other distributions than Ubuntu.
- Changed from Upstart to Systemd.
- The translation platform (i18n) has been moved to weblate.
- They have been moved from GitHub to Gitlab.
- Now uses Ayana flags instead of Ubuntu's.
- Now they use waydroid instead of Anbox. The first is based on the second, but its community is more active.
- New “ported” style (do “ports”) for device “carriers”.
- Supports building many components in GCC-12 and Qt 5.15, making the project future-proof.
In the most important bug fixes section, it is mentioned that some devices could not mute the microphone during calls or that the contextual menu in Morph, in the default web browser, has been fixed.
Other improvements
- Network Manager has received Ubuntu version 22.04 (v1.36.6).
- Bluez has received Ubuntu version 22.04 (v5.64).
- Telephony stack: Cell broadcast support (experimental feature, not yet universally supported).
- Libertine: Using bubblewrap for chrooting.
- Nuntium: Fixed various issues when receiving MMS messages.
- Mir / qtmir: Improved integration with Xwayland and support for running legacy X11 applications in Lomiri Shell.
- Aethercast: Now enabled on Fairphone 4 and Xiaomi Mi A2.
- Sync-monitor: made the service much more robust.
- Lomiri Shell:
- Added a circular (like a clock) as a PIN code.
- Supports PIN codes between 4 and 12 digits (previously: limited to 4 digits).
- Visual update of various effects.
- Made switching between phone mode and desktop mode (via docking station connected to phone) more robust.
- Preliminary workspace support in desktop mode.
- Indicator menus can now be half transparent.
- Keyboard indicator: Complete rewrite in C.
- All Components: Fixed many compiler warnings / deprecation notices for all Lomiri components.
- Lomiri Wallpapers: Additional background artwork.
- Updated the data of the broadband provider.
- adb: Improved developer experience (integration with PAM/logind, proper terminal configuration).
- Support for USB-C USB-PD.
Improvements in pre-installed apps
- Morph Browser:
- Recent version of qtwebengine (v5.15.11).
- Hardware accelerated video decoding on QtWebEngine, with support for up to 2K video playback on popular video sites.
- Video chat is now possible (eg via Jitsi Meet).
- Camera App - Barcode Reader App via lomiri-camera-app, allows app developers to use a centrally provided barcode reader UI.
- Dialer / Messaging apps (and Lomiri launcher): Indication of new/missed calls/messages via emblem icons in Lomiri launcher.
- Calendar application: Allows you to add notes for a contact and a URL.
- Messaging app: Add zoom on the text of the conversation using the pinch and spread gesture. Improved loading speed.
- Calendar app: Performance improvements.
- Music app: Reading audio files from the Content Hub service.
How to upgrade to Ubuntu Touch OTA-1 Focal
If you're in the lucky group, updating is as simple as going to settings/updates/settings/channels and switching to the 20.04 channel. Users of a pineapple, that is, of a PINE64 device, update in another way, so they will have to wait for another time. More information in the release note.