Ubuntu Linux For Mobile Phones Announced

Canonical officially announced Ubuntu Phone OS today, it's attempt at pushing the popular desktop Linux distribution onto mobile devices. However, for the moment, if you're just an end-user don't get too excited.

Mark Shuttleworth announced Ubuntu for phones today after previously having talked publicly about Ubuntu ambitions for mobile phones. Canonical hopes to deliver a new user-interface and mobile experience for those using Ubuntu OS via a voice-controlled HUD and other innovations.

It will be interesting to see how Ubuntu Phone OS works out for Canonical, but before getting excited, there isn't yet any major mobile phone vendor or carrier that's backing this Linux operating system. Additionally, making Ubuntu Phone OS not too interesting for most Linux enthusiasts will be Canonical's focus for pushing the platform for low-end phones. We could end up seeing Ubuntu on higher-end phones, but likely no serious competition to the Apple iPhone or high-end Android phones for a while. Canonical sees the lower-end space as being more likely to bear fruit for the company.

Canonical will continue pushing Ubuntu for Android in time being while I wouldn't expect anything too exciting for Ubuntu Phone OS for at least another year. This new Ubuntu effort will be shown off next week in Las Vegas at the annual Consumer Electronics Show.

Embedded below is the video of Mark Shuttleworth talking about Canonical's new mobile phone play.

Canonical is also still trying to push Ubuntu for TVs.