Game in the Brain

In the Ubuntu Touch Q&A 188, the UBports team shared several updates regarding the development of the operating system, upcoming releases, and community news.

Core System & Development Updates

• OTA Update (Noble & Focal): A new point release (1.2) is expected in the next few weeks [03:07]. While it will include some patches for Focal (like image enlargement), the bulk of the updates will focus on Noble [03:40]. A larger 1.3 release is planned further down the road [04:17].
• Lomiri UI Toolkit: The toolkit is moving toward using C++ namespaces, which is a significant architectural change for contributors [05:07].
• Qt 6.9 Progress: The bootstrapping of Qt 6.9 for 24.04 is largely finished, though the Qt WebEngine is still being refined to work properly [08:07].
• Wayland & Mir 2: Significant progress has been made on Wayland permission dialogues. They now correctly overlay on applications, resolving a long-standing issue for devices like the PinePhone [45:15].

New Experimental Features

• Ubuntu 26.04 (Experimental): A fully working image for 26.04 has been created [09:56]. Development has been smoother than previous versions because many packages are already synced from Debian [10:30].
• Bluetooth Redesign: A new Bluetooth settings page is in development. It separates paired devices from the pairing process and improves privacy by only making the device discoverable when actively searching for new connections [11:04].
• Advanced Positioning (GPS/AGPS): Work is ongoing for a “Network Location” system using Wi-Fi and cellular tower triangulation to approximate position indoors or without a GPS fix [13:22]. Assisted GPS (AGPS) is also being implemented to speed up satellite locks [14:39].

App Ecosystem Updates

Several new and updated apps were highlighted [17:59]:

• New Apps: TfL Status (London transport), Draw on Document (PDF/Image annotation), Offline Translator, and Area for MSI (Fediverse browser).
• Updated Apps: Signal Beauty, Bitwarden client (Sealed), UNAV (navigation), and Screen Recorder.

Community & Foundation News

• Elections: The UBports Foundation is preparing for board elections in May. Official members are encouraged to nominate themselves by May 17th [01:50].
• Social Media Help: The team is looking for volunteers to help manage their social media presence on platforms like Mastodon, Twitter, and LinkedIn [00:41].
• Lomiri Codefest: A hackathon is scheduled for May 16th–17th in the Netherlands, organized by the new sponsor, OSI [29:54].

Q&A Highlights

• DJ Controllers: In response to a user question about using hardware like the FLX4, the team noted that while external MIDI devices are still a work in progress, it is technically possible for Ubuntu Touch to support them in the future [35:02].
• AI in Porting: The team discussed using AI for porting devices, concluding that while it can be a helpful guide, developers must double-check all code to ensure quality and understanding [39:25].

For more details, you can watch the full Q&A here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cd83fQxNSC4