Canonical, the company behind the Ubuntu Linux distribution, has collaborated with ARM to produce a complete Ubuntu port for the ARMv7 architecture. Canonical aims to bring the Ubuntu experience to ARM-based mobile devices. This announcement comes only one month after ARM publicly revealed plans to enter the netbook market.
The new ARM port is expected to be made available in conjunction with the official launch of Ubuntu 9.04, codenamed Jaunty Jackalope. Improved netbook support was one of the primary development goals leading up to the release of Ubuntu 8.10 last month, and that trend is set to continue with Jaunty, which developers say will offer better performance and faster boot time. Canonical is clearly pushing hard to make Ubuntu a top choice for consumer netbook products.
Ubuntu is already well supported on Intel's Atom processor, which is currently the dominant chip for an emerging class of mobile Internet devices and small form factor laptops. Adding support for ARM will ensure that Ubuntu can reach a broader selection of devices, including upcoming ARM-based netbooks.
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This is a natural development for Ubuntu, driven by the demand from manufacturers for an ARM technology-based version," said Canonical COO Jane Silber in a statement. "Joining the considerable community of free software developers working on the ARM platform ensures that a fully-functional, optimized Ubuntu distribution is available to the ARM ecosystem, providing wider choice for consumers looking for the best operating system for their digital lifestyles."
In addition to working with chip makers to ensure robust hardware support, Canonical has also hired some talented programmers and designers to build unique and visually rich user interfaces that are ideally suited for netbook devices. The company lifted the curtain earlier this year on its Netbook Remix, which includes a customized version of the Ubuntu Mobile Edition launcher and several GNOME modifications that make the desktop environment more comfortable on small screens.
Although this is the first time that Ubuntu has been officially supported on ARM, it is predated by an unofficial ARM port that was released earlier this year by the community-driven Handhelds Mojo group. The community port, which was sponsored by Nokia, targets ARMv5 and 6. In a response to Canonical's announcement that was published on the Handhelds Mojo web site, the group welcomes the news.
"We're delighted to note that Canonical has announced it will officially support ARM v7 with the April 2009 release of Ubuntu," one member of the group wrote in a statement. "I admit, I had hoped that they would also support the ARM v5/6 variations of the ARM processor, but this is a first step in the right direction."
Ubuntu is already shipping on Dell's Mini 9 netbook, which launched in September. It is likely that Ubuntu will reach consumers on many more devices as Canonical continues to make significant investments in mobile hardware support.
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