Canonical's Ubuntu for Android project has always had our eye. The goal of the project was to create a smartphone that dual-boots Android and a full version of Ubuntu – and that was basically achieved and released more than a year ago to developers. However, somewhere along the way Canonical also started work on another project, Ubuntu for Phones, which aims to create an Ubuntu-powered smartphone. So far, that seems to have taken priority for now.
PCWorld caught a thread on Reddit and recently reached out to Canonical to figure out what was going on with Ubuntu for Android. If you're unfamiliar with the project, it basically allowed a phone to boot two different operating systems, Android and Ubuntu, and you could potentially plug the phone into a display and add a mouse and keyboard for a full Ubuntu experience. The problem, it seems, is that Canonical can't find a hardware partner to work on the project.
"To take the development further requires a launch partner in order to make the necessary modifications on the Android site," Canonical told PCWorld. "We are currently not in concrete discussions with launch partners, but we are still very much open to such a partnership. We are focused on Ubuntu for Phones at the moment, therefore we are not actively pushing for Ubuntu for Android. However, if a prospective partner steps forward, we are very much open to launching Ubuntu for Android."
Ubuntu for Phones, a mobile Ubuntu experience in addition to the full desktop option – but Android isn't a part of the equation. For now, it sounds like Ubuntu for Android isn't going anywhere – but we can always hope an OEM step in and takes it off the ground.
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