Android is pretty versatile as far as operating systems go. It can be a lot of things, but we still haven’t seen Android take on the PC space in a big way just yet. Ubuntu might just change that.
Ubuntu, one of the most popular Linux distributions available, will soon be available on Android phones sporting multi-core processors. The application allows the Android phone to perform normally when it’s a phone, but it transforms into an Ubuntu PC when connected to a monitor, keyboard and mouse.
To be honest, it’s pretty cool. With it coming pre-loaded on Android devices, it might also drive the use of Ubuntu up. People are becoming more reliant on mobile devices, and being able to integrate the desktop experience into a mobile device just might push some people into the open source side of life.
The folks at Ubuntu aren’t only thinking about increasing the user base. Their hope is that handset manufacturers will continue to push the limits of how far the processing power in Android devices can go. Ubuntu for Android doesn’t require a lot of power, but more power would be appreciated if users want to get the full Ubuntu desktop experience out of their phone.
The Ubuntu team isn’t just looking at the already existing Android markets in the US, Europe and Asia to push Ubuntu for Android. Emerging markets, which Android has performed well in, will also benefit from the inclusion of Ubuntu. The team even thinks that some families will finally own a PC thanks to Ubuntu for Android.
Ubuntu for Android isn’t available just yet, but the folks at Canonical are working hard to get handset manufacturers to include Ubuntu in future Android hardware releases. Current phones with USB and HDMI-outs will hopefully get Ubuntu support in the near future as well.