Canonical, which leads the open-source Ubuntu project, says the newest version of Ubuntu is the first true mobile release for the platform. Version 13.10 is capable of being run on compatible smartphones and PCs. OEM versions of Ubuntu-powered mobile devices are being planned for next year.
This latest version of Ubuntu includes a number of mobile apps created by the Ubuntu developer community and is available with a full SDK.
Rick Spencer, who leads Ubuntu’s consumer-facing engineering, said “This is a milestone in computing history. The exact same Ubuntu OS runs on ARM phones and modern HP Moonshot ARM servers, and provides exactly the same capability as x86 platforms. Ubuntu 13.10 is a full server-grade OS that offers a mobile experience and is lean enough to support mobile devices, kicking off a new era in mobile security and computing convergence.”
Earlier this year Canonical attempted to crowd-fund a new Ubuntu smartphone called the Ubuntu Edge. Despite breaking online records, the project missed its financial target.