Developers Release Elementary OS ‘Loki’

The developers of elementary OS have released the stable version of Loki, version 0.4 of the Ubuntu-based operating system. The new version has improved stability, increased security and added new functionality.

Elementary OS Loki is based on Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, where predecessor 0.3 Freya Ubuntu was built around Ubuntu 14.04 LTS. The developers of the OS have said they have been working on the update for a little over a year. Loki is equipped with new indicators, for audio, networks and bluetooth.

The software now shows the battery status for accessories such as the mouse and keyboard, and you can request a list of apps that take a heavy toll on consumption. In addition, there is a notification center, with do-not-disturb-toggle. The system settings menu has been enhanced with a search function and the network settings view has been simplified, with options for wired and wireless connections, hotspots, proxies and VPNs in a single overview.

At Loki, elementary OS has been extended with Parental Controls, which allow administrators to set a time limit for usage, among other things. There is also a new browser, Epiphany, which is based on WebKit2, and the developers have adapted and implemented mail client Geary as simply ‘Mail’. Finally, the operating system includes an app store.

The full list of changes can be seen in the developers blog post. Elementary OS tries to differentiate itself from other Linux distributions with a streamlined user interface. The appearance of the software resembles that of macOS.