Plans for ‘Ubuntu for Android’ are still on hold for the time being

Canonical has announced that plans for the development of Ubuntu for Android, where Ubuntu becomes active on an Android smartphone as soon as it is placed in a dock, have been postponed for the time being, but there are no cancellations.

In 2012, Canonical came up with the concept of Ubuntu for Android. The company behind the Ubuntu operating system wanted to develop a version of its OS that could run on a smartphone and would be activated when the device is placed in a docking station. The user was then presented with a full Ubuntu desktop environment on a monitor connected to the dock.

Despite ambitious plans, the Ubuntu for Android project never fully got off the ground. According to Canonical spokesperson Marina Engelvuori, the main cause is a shift in priorities within the company: almost all developers have focused primarily on the development of Ubuntu Touch, the operating system for smartphones and tablets that should be released this year.

Engelvuori states that Canonical still considers Ubuntu for Android a good concept and that workable code for Ubuntu has been developed. However, a partner would have to be found to also make changes to the Android code so that the two operating systems work well together on the phone. Canonical says it is not actively looking for a collaborating party, but is open to interested parties.