Samsung is working on an app that will run Linux distributions on smartphones

Samsung has announced an app called Linux on Galaxy, which allows users to run various Linux distributions on their smartphone. The South Korean company says the software works in conjunction with its DeX dock.

In an announcement, Samsung reports that the app will “let developers work with their favorite Linux distribution on mobile devices,” indicating that the company sees developers as its target audience. This feature is really only useful if you can work on a large screen and that’s why the app supports the DeX dock announced in March. This works with the Note 8, Galaxy S8 and S8+ and makes it possible to use the smartphones as a desktop in combination with a screen, keyboard and mouse.

The Linux on Galaxy app is not yet available and Samsung is not saying when a release will take place. Interested parties can already register via a special site. It is not clear from the announcement whether the app only works on a limited number of smartphones with a certain kernel, or whether it is suitable for all Android devices. Samsung has its own mobile operating system, Tizen, which is based on Linux. In addition, the South Korean company became a member of the Linux Foundation in 2012.

In the announcement, Samsung also mentions that it has entered into a partnership with various game developers. As a result, mobile games such as Survival Arena and Lineage 2 Revolution can be played on the desktop via DeX. Final Fantasy XV Pocket Edition should be added in the coming months.