A few days ago the launch of The new version of Ubuntu Touch OTA-8 Focal an update in which the main work has focused on preparing the transition to the new LTS version of Ubuntu
The new version, in addition to fixing various errors, also incorporates significant improvements in telephony, Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth, security and, above all, the ability to hide unknown Bluetooth devices.
Major Improvements in Ubuntu Touch OTA-8 Focal
In this new version of Ubuntu Touch OTA-8 Focal, one of the most important additions is the VoLTE implementation (a technology that enables voice calls over LTE networks) improving call quality and eliminating the need to switch to 2G or 3G networks. It is worth mentioning that at the moment, this feature is only available on the Volla Phone X23 and Volla Phone 22 devices, which use Halium 12 system components in their firmware.
In addition to this, the following has now been added: Possibility to delete a contact's avatar directly from the address book, this responds to the demand for greater control over the personalization of contact data.
Another novelty that stands out is the WPA3 support, the latest standard in Wi-Fi security, providing the possibility of connecting to wireless networks with this protocol. In addition, improvements have been introduced in the system configurator in the management of Wi-Fi networks:
- Added option to display saved passwords for WPA3 networks.
- Connection to hidden WPA3 networks has been enabled.
To improve the usability of Bluetooth in Ubuntu Touch, the System Configurator now allows hiding unknown devices that may appear in searches for nearby devices.
Ubuntu Touch OTA-8 Focal too incorporates several library and component updates essential system updates, improving performance and security. Some of the most important updates include:
- libgbinder-radio updated to version 1.6.0.
- ofono-binder-plugin updated to version 1.1.20.
- lineageos-apndb and qtwebengine updated to version 5.15.18+dfsg-1.
- Security patches have been ported to fix bugs and vulnerabilities in the oFono telephony stack.
Another key addition in this version is the inclusion of dmsetup utility, which allows for low-level logical volume management. This tool is essential for managing partitions and storage on advanced devices.
Of the other changes that stand out:
- Lomiri Address Book: Added option to remove contact avatars.
- Lomiri Messaging App: Fixed a bug related to filtering values in the Messaging App.
- Morph Browser: The touch selection menu has been disabled via an environment variable.
- Lomiri Online Accounts Plugins: Fixed an issue where Nextcloud and OwnCloud passwords were recorded in plain text during account creation.
- Ofono, Ofono-Sailfish, and Ofono-UBports: Security patches have been applied that address several vulnerabilities mentioned in recent CVEs.
- Pulseaudio-Module-Droid-Discover: Improved initialization of module arguments from environment variables, avoiding possible audio management failures.
System and Kernel Improvements - Mir-Android2-Platform: Fixed incorrect usage of the sync framework on Linux 4.7+ and HWC2, optimizing compatibility with newer devices.
- Ubuntu-Touch-Core: Added dmsetup to improve logical volume management.
- Ubuntu-Touch-Session: Improved the way pulseaudio-modules-droid additional parameters are retrieved, allowing for more flexible configuration based on environment variables.
Download and get Ubuntu Touch OTA-8 Focal
For those interested in trying out the new release, you should know that the Ubuntu Touch OTA-8 Focal update supports the following models: the F(x)tec Pro1 X, Fairphone 3, 3+, and 4, as well as the Google Pixel 3a and 3a XL. The JingPad A1 and several OnePlus models, including the OnePlus 5, 5T, 6, 6T, Nord N10 5G, and Nord N100, can also run this release. You can also check out the full list of supported devices at following link
For those interested in being able to install the update immediately, they should enable ADB access and run the following command on `adb shell`:
sudo system-image-cli -v -p 0 --progress dots
With this the device should download the update and install it. This process may take a while, depending on your download speed.