14 DAY TRIAL // Canonical has launched Ubuntu Touch 13.10 along with the desktop version, but users don't really know what to expect. We have prepared a short list of present and missing features of the new operating system.
Even if Canonical managed to deliver a working operating system for mobile phones, more precisely for Nexus 4 devices, just in time for the Ubuntu 13.10 (Saucy Salamander) launch, it doesn't mean that you should wipe your Android and start fresh.
Ubuntu Touch 13.10 is working, but it's still in its incipient phases. Users will have access to basic features like voice calls and SMS messages, and the phone can connect to Wi-Fi networks.
A basic Contacts application is present along with a minimalistic Browser, a Gallery, and a pretty good Camera app.
This is pretty much what you can expect from Ubuntu Touch. The performance and speed of the operating system is also quite slow. This is because it's using the Mir display server, which is a very young technology.
The battery lifetime is also a problem, as Ubuntu Touch consumes a lot more than Android on the same hardware, not to mention the fact that it's also prone to crashes and freezes.
Don't expect any miracles from Ubuntu Touch. It's not ready yet to fight in the big leagues, but Canonical is updating the operating system almost on a daily basis, which means that it's going to get a lot better really soon.