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The smartphone platform war is over, at least for the time being. Blackberry OS has gone with the wind. Windows Phone has finally faded away into dust. Firefox OS died an unceremonious death. But one small open source software operating system called Ubuntu Touch continues to live in a very tiny corner.
Ubuntu Touch is a tiny blip on the smartphone map – that is if you really zoom in. If you do not zoom, it does not exist to the eye. But it is there and to be found running on less than 200,000 smartphones. It is interesting that when all the big names are gone, the 3rd smartphone platform left standing is perhaps the least known one.
Ubuntu Touch by UBports
The funny thing is that Ubuntu mobile was on its way out too, having been discontinued by Canonical. A community of enthusiasts called UBports took it up and have kept it going. Ubuntu Touch is the touch-friendly mobile version of Ubuntu. This OS is developed and maintained by UBports, an international community of passionate volunteers.
Great Software Initiative; No New Hardware
Ubuntu Touch is good software, but it faces a severe problem. There have been no new Ubuntu phones announced in 2 years. That is a long time in mobile. But that is not deterring the UBports community.
What they do is work to make the software compatible with a range of smartphones and tablets that are already in the market. So, you can buy those devices and then install Ubuntu Touch in them, same way you can buy a laptop and decide whether to install Windows or some Linux flavour.
Could this be a forerunner of a coming age in which we will be able to install any mobile software on any hardware of our choice? The current list of Ubuntu Touch compatible devices include: Fairphone 2, Nexus 5, OnePlus One, and BQ Aquaris M10 FHD tablet. There is a another, longer list of work-in-progress devices .
I was unable to install the new version of Ubuntu Touch on my BQ Aquaris E4.5 Ubuntu Edition when I tried it out last year. It used to be on the list of supported devices, but is no more listed there. I might give it a go again sometime. In the meantime, if you want the flagship Ubuntu smartphone, Meizu PRO 5 Ubuntu Edition is what to get. It was released in 2016.
Ubuntu Touch for Privacy And Community
Ubuntu Touch remains a niche platform, but it offers freedom from Google and Apple’s constant invasion of user privacy. UBports claims that Ubuntu Touch “keeps you secure because most unsafe parts are blocked by default; the only way that the peepers and creepers can get a peek is if you invite them”.
Ubuntu Touch OS has a small community of users who value privacy. It doesn’t look like it is going to grow big any time soon, if ever. But Ubuntu Touch lives on. For now.
Author:Mister Mobility
Digital Skills and Communication Coach | Mobile Phone Connoisseur since 2001 | Tech Blogging since 2004
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If you have owned and used a 4G LTE smartphone with two 4G SIM cards in it, you will have noticed that only one of the SIM slots connect to 4G LTE at a time. The other SIM card is forced to switch to 2G, or in the case of a 4G only SIM, it does not pick a network. Dual SIM Dual VoLTE technology solves that problem.
Dual SIM Dual VoLTE Means 4G LTE On Both SIMs
In other words, a smartphone with Dual SIM Dual VoLTE technology will allow you connect to two 4G networks at the same time for both data and voice over LTE. You will no longer have to go without 4G on one SIM when you have it active on the other line.
Dual SIM Dual VoLTE is a new technology. As such, not a lot of dual SIM smartphones support active 4G on both SIM cards yet. But the technology will gain acceptance. Besides Qualcomm, MediaTek, and Spreadtrum, Huawei’s Kirin chips are getting Dual SIM Dual VoLTE as well.
Phones With Dual SIM Dual VoLTE
If you do need a phone with Dual SIM Dual 4G support right now, here is a short list to pick from:
- Huawei P20 Pro
- Honor View 10
- Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro
- Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1
- Oppo F7
Responding to a tweet, HMD Global’s chief product officer says that the Nokia 7 Plus will get Dual SIM Dual VoLTE added to it soon:
Thanks Sid for the awesome review and don’t worry, 2nd sim will support LTE shortly! — Juho Sarvikas (@sarvikas) May 4, 2018
https://d-18845531441374875590.ampproject.net/2106072053000/frame.html That suggests that the Snapdragon 660 has the hardware built in and the phone simply needs software to enable it. So, it looks like a software update adding Dual SIM Dual VoLTE will happen soon.
Now that you know what Dual SIM Dual VoLTE is, you can determine whether it is a serious need of yours and whether you will add it to your smartphone feature shopping list.
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Author:Mister Mobility
Digital Skills and Communication Coach | Mobile Phone Connoisseur since 2001 | Tech Blogging since 2004
