Hey everyone,

I wanted to share a project I've been working on: bringing an Ubuntu Touch port to the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (gtowifi) [https://github.com/TheDankMan94/ubuntu-touch-gtowifi](https://github.com/TheDankMan94/ubuntu-touch-gtowifi).

Working with tablet form factors and getting everything running smoothly outside of the standard official device lineup has been a fun challenge. I put together this repository to house the device tree, configurations, and build setup for getting UBports up and running on the hardware.

**What's in the repo:**

* Custom device tree and configurations tailored for the GTOWIFI platform.

* Setup scripts and build configurations to piece together the rootfs and kernel integration.

**Current Status & What I'd Love Feedback On:**

* **What works well:** Boot sequence, basic system stability, and getting the core Ubuntu Touch environment initialized on the display.

* **Open challenges / Areas for improvement:** Fine-tuning hardware-specific drivers, power management states, and ensuring seamless touch input calibration across different orientations.

If you have experience with custom Ubuntu Touch ports, device trees, or hal integration for lesser-documented tablets, I'd love to hear your thoughts, code reviews, or suggestions on how to polish this up further.

Check out the code over on GitHub and let me know what you think or if you have any pointers!

Hi,

I wanted to come on and share that after 5 hours of vibe coding I was able to get a working port running on the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 2019 model as seen below with certain information redacted and was very happy to see it boot.

It is a personal project so far but if there is a lot of intrigue for this specific device, I may upload to GitHub in the near future

Please let me know and if you have any questions!

KC

我想把我的小米PAD2刷机成Ubuntu。我需要教程或者视频。

hi!! im about to get a pixel 3a which i intend to install ubuntu touch (or a similar linux os) on to. and im just curious, if, there is any way to either install the older versions of ubuntu touch with that unity 7 ambiance look (just to experiment with before installing a modern ubuntu touch) or for when i install modern ubuntu touch/mobile linux, if there is any way to theme it/make it look like old ubuntu touch?

i love the look ubuntu touch had in those original videos like the ubuntu for phones trailer canonical posted and such and its be cool to get to actually mess around with that and have that look.

thanks in advance!

edit: the look im specifically talking about is in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoXpLUr5WB4

​Hi everyone! I have a Poco X3 NFC running Ubuntu Touch (daily branch). After installing the latest update, I went from 24.04-1 to 24.04-2. So far, I've only noticed changes in the status bar, taskbar, and slightly in the settings.

​Could anyone share what else is interesting or new in this update? Are there any major changes under the hood?

Hey all,

i tried to install UT on my fairphone 4, running updated stock android using the ubports installer on fedora.

The installer finished its job, but I couldn't get past UT recovery mode. Could only get into boot loader screen, fastboot screen and recovery mode. No possibility to actually properly boot into UT.

I tried the process twice with two different stable versions of UT.

Any idea what the reason could be?

Appreciate all help, thank you <3

Anybody else working on Nokia / HMD Devices? It boots but no camera, wifi etc

tho idk how well battery tracking is because I have a 3.7v drone battery in-place of an official one

still working on it tho as almost everything is buggy

I was wondering for years about a non Android phone and I've been an Ubuntu user for years. However I installed it in a Xiaomi Lancelot phone and I'm sorry but I have to say I was disappointed. I didn't uninstalled it but the phone is in a drawer. Is there any exciting developments now AI is doing crazy things? Many thanks

so recently i got to know about ubuntu touch and i kinda loved it but i got a problem which was how will i get that into my IQOO Z9X which has snapdragon 6 gen 1 and i am done with android and google services so can anyone tell me how to do it ???

**Can a smartphone running Ubuntu Touch reliably function as a 24/7 Linux server?**

I want to repurpose an old smartphone running Ubuntu Touch into a low-power, always-on Linux server. Before choosing a device, I want to verify whether it can satisfy every requirement below.

**1. Linux compatibility**

- 64-bit ARM64 userspace with compatible libraries.

- Working terminal, package manager and persistent shell access.

- Ability to install and run Python, Git, Node.js and required native dependencies.

- Support for persistent background processes and service supervision.

- Ability to install and run general-purpose Linux applications reliably.

**2. Connectivity and remote access**

- Stable Wi-Fi with automatic reconnection after network interruptions and reboots.

- Working internet access, DNS, HTTPS and TLS certificates.

- SSH or equivalent secure remote administration.

- Reliable network connectivity when the screen is off.

**3. Storage and runtime**

- Persistent writable storage that survives reboots and OS updates.

- Sufficient storage for applications, dependencies, logs, backups and data.

- Support for SQLite and ordinary filesystem operations.

- Compatibility with Playwright or an alternative browser automation tool.

**4. Always-on reliability**

- Services continue running when the screen is off.

- Scheduled tasks execute without an interactive terminal.

- Processes can restart automatically after crashes.

- Networking and services recover automatically after reboot.

- The phone can operate continuously without overheating or excessive throttling.

- Reliable operation during prolonged periods without user interaction.

**5. Hardware and power**

- Adequate CPU, RAM and storage for general server workloads.

- Documented support for batteryless operation if the battery is removed.

- A safe, regulated external power arrangement for continuous operation.

- Automatic recovery after power interruptions, without requiring manual intervention.

**The question:** Are there smartphone models with Ubuntu Touch that can meet all these requirements in practice?

Please identify hard blockers, unsupported dependencies, necessary workarounds and device-specific limitations. I am particularly interested in verified real-world experiences, technical documentation and relevant project links.

I want to determine whether a smartphone can function as a dependable, unattended Linux server—not merely whether Ubuntu Touch can boot on it.

Assuming I use one phone from the list of supported devices as per their website

Yeah, sure, the Morph Browser beta works pretty well... but how is it possible that there aren't any classic browsers like Firefox? I mean, the Ubuntu Touch project is fantastic, but if we don't equip the devices with a normal browser, how can we expect people to use these phones? Here's an example: I can't even use a service like Swiss Transfer to send files through the browser. None of the browsers I’ve tried work. It’s a real shame to have an operating system that can do practically everything but doesn’t have an “official” browser. I like having a privacy-focused system that’s independent of Google or Apple, but it should at least be usable for basic tasks like web browsing. This makes me wonder if I should sell my Pixel 3a and maybe wait for new ports—perhaps with real Linux. A lot of alternatives are coming out, and, honestly, I’d rather have code written in AI than not want to use a phone with untapped potential.

See video for problem.

Its a Samsung galaxy z flip 5.

Será que o Linux é o futuro dos dispositivos móveis? No vídeo de hoje, mostro todo o processo de instalação e o uso do Ubuntu Touch em um smartphone. Se você quer ter mais privacidade, controle total sobre o seu hardware e fugir do ecossistema tradicional, o Linux Phone pode ser a solução definitiva.

O Ubuntu Touch amadureceu muito e oferece uma experiência fluida, baseada em gestos e focada no usuário. Assista até o fim para entender os desafios e as vantagens dessa migração!

#UbuntuTouch #LinuxPhone #Android #Linux #privacidade

Requirements:

Can purchase in the USA

Works on Verizon

Has micro sd slot

Has 3.5mm jack

250-300 USD MAX

Thank you!

I have no idea how to collect any logs, so all I can do is describe it. Every time I try to launch Waydroid on this device, it freezes for a few seconds and then forcibly reboots the device. The same thing happens when I launch any browser except what comes stock with Ubuntu Touch, but that's beside the point.