How Ubuntu Touch is linked to android

jeridab · 18 Sept 2022, 17:00

Good evening every one,

I am wondering myself how the Ubuntu Touch is linked to android...
Indeed is android the basis of Ubuntu Touch? I am checking this page here: https://devices.ubuntu-touch.io/
and we see that under Specifications that a device is based on a android version.

Is Ubuntu Touch related with android, and how?
I did not find a complete and detailed information about it.

Can you help me on this topic?

Thank you in advance for your feedback / support.

stanwood · 18 Sept 2022, 17:35

Hi and welcome there

Ubuntu Touch is not based on Android, but on Ubuntu.
It is a GNU/Linux distribution based on Ubuntu repositories and adapted to smartphones and tablets.

Ubuntu Touch uses a hardware abstraction layer, called "Halium", to decode the hardware of the device to run the operating system on a device originally provided with Android.

To be able to use Android applications, it is possible, on a certain number of devices, to install an emulator, or rather a "WayDroid" container (a bit like Wine for GNU/Linux) whose functionalities are correct but for the moment limited.

jeridab · 18 Sept 2022, 18:33

Thank you @stanwood for your feedback.
I will just love it if Ubuntu Touch is based on GNU/Linux.

To be able to use Android applications, it is possible, on a certain number of devices

No, indeed I am looking for a OS free from GAFAM, and therefore free from android. No need to use android applications for our (private) life.

But if Ubuntu Touch is independent from android, why do we read into Specifications android versions, for example:

Am I missing something, am I misunderstanding something?

Moem · 18 Sept 2022, 18:39

@jeridab said in How Ubuntu Touch is linked to android:

But if Ubuntu Touch is independent from android, why do we read into Specifications android versions

Because that Android version puts the partitions the way that the installer needs and expects.

CiberSheep · 18 Sept 2022, 19:04

Probably this is already answered already

https://forums.ubports.com/topic/5751/ubports-ubuntu-touch-android-what-s-what

https://forums.ubports.com/topic/7867/does-ubuntu-touch-actually-replace-android-or-does-it-somehow-run-on-top-of-it/2