As technology companies hunt for software solutions to enhance their production processes to deliver faster, Canonical’s Ubuntu is here with Ubuntu Core 24, a new and enhanced operating system (OS) that’s set to boost how edge computing, AI, robotics and IoT (Internet of Things) device makers develop their products.

So, what does Ubuntu’s new system offer and how will it help its customers? Let’s explore!
 

What Is Ubuntu Core 24?

 

• Through a blog post published on its website, Ubuntu announced the general availability of Ubuntu Core 24, its latest operating system.

• Ubuntu is owned and developed by Canonica, which also published a blog, along with a video introducing Ubuntu Core 24.

• The operating system offers a special-purpose platform that’s optimized for edge computing and IoT (Internet of Things) device makers.

• This includes bringing in support for Matter 1.3, the new smart-home IoT standard, along with Raspberry Pi devices, including the latest Raspberry Pi 5.

• The system, which comes with a 12 year Long Term Support (LTS) commitment, “delivers a new factory installation system for IoT device makers, GPU support for AIoT (Artificial Intelligence of Things) and device management integrations.”

• It also delivers production-ready integrations for robotics developers to deploy solutions with the Robot Operating System (ROS).

• The solution’s optimized factory installation offers faster time to market by cutting the factory installation time needed per device.

• Features of this “immutable” system include rich managed component integration, reliable over-the-air updates, better control for highly regulated environments, offline remodeling and failsafe rollbacks, with every system component put into a set of containers with strict kernel-enforced confinement.

• It also brings new features and integrations for GPU operations and graphics support, allowing developers to embed applications ranging from AI models running inference on the edge, to products that require graphics acceleration.

• With support for Arm, X86 and RISC-V, the system offers a platform for billions of edge devices with enhanced security, a rich app ecosystem and an open infrastructure allowing companies to integrate third-party solutions to fit their deployment needs.

• Ubuntu Core 24 also comes with validation sets, which include signed documents specifying which applications and versions should be installed together.

• Furthermore, Ubuntu Core can be integrated with Ubuntu Frame, its secure display server for embedded Linux, Landscape, its systems management tool and Microsoft Azure IoT Edge.

 

What Did Ubuntu’s CEO Say?

 

• Mark Shuttleworth, CEO of Canonical, said, “Ubuntu Core is the locked-down, hardened, embedded version of Ubuntu, that brings Ubuntu applications to the far edge and enables the next generation of intelligent devices.”

• “In Ubuntu Core 24 we are excited to bring the full AI stack with real-time kernel to the edge, to enable mission-critical decision making for industrial, automotive and security-sensitive embedded solutions.”

 

What Did Ubuntu Core Users Say?

 

• Through its blog post, Ubuntu shared numerous user testimonials of its platform.

• One of them included Dries Oeyen, CTO of BeWell Innovations, saying, “Provisioning and configuring new devices involved a lot of manual steps. But thanks to Ubuntu Core, setting up our medical self-testing kiosks takes 25% of the time it used to. This has helped us manage our rapidly growing device fleet effortlessly across Europe.”

• Robert Martin, VP of Technology at Rehrig Pacific Company, said, “Our technology uses computer vision and deep machine learning to enable 99.9% order accuracy from selection to delivery. Ubuntu Core enables us to deploy our AI models and updates securely and reliably to our fleet of edge systems.”

• [Contd.] “This end-to-end infrastructure makes our systems secure for the most demanding enterprise environments and reduces time to market for new AI applications.”

• Dr. Holger Schnabel, Product Owner at Bosch, said, “Integrating Ubuntu Core into our award-winning automation system, ctrlX AUTOMATION, has significantly streamlined our production process. Ubuntu Core’s image-building capabilities allow us to quickly deploy secure and efficient devices to the market.”

• [Contd.] “Ubuntu Core ensures our control systems operate seamlessly from the first boot, minimising installation times and enhancing device reliability. This efficiency boost not only reduces the production line downtime but also reinforces the trust and high-performance standards Bosch Rexroth is known for.”

Do you think this move by Ubuntu will help it gain a stronger position in the OS market? Do you think its competitors should make similar moves?

Let us know in the comments below!