14 DAY TRIAL // If you're reading our website often, you might have noticed that the Ubuntu Touch OTA-8 software update has been officially announced and that we've written a lengthy article about its new features and bugfixes.
Ubuntu Touch OTA-8 is mostly a feature release, and some of the highlights include two new Scopes (Twitter and Book Aggregator), Web Browser improvements, basic audio playback controls for the Sound indicator, support for in-app purchases, a greatly enhanced Contacts sync functionality, and OTA version number display in Settings.
Now, as expected, the Ubuntu developers will send the OTA-8 update to all supported devices, including Meizu MX4, BQ Aquaris E4.5, BQ Aquaris E5 HD, Nexus 4, and Nexus 7, in phases, which means that during the next 24 hours you might get the update, but not immediately. If you don't see it right now, check again in 12 hours or so.
"As per earlier announcement, OTA-8 is now being phased out to all supported devices - with an ETA somewhere tomorrow," says Łukasz Zemczak. "Remember to let us know as soon as you notice any serious issues after upgrading! We didn't publish the emulator images as they're currently broken."
OTA-9 gets new features and bugfixes
In the meantime, the Ubuntu Touch developers don't waste any time, and they are planning bugfixes and new features for the next major update, the OTA-9, due for release next year, on January 20, 2016. Canonical's Łukasz Zemczak has already sent his daily report today, November 19, to inform us all about the latest work done on OTA-9.
There are no detailed changes at the moment of writing this article, but we would like to inform our readers about the fact that the nightly rc-proposed images for OTA-9 have been delayed for a day because the Ubuntu Touch developers had to prepare the OTA-8 re-spin yesterday, for which they apologize.
Mr. Zemczak also advises users to stay away from the rc-proposed channels because the images uploaded there are not stable and might break their devices. Lastly, the Ubuntu Touch developers say that they will notify us all in the coming weeks if they decide to release a post-OTA-8 hotfix update, if necessary.