14 DAY TRIAL // The Ubuntu Touch family has just received a new member, and the developers will need to take into account the fact that a new platform is out there, in the hands of regular users. It also means that a new code name is needed, and in this case it's "arale."
If you think about it, Canonical developers are now working on Ubuntu Touch, and they need to take into consideration quite a few platforms. There are the two phones from BQ, the Aquaris E4.5 and Aquaris E5 HD, the new Meizu MX4, and the old Nexus 4 reference device. If we add the Nexus 7, which is still supported, you will notice that there are quite a few. All of these will add to what Ubuntu devs need to take into consideration when working on a new update.
Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition was put on sale just yesterday, so the developers now have yet another platform to look after. It also means that some new release channels will be made available, although you won't stumble upon them unless you are really looking.
The next OTA update is still a few weeks away
Ubuntu developers released a new OTA just last week, so it will be a while until a new version is made available. The team says that it aims to push one major update each month, but it's not a fixed schedule.
"As per other announcements, now everyone has a chance to buy a Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Touch phone after participating in the small promotion game on the Meizu webpage. Check it out if you're interested! The official codename of the device is arale. There's still work to be done on this platform, but we're all working on it. It's not easy managing so many devices at once," Łukasz 'sil2100' Zemczak also wrote on the official mailing list.
Ubuntu fans can try to get an invite for the new Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition, but it's likely that the phone will be made available in greater numbers in the coming months.