The community of developers continuing to maintain Ubuntu Touch for smartphones has released the Ubuntu Touch 24.04-2.0 beta ahead of the planned stable release in mid-July.

Ubuntu Touch 24.04-2.0 continues relying on the Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package base as implied by the name but with some notable upgrades like jumping from Chromium 87 to Chromium 134 for its Morph web browser base. The other big change for end users in this Ubuntu Touch update is beginning to deal with smartphones having display "notches" and rounded corners on the display.

Ubuntu Touch 24.04-2.0 cab now avoid notches/cutouts at the top of the display, commonly used with modern smartphones for the front camera area. Via per-device configurations, Ubuntu Touch 24.04-2.0 can properly avoid such rounded corner and notched out areas.

Another user-facing change coming with Ubuntu Touch 24.04-2.0 is having a screenshot editor for the Lomiri shell. Plus improved mobile data connection reliability, user data encryption is no longer experimental for devices supporting FSCRYPT v2, new emojis, and other general bug fixes.

Among the devices ready to be supported by Ubuntu Touch 24.04-2.0 (beta) include F(x)tec Pro1X, Fairphone 4, Fairphone 5, Lenovo Tab M10 HD 2nd Gen WiFi / LTE, Nothing Phone (1) (new in this release), Rabbit R1, Sony Xperia X, Volla Phone, Volla Phone X, Volla Phone 22, Volla Phone X23, Volla Phone Quintus, Volla Phone Plinius, Xiaomi Poco X3 / X3 NFC, and new device support for the Zinwa Q25.

Downloads and more details on today's beta release via UBports.com.