This document discusses Ubuntu Touch, an open-source operating system for phones and tablets. It provides an overview of Canonical, the developer of Ubuntu Touch, and describes key aspects of the Ubuntu Touch architecture like the use of scopes to deliver content. It also covers topics like customizing Ubuntu Touch through colors, backgrounds, preinstalled content and more.

1. 开放原码手机操作系统 Ubuntu Phone
架构、移植与刷机
2014-09-20 Rex Tsai <rex.tsai@canonical.com>
Software Freedom Day @ Chinese Academy Of Sciences, Beijing
© 2014 Canonical Ltd. Ubuntu and Canonical are registered trademarks of Canonical Ltd.

2. Introducing Canonical and Ubuntu
600+
London
EMPLOYEES
Boston Beijing
30+
COUNTRIES
2004
FOUNDED
Canonical has been developing operating
systems since 2004, and is now extending
the Ubuntu OS on mobile devices.
Ubuntu is an open-source operating
system, currently established on server,
cloud, desktop and thin client.
Taipei

3. 各种屏幕，优雅体验
融合的操作系统
支持桌机、智慧型手机、平板等
单一开发平台
支持跨产品应用与服务
以及
嵌入系统安全
用户认证系统
交易服务
完单一平台
多种大小、功能的硬件外貌

4. 桌机版本与行动版本差异性
软件包
Rootfs is still debian package
New click packages
安全性OTA 升級
Readonly rootfs
Upgrading the whole system image.
app confinemen environment and security
policies.
Sandboxing by Apparmor
•
软件架构
Mir display server
Qt-based software framework
HTML5

5. Ubuntu Phone支持以下开发方式
Scopes
C++ backend code (no UI)
Lowest effort
Greatest visibility
HTML5
Native/QML
Declarative Language (C++ optional)
Great developer support/Documentation (Digia)
High Developer productivity
Aligned with HTML5 developer critical mass :
• Chrome, Android, iOS
• Webkit/Blink rendering engine
• Apache/Cordova API for offline

6. Scope

7. Scopes terminology
Scope
The search engine itself, talking to a web service or a local database. Its visible representation is a
Dash page.
Standalone scope
A scope that presents a single set of results and queries one single source
Aggregating scope
A scope that acts as a container for multiple standalone scopes. Every scope can be an aggregating
scope, which enable richer content on their Dash pages
Dash page
The visible part of the scope: dash pages present the scope’s search interface and its results. Dash
pages can be marked as favourites, so that they are always pinned in the Dash.

8. Differentiate where it matters with Ubuntu
Ubuntu is designed to allow for OEM and
Operator differentiation, at the default
service layer, without fragmentation
Ubuntu enables partners to build their own
footprint on Ubuntu devices, creating a rich
core OS experience with scopes
Unprecedented customization capabilities
in comparison to Android and other platforms:
● user account - own user identity
● default UX - with scopes and default apps
● branding and theming - own visual identity
● backend integration -i.e. carrier billing
1
2
3

9. Scopes | A New UI Paradigm
A user experience where content is front and center
Scopes are a a UI toolkit to present
local or remote content and services
in the home screen
Differentiate your device with scopes
to deliver your own default experience
Discoverability of apps, services and
content from multiple sources:
● users are no longer forced to decide
which store to use
● users can focus on finding content
quickly

10. Scopes are fast and engaging
Scopes are a fast and engaging way to embed your services in Ubuntu
Self Service Deal finder LBS Service

11. Scopes expose content and services in a rich and engaging
way - allowing OEMs and Operators to differentiate their
offerings in an unprecedented fashion.
Scopes are the tool that defines the core OS experience
delivering content as part of the device UI - a direct channel
to the user.
● The default pages use Scopes to deliver music, video and
apps curated from a number of different sources.
● A scope can deliver information and content to existing
pages or can exist as dedicated device pages.
● Harness the power of Scopes to mix and match a variety of
content to create targeted services (e.g. dedicated pages
for sports fans, city guides, operator self-service etc.)
● Scopes are a breeze to develop. Through a common UI
toolkit, pages are easy to design and layout and the results
are always elegant.
Scopes explained

12. Scopes registry

13. Scopes data flow

14. 架构概览

15. Ubuntu 软件堆栈

16. High level architecture using ARM or x86 Android chipset
Using Android BSP
We recommend choosing
a stable and proven
hardware platform
Hardware bring up and validation
significantly shortened due to
common architecture
1 2
Apps Scopes Shell, Home
Unity 8, QT, Application Services
Ubuntu Platform
Linux Kernel
AAL
Libraries: OpenGL ES, WiFi, Sensors
Android Devices Drivers

17. Ubuntu License

18. List of ports by community
● Acer Iconia A700
● AT&T S3
● Dell Streak 7
● Desire HD
● Droid 3
● Droid bionic
● Galaxy Nexus 4/7/10
● Galaxy Note N700 port
● Galaxy R
● Galaxy S
● Galaxy s2
● Galaxy s2 skyrocket [AT&T]
● Galaxy s3[sprint]
● Galaxy s3 [Verizon]
● Galaxy tab 2
● HP Touchpad
● HTC Desire
● HTC Desire S
● HTC EVO 4G LTE
● HTC one X+ AT&T
● HTC Sensation
● HTC Vision Desire Z/G2
● Huawei mediapad
● Iconia A500
● Infinity tf700
● Kindle fire
● Kindle fire 2
● Kindle fire HD 8.9
● LGE Optimus Black
● LG optimus 2x
● LG Optimus L9
● LG P930 NITRO HD
● Micromax Canvas HD
● Motorola Defy/ DEfy+
● Motorola droid razr
● Motorola zoom
● My touch 4g
● Nexus One
● Nexus S
● Note 10.1 N8000
● Note 2
● One X
● RK2918 Tablets
● S3 International i9300
● Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 inch (original)
● TF101 Eee Pad Transformer
● T-Mobile s3
● Verizon Galaxy Nexus
● Wave and wave 2 (yes bada)
● Xperia Neo V
● Xperia S
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2182442
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Touch/Devices

19. Hardware enablement

20. Boot process

21. Stages
1. Kernel enablement & Ubuntu core.
o A busybox shell through adb
console
o Test disk I/O using gzip
compression/decompression on
various partitions. This process can
help find driver level errors
2. Integrate LXC & Android system service.
o A Ubuntu prompt through adb, and
LXC is running properly
o Observe upstart-property-watcher
running in the background
3. Full system integration.
o Ubuntu Unity UI appears on the
screen
o Start verifying higher level
functionality such as Wifi,
telephony, etc.

22. Image Components
Device tarball
The Device tarball contains the Ubuntu equivalent of an Android BSP. Each individual mobile device
will have its own specific device tarball.
Ubuntu tarball
The Ubuntu tarball is considered the “standard” Ubuntu Touch image. As much as possible, it is
common across all Ubuntu Touch devices. This design helps to prevent fragmentation of deployed
devices.
Custom tarball
The Custom tarball is the officially supported method for all Ubuntu Touch downstream consumers,
ranging from commercial OEMs to community remixes, to modify the look, feel, and behavior of
Ubuntu Touch.

23. Deployment

24. Images
– Boot imageThis is flashed to the boot partition and is given control by the bootloader in ROM.
This is a device dependent image containing the kernel and the initramfs needed to boot
Ubuntu. The initramfs userland bits follow the armhf ABI since it is built from Ubuntu sources.
The kernel is ABI agnostic since it does not use floating point functionality.
– Recovery (Clockworkmod Recovery image)Optional for running the device but necessary for
OTA upgrades and also usually a good first step when porting Android to a device. This is a
Clockworkmod Recovery image with Ubuntu patches, so it is built from the Android tree.
git://phablet.ubuntu.com/CyanogenMod/android_bootable_recovery
– System images This is built from the Android source tree and contains only the bare
minimum needed for Ubuntu (Android HAL, initramfs, bionic, vendor blobs and daemons).
Building Android apps, assets and the Dalvik runtime are disabled among other things.
This image is mounted inside an LXC container in the Ubuntu host filesystem and it contains
the Android proprietary drivers and is running the Android helper daemons needed to have
proper support for all the hardware peripherals that are not natively supported by Ubuntu and
open source drivers. Executables in this image use the armel ABI.
– The Ubuntu root file system imageThis is a device independent image containing the Ubuntu
Touch userland, the closes equivalent to a regular Ubuntu Desktop filesystem. This gets
booted to, and in turn mounts and runs the Android system image inside an LXC container.
This is built from the official Ubuntu package archives and by adding a few prebuilt Click
packages.

25. Deploying Ubuntu system
Recovery utils
● ubuntu-device-flash (lp:/ubuntu/goget-ubuntu-touch)
o File upload & config protocol - adb
Recovery system
o based on CWM.
o adb is always on.
o system-image-upgrader
 /cache
● Read restore script from /cache/recovery/ubuntu_command
o GPG verification
 archive-master.tar.xz
 archive-master.tar.xz.asc

26. Dual boot
● Ubuntu Dual Boot Installer is provided to developers who want
to contribute to development of Ubuntu Touch and give them
an ability to run Ubuntu and Android on a single device.
● Installer script to deploy apk
● Replace the original recovery image as boot image.
● An Android app to manage image and reboot to right O.S.
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Touch/DualBootInstallation
https://launchpad.net/humpolec

27. Easy customization of look, feel, and
behavior

28. Image Components
Device tarball
The Device tarball contains the Ubuntu equivalent of an Android BSP. Each individual mobile device
will have its own specific device tarball.
Ubuntu tarball
The Ubuntu tarball is considered the “standard” Ubuntu Touch image. As much as possible, it is
common across all Ubuntu Touch devices. This design helps to prevent fragmentation of deployed
devices.
Custom tarball
The Custom tarball is the officially supported method for all Ubuntu Touch downstream consumers,
ranging from commercial OEMs to community remixes, to modify the look, feel, and behavior of
Ubuntu Touch.

29. Customization
● Backgrounds
Normal Unity Shell background and the Welcome Screen background.
o Shell background
o Welcome Screen background
● Color Schemes
o Customized themes
o Infographic color scheme
the series of circles on the Welcome Screen that displays user’s data
● Audio
● Default Browser settings
o Bookmarks
o home page
● Preinstalling Content
o click packages
o sample content.

30. References
● Ubuntu Developer http://developer.ubuntu.com/
o Scope http://developer.ubuntu.com/scopes/overview/
● Mir: Welcome to Mir http://unity.ubuntu.com/mir/
● Touch - Ubuntu Wiki https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Touch
o Touch/Porting https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Touch/Porting
o Touch/Deploying https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Touch/Deploying
● OEM Customization http://developer.ubuntu.com/resources/oem/
o Ubuntu Image Architecture http://developer.ubuntu.com/resources/oem/architecture/
● Ubuntu Touch Ports http://forum.xda-developers.com/ubuntu-touch/android-ports
● Ubuntu Phone - https://lists.launchpad.net/ubuntu-phone/