At the beginning of February, Martin Wimpress, the former head of the Ubuntu desktop, told us about a revamped installer that they would start using as of Ubuntu 21.10. His name is Subiquity, and it’s like an updated version of the Ubiquity that is used today. To stick to reality, what it is is a version of Subiquity that is already used in, for example, Ubuntu Server, but with an interface or GUI that will be familiar to those who already used Ubiquity.
For a few hours, Canonical’s design team has shared screenshots of the entire installation process, 17 captures that we can see from this link. The one at the top of this article is what we’ll see when the operating system has completed its installation, and here are a few more. Those interested in seeing them all, you can do it from the previous link.
Subiquity and Ubiquity could coexist in Ubuntu 21.10
The interface is created with Flutter. Most reminds a lot of Ubiquity with slight tweaks, but there are some screenshots, like selecting the disk size, that are totally different in Subiquity. In any case, almost all Linux installers look alike, and I don’t think the new installer Canonical is working on will complicate anyone’s life.
This will not be the default installer starting Ubuntu 21.04 in no official flavor. Canonical’s intention is to have a preview version for Ubuntu 21.10, the version that will arrive this October, so we do not know what will happen. There are probably two installers, but there will be one only in Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, and the option chosen will be the one you have above these lines.
The closest release, Hirsute Hippo, will take place on April 22, and by then everything will still be the same. Days after, When the Daily Builds of 10/21 are released, we will start to see the new installer.
