Ubuntu 24.04 LTS “Noble Numbat” beta is now available for community testing. This release, however, saw a slight delay; a decision stemmed from a recent security incident involving the xz/liblzma vulnerability, which led to the decision to rebuild the entire release with the patched version of the library in question.
OpenSUSE also took a similar approach a bit earlier for its Tumbleweed. Now, back to the topic.
Powered by Linux kernel 6.8, the Ubuntu 24.04 LTS beta release is packed with new features and improvements, notably:
- Desktop Installer Enhancements: Significant visual and functional upgrades, including new accessibility settings, autoinstall configuration imports, and advanced encryption options.
- GNOME 46 Integration: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS will feature GNOME 46, offering the latest enhancements and features from the GNOME project, including Wayland as the default session and new connectivity options with Microsoft OneDrive.
- App Center & Firmware Updater: A refined App Center for application management and a new graphical tool for firmware updates, enhancing user experience and device compatibility.
- Netplan 1.0: The official release of Netplan, a utility for easily configuring networking, introduces enhanced network management capabilities, from complex configurations to improved NetworkManager integration.
- Expanded Support: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS aims to support newer hardware like Raspberry Pi 5.
Moreover, Canonical is keen to deliver a seamless Ubuntu experience across various platforms. In light of this, testers with different hardware configurations, including Raspberry Pi 4 and 5, and those using Ubuntu on WSL or VM software, are invited to participate.
The final stable release of Ubuntu 24.04 LTS “Noble Numbat” is set for two weeks from now, landing on April 25. The installation ISO image of the beta is available here for those interested in trying it out, as the announcement provides more information about this release.
