Countdown to KDE Plasma 6: Release Date Announced

The KDE team has been hard at work, and they’re thrilled to announce the release date for KDE Plasma 6, the first instalment of the new “six” series.

This release has been a long time coming, marked by extensive porting, development efforts, and numerous bug fixes.

The final release of KDE Plasma 6 is slated for February 28, 2024.

But that’s not all; there are some crucial milestones and new features that we’ll delve into.

Here’s a quick rundown of what you can expect in the coming months:

Tentative Timeline:

8 November 2023: Alpha – Featuring KDE Gear 24.01.75, KDE Plasma 5.80.0, and KDE Frameworks 5.245.0.
29 November 2023: Beta 1 – Featuring KDE Gear 24.01.80, KDE Plasma 5.90.0, and KDE Frameworks 5.246.0.
20 December 2023: Beta 2 – Featuring KDE Gear 24.01.85, KDE Plasma 5.91.0, and KDE Frameworks 5.247.0.
10 January 2024: Release Candidate 1 – Featuring KDE Gear 24.01.90, KDE Plasma 5.92.0, and KDE Frameworks 5.248.0.
31 January 2024: Release Candidate 2 – Featuring KDE Gear 24.01.95, KDE Plasma 5.93.0, and KDE Frameworks 5.249.0.
21 February 2024: Private Tarball Release – Featuring KDE Gear 24.02.0, KDE Plasma 6.0, and KDE Frameworks 6.0.

The excitement is real, with the first Alpha release only a few weeks away. This upcoming release marks a significant KDE Plasma strategy change, with two beta and two release candidate versions. This extended testing period, spanning almost four months, is a strong signal of the team’s commitment to delivering a rock-solid experience for end users.

Key Features to Look Forward To

KDE Plasma 6 is set to bring several exciting new features, the most notable of which is the transition to Qt6. But that’s just the beginning:

Basic opt-in HDR support
More types of default apps can be chosen
Islamic calendar support
Conversion between time zones in KRunner
Power profiles OSD
Support for sound themes
New “Ocean” default sound theme
The Autostart KCM now provides detailed technical information about why entries failed to start
Optional automatic background crash reporting
Custom sort ordering for KRunner search results
Overview and Desktop Grid effect combined into one with better gestures
Colorblindness correction filters
Display mirroring/reflection on Wayland

These are just some of the highlights. Expect hundreds of minor changes, including bug fixes, optimizations, and updates across the desktop environment.

To get a sneak peek at this exciting release, you can test it today by using Fedora Qt6 KDE nightly, KaOS ISO, or the KDE Neon Unstable edition. Your feedback and contributions are invaluable in shaping the future of KDE Plasma 6.

The countdown to February 28, 2024, has begun, and we can’t wait to see what KDE Plasma 6 has in store for Linux users. Stay tuned for more updates and insights as we approach the release date.

Via Plasma 6 release plan

Feature image: Entry from Wallpaper competition

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