Ubuntu 23.04 “Lunar Lobster” is Available for Download. This is What’s New

Ubuntu 23.04 “Lunar Lobster” is now available for download, featuring a new Flutter-based installer, GNOME 44, a minimal ISO image, and Snap and Flatpak updates.

Ubuntu 23.04, codenamed “Lunar Lobster”, has been released as the first short-term version of 2023. It will receive support for nine months until January 2024. This version focuses on enhancing Ubuntu’s core backend and adopting new packages and technology to prepare for next year’s LTS release (Ubuntu 24.04).

One of the most significant changes in this release is the new Flutter-based desktop installer, which is finally ready to be experienced after more than two years of development. The old Ubiquity installer has been replaced by the brand-new installer, which offers a more modern look and feels with improved widget controls.

Although sources suggest that the old installer will remain available, it is unclear how it will be accessed since the default live medium launches the new installer.

Ubuntu 23.04’s desktop version includes GNOME 44, which brings several long-awaited updates. For example, the native file picker dialog now offers image previews, and Files has a new expanded folder (or tree view) feature that can be enabled in the settings. GNOME 44 also includes improvements to the accessibility settings page and the GNOME Web browser.

For the first time, the Ubuntu team is introducing an official minimal ISO image of less than 200MB, which can be used to create custom Ubuntu Linux. However, it requires an internet connection for downloading packages and eventually makes the entire desktop with Snap and other packages. You can learn more about it in this article. I did a walkthrough of the new installer and its features as of the current version.

There are also some significant changes related to Snap and Flatpak packages. The official Telegram desktop app for Ubuntu now uses Snap, and the Steam desktop client is expected to be released as a Snap package by the end of the year. Additionally, the default Flatpak and Flathub integration has been removed from all supported Ubuntu flavours, including Ubuntu MATE and Kubuntu. However, users can still install Flatpak with a few easy steps.

In addition, Ubuntu Desktop 23.04 is introducing cloud-based desktop authentication using Azure Active Directory (Azure AD). This feature can be an advantage to enterprise customers who use Microsoft account for their employees and deploys Ubuntu. Ubuntu becomes the first Linux distribution to offer this.

Furthermore, all the official Ubuntu flavours are upgraded to their latest stable release. This release also introduces a new official flavour: “Ubuntu Cinnamon”. At the core, Ubuntu 23.04 is powered by Linux Kernel 6.2, bringing the latest hardware support. Here’s a summary of the applications and flavours.

• Linux Kernel 6.2
• Firefox 111 (Snap)
• LibreOffice 7.5
• Transmission 3.0
• Shotwell image viewer 0.30
• Kubuntu with KDE Plasma 5.27
• Xubuntu with Xfce 4.18
• Ubuntu MATE 23.04 with MATE desktop 1.26.1
• Lubuntu 23.04 with LXQt 1.2
• Ubuntu Budgie with Budgie desktop version 10.7
• GCC 13
• GlibC 2.37
• Ruby 3.1
• golang 1.2
• LLVM 16

As of publishing this, the official sites are being updated with the release of ISO files. You can download using the below links.

If you are planning to upgrade, visit this page for instructions.

Ubuntu 23.04 Lunar Lobster offers several new features and improvements, making it a worthwhile update for Ubuntu enthusiasts. Whether you’re interested in the new desktop installer, the updated GNOME 44, or the minimal ISO image, this release has something for everyone.

Try it today!

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