Must-Know Bits 👇 — A new default audio player. — Proper HDR support finally arriving. — A new Wellbeing feature for tracking screen usage.
If you are running a Linux distribution, then there is a high possibility that GNOME is your desktop environment, as it's the default choice for popular distros like Ubuntu and Fedora.
GNOME features a clean and modern user interface that appeals to many, and the vast ecosystem of apps, extensions, and tools surrounding it really brings the whole package together.
Months after the previous GNOME 47 release, GNOME 48 is set to debut a few weeks from now. It mostly focuses on introducing new core apps and tools, alongside a number of noteworthy refinements.
GNOME 48 Release Schedule
I have referred to official sources for the information mentioned below, with the release calendar being a handy resource for tracking the final release.
Date
Event
January 11
Alpha Release
February 01
Beta Release
March 01
Release Candidate
March 15
Final Release
1. Introduction of Wellbeing
A very welcome addition, the new Wellbeing feature on GNOME 48 takes care of the user's wellbeing by providing a dashboard with important data related to their daily screen usage.
Should the user choose to, they can set a daily screen time limit, reaching which would trigger a notification, directing them to stop using the device. Pairing that with the Grayscale option works really well, as the screen goes black and white, preventing further visual stimulation.
There are also handy eyesight and movement reminders, with the option to tweak the movement break schedule according to one's liking.
Thanks to the work of Jelle van der Waa, limiting the battery charge on laptops is now possible via the Settings app on GNOME, doing away with the need to run commands to achieve the same thing.
Jelle took advantage of UPower's ability to set the charge limit for laptop batteries, where the charge start/end thresholds are set via D-Bus and the settings automatically applied at startup.
For you as the end user, you just have to go into the Power page in the Settings app and look for the “Preserve Battery Health” option under the new “Battery Charging” category. Doing this ensures that your laptop battery lasts longer, preventing the need for pricey replacements later down the line.
3. GNOME Calendar Upgrades
The Calendar app also sees some care, with new design improvements being put in place for the event editor dialog, which now features a new All Day/Time Slot section that refines the flow of event scheduling.
Moreover, it is now possible to select timezones for start and end times for events, easy viewing of weather information in the month view, and updated translations to improve accessibility.
4. Better Flatpak Handling
Just a placeholder image of GNOME Software.
Vastly improving the user experience for Flatpak users, GNOME Software can now handle flatpak+https URIs for flatpakrefs, making it easier for users to install Flatpak applications directly from web links, removing the need to download files and manually locating them for installation.
5. New Default Audio Player
Promoted to a Core app, Decibels is now the default audio playback app in GNOME 48 (and later). Offered here under the “Audio Player” name, Decibels is a minimal audio player that features intuitive audio controls and supports many file formats.
Back when I tested it, my experience with it was good, and the waveform animation that plays in sync with the audio was the main highlight for me. It looks like a great fit for GNOME, with its focus on providing a clean user experience.
Marking a major point in HDR support, the developers have introduced a new HDR configuration option that allows users to easily enable and manage HDR settings from within the Settings app (GNOME Control Center)
With this, users can toggle HDR support for displays using the BT.2100 standard.
Additionally, long-awaited support for the Wayland Color Management Protocol has finally landed with GNOME 48, making way for enhanced color accuracy and management across displays.
One of the GNOME developers has confirmed that the new HDR support significantly improves playback of HDR10 content compared to previous versions. Additionally, another developer has tested its compatibility with various applications, including GTK4, MPV, Mesa Vk, Mesa Vk (with MPV), and Quake II RTX.
7. Miscellaneous Changes
As for the other changes that have arrived with GNOME 48, here are some notable ones:
Introduction of a new wallpaper.
OSD notifications for headphone connections.
Adwaita Fonts as the new default font, replacing Cantarell.
Renaming of the “Color” panel to “Color Management” in Settings.
The gnome-shell-extensions package no longer being part of GNOME Core.
The Maps app now using the system accent color for the user location marker.
Want to try GNOME 48?
The easiest way to check out GNOME 48 is by using the latest GNOME OS Nightly build, which features the latest changes set to ship with the release. Do keep in mind that this is a testing-focused distro and is not meant for general/production use.
If you can wait, then that's great, as upcoming distro releases like Fedora 42 and Ubuntu 25.04 are set to offer GNOME 48 in April.
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Sourav Rudra
Sourav Rudra
