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Ubuntu 23.10: Release Date and New Features

Ubuntu's next latest and greatest. Here's what it is expected to pack in.

This is that time of the year when we wait for one of Ubuntu's upcoming non-LTS releases. Code-named Ubuntu 23.10 'Mantic Minotaur,' features an impressive set of new features and improvements.

Updated: Ubuntu 23.10 is now available (October 12, 2023).

Ubuntu 23.10: The Big Release is Here!
Ubuntu 23.10 ‘Mantic Minotaur’ is now here with GNOME 45 and other fantastic improvements.

Here, we will highlight some of the critical changes that arrives with Ubuntu 23.10.

So, without any further ado, let's dive in!

Flutter-based App Store

a screenshot of the new flutter-based app store running on ubuntu 23.10

Ubuntu 23.10 features a Flutter-based app store that has a neat layout with improved search functionality, improved app view, and the ability to switch between Snap and Debian packages.

It is not going to replace the classic Software Center, but it presents itself as an evolution of the software stores on Ubuntu.

You can review our article for a more detailed outlook; we even tested it out! It is available in the latest daily builds for you to test.

Ubuntu 23.10 to Debut a New ‘Ubuntu Store’ Based on Flutter
Ubuntu is getting an evolved software store to provide you with a seamless experience!

Major PPA Changes

Ubuntu 23.10 features a different way of handling Personal Package Archives (PPAs).

PPAs will now be managed by deb822-formatted .sources files, where the GPG keys are directly integrated into the same file, doing away with the old .list file method, enhancing security to great extents.

We covered this in a bit more detail here:

Ubuntu 23.10 To Bring Security Enhanced PPAs
Ubuntu 23.10 is changing the way PPAs are managed.

Linux Kernel 6.5

This major change will see the implementation of Linux Kernel 6.5 on Ubuntu; it is set to bring about a variety of critical improvements such as:

  • MIDI 2.0 support.
  • Enhanced support for Rust.
  • Support for ACPI on RISC-V.
  • Enhancements for the Loongarch architecture.
  • Support for Intel's “Topology Aware Register and PM Capsule Interface”; It provides better power management features.
  • And More.

GNOME 45

I am excited about this one! 😀 At the time of writing this, Ubuntu 23.10's daily build does not include GNOME 45. So, we cannot show it in action yet.

a screenshot of gnome snapshot

Ubuntu 23.10 will feature GNOME 45 which is going to introduce a plethora of new updates, such as a new webcam app, an image viewer, and most likely bring back the terminal app.

a screenshot of gnome loupe

Furthermore, just a few months back, I looked at its redesigned display options, and Fractional Scaling tweaks, and I must say that I was impressed:

GNOME 45 to Redesign Display Options and Fractional Scaling Tweaks
GNOME is planning to have a revamped display settings to make it easy for users to understand fractional scaling.

Ubuntu Tiling Assistant

a screenshot of ubuntu 23.10's new window tiling system

And finally, Ubuntu 23.10 features a vastly improved window-tilling system made possible due to the integration of the popular “Tiling Assistant” GNOME extension.

This new system will give you a far more flexible approach to tiling your windows than ever before, allowing you to resize them any way you want.

New Wallpapers

ubuntu 23.10 default wallpaper

Ubuntu 23.10 features the above image as the default wallpaper and a greyish version of it (could blend in with dark mode).

Not just limited to it, there are nine new community wallpapers this time. The best among them is an interesting pixel art wallpaper:

You can find all the wallpapers listed in Ubuntu's official blog post.

Other Changes

The above-mentioned were just the highlights of the Ubuntu 23.10 release; here are some other changes that are worth noting:

  • Introduction of GCC 13.
  • Support for LLVM 17.
  • Implementation of Go 1.20.
  • Noto Fonts to replace DejaVu as the default font in some cases.
  • Inclusion of Shotwell 0.32; It's the first major update in quite some time.
  • Security feature to restrict unrestricted user namespaces.

💬 Have you tried Ubuntu 23.10 yet? Let us know your impressions!


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