Canonical has demonstrated a version of Ubuntu Linux designed for televisions at Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
The Ubuntu TV demonstration marks the first phase of an ambitious plan by the company to move desktop Linux beyond the PC to televisions, tablets, smartphones and other devices.
However, it is likely to face strong competition in the marketplace. Major competitors including Apple, Google and Microsoft have either announced competing platforms or are widely anticipated to do so shortly.
Canonical claims that an open source platform, such as Ubuntu TV, will appeal to TV manufacturers and consumers who don’t want to be locked into a “walled garden” by Google or Apple.
Andrew Sadauskas is a former journalist at SmartCompany and a former editor of TechCompany.
