Canonical is the publisher and maintainer of Ubuntu, an open-source Linux operating system. Canonical provides official updates, professional support, and commercial services related to Ubuntu.

Genio platforms support several Ubuntu flavors, including Ubuntu Server, Ubuntu Desktop, and Ubuntu Core. For the latest supported releases, please refer to the release note.

No, not all Genio platforms support all Ubuntu flavors. For example, Genio 350 does not support Ubuntu Desktop. Please refer to the release note for the latest supported configurations.

Ubuntu Core is a minimal, containerized version of Ubuntu designed specifically for embedded and IoT devices. It offers a secure, transactional update system and robust app confinement via snaps. Learn more here: Ubuntu Core Documentation.

Major differences include support, maintenance, and security patching. Canonical provides these services for Ubuntu, whereas Yocto developers are responsible for their own maintenance. Additionally, Ubuntu offers support for up to 12 years, while Yocto typically provides support for only 4 years.

No, Canonical maintains the kernel for Ubuntu on Genio, which is different from the IoT Yocto kernel maintained by MediaTek. Each project maintains and updates their own respective kernel sources and configurations separately.

Yes, the Ubuntu image for Genio is based on the corresponding standard Ubuntu release images, which are ARM64 (AArch64) Ubuntu root file system images. This ensures compatibility and updatability from official repositories. The Ubuntu image for Genio also includes an optimized kernel tailored for the Genio platform, which integrates Genio specific drivers and patches. Additionally, the Genio image comes preloaded with packages that enable full functionality of Genio hardware features right out of the box.

No. Genio platforms may require platform specific device drivers that are not yet upstream. The Ubuntu images for Genio use a hardware enablement kernel branch, which is derived from mainline Ubuntu kernel with MediaTek Genio customizations.

Canonical is the maintainer of the kernel.

Ubuntu can boot on Genio platforms with a mainline kernel, provided that the required hardware drivers are upstreamed or available in the kernel build. MediaTek and the community are continuously working to upstream Genio device support.

The Ubuntu image for Genio uses a Genio-specific Ubuntu kernel. You can access the kernel source tree here: Ubuntu Linux MTK Kernel Source.

To rebuild and run a custom kernel, follow the standard Ubuntu kernel build process as documented here: Ubuntu Kernel Build Guide.

Yes, Genio platform boot firmware supports SystemReady IR compliance. Standard UEFI/EBBR boot is used to boot Ubuntu images on Genio devices.

To support custom hardware on Genio platforms running Ubuntu, you typically need to develop a board support package (BSP) tailored for your hardware. A BSP generally includes two main components: the boot firmware and Linux kernel drivers

For boot firmware, you can reference the Genio EVK boot firmware implementation. To begin, see the official customization guide.

For OS driver support, this often involves device tree customization and, if required, development or modification of kernel drivers. You may need to collaborate with Canonical to upstream your drivers into the Ubuntu kernel. Additionally, you might need to rebuild the Linux kernel or device tree blobs (DTBs) and test them within the UEFI/EBBR boot environment to ensure the custom hardware is properly supported.

Yes, the Ubuntu image for Genio maintains compatibility with the standard Ubuntu archive. You can install and use standard Ubuntu packages, snaps, and tools as you would on any Ubuntu system. Additionally, Genio-specific packages are available. More information can be found here: Genio BSP Installation Guide.

Hardware acceleration features for video and AI are provided by MediaTek as separate installation packages. Developers can download and install these packages following the instructions in the documentation.

Canonical offers commercialization paths through an Ubuntu Pro subscription, which includes enterprise-grade features such as Expanded Security Maintenance (ESM) for up to 12 years, patching for over 36,000 packages, and automated tooling for compliance frameworks. 

Learn more about Ubuntu Pro for devices here. For users who are pre-installing Ubuntu on their devices, please reach out to Canonical to discuss the necessary agreements. Please see here for details.

Ubuntu LTS releases follow a standard release cadence. Every Ubuntu LTS release receives 5 years of support on the ‘Main’ repository and with an Ubuntu Pro subscription, users can get access to Expanded Security Maintenance (ESM), covering security fixes for packages in both the ‘Main’ and ‘Universe’ repositories up to 12 years. MediaTek partner images follow the same lifespan, and reach end-of-life at the same time as the corresponding generic Ubuntu release.

Canonical can provide Ubuntu certification on any MediaTek Genio derivative devices as a service. Certified devices are regularly tested in Canonical’s lab which enables users of MediaTek’s Genio solution to get the best Ubuntu experience. Canonical conducts a rigorous set of certification tests and continuous regression testing on all certified devices throughout the Ubuntu release life cycle, for a maximum of 12 years. Devices that are certified are added to Canonical’s list of Ubuntu certified hardware. Learn more about Ubuntu certification here.

Canonical provides commercial support for the Ubuntu OS (including kernel and rootfs), while MediaTek supports BSP-related and hardware enablement packages. For boot firmware or board-level issues, it is advised to contact the device OEM.

If there are any issues related to Ubuntu on the MediaTek Genio EVK, developers can look at related questions or start a new thread on the Forum and Canonical will respond as soon as possible. Additionally, Canonical provides hardware enablement services to help manufacturers to certify customized MediaTek Genio devices. Get in touch with Canonical here.

MediaTek Genio Ubuntu images and boot firmware can be downloaded here. Canonical provides source code for individual software packages, Please refer to the instructions here.