Canonical, which originally designed Ubuntu as a Linux-based software for desktops and laptops, is now promoting the same as a platform for smart television, according to its CEO Jane Silber.
A prototype version of the Ubuntu TV has been displayed at the CES at Las Vegas this week, with Silber saying it has the ‘Unity’ interface.
Apple is also expected to storm into the integrated television market the same way its iPods captured most of the market share in the digital music players segment, however Silber emphasised neutral-platform Ubuntu will be the best fit.
Ubuntu is open source and will also combine media files, streaming media and broadcast media for a rich experience, according to Canonical.
Silber has high hopes with Ubuntu and is confident of holding on to the market in face of competition as manufacturers and content owners will be wary of Apple, which he described as having a "walled garden" approach, completely different than Canonical which believes that there should be a unified interface for media consumption.
