The KDE Project unveiled the latest version of their mobile-based Plasma desktop environment, Plasma Mobile 6, today. This update relies on the recently launched KDE Plasma 6 desktop series and postmarketOS.
Plasma Mobile 6 boasts a revamped default home screen featuring customizable sections, letting users arrange their favorite apps into a neat grid or grouped folders. There’s also an app drawer and KRunner search, support for exporting and importing homescreen layouts as files, and tailor-made page transitions.
This version also debuts a new welcome screen appearing on the first launch to guide users in setting up various crucial parameters like Wi-Fi, cellular connection, device scaling, timezone, and other elementary components of the system.
In addition, Plasma Mobile 6 reveals a novel automatic settings service designed for streamlining interoperability with the KDE Plasma desktop environment installed on the same system, thus obviating the need for custom configuration files.
Other noteworthy changes include porting of the authentication dialog for mobile, a new “Docked Mode” quicksetting that enables window decorations and minimize/maximize/close buttons, a new setting to always show the keyboard toggle button, improved default vibration settings, and porting of the Flashlight quicksetting for all devices.
The Settings app received various improvements as well, such as asynchronous interaction tasks for the cellular settings module, a more consistent mobile design for the Wi-Fi settings module, as well as an overhauled time settings module to newer components.
Several of the default Plasma Mobile apps have been updated with new features. These include the Clock app, which now pauses MPRIS media sources when an alarm or timer starts, the Calculator app, which has a new configuration page allowing you to set decimal places, angle units, and a parsing mode, as well as the Kasts app, which now offers improved playback controls and faster podcast downloads.
More details (with screenshots) about the Plasma Mobile 6 release are available on the release announcement page. If you have one of the devices supported by postmarketOS, you should be able to install Plasma Mobile 6 on your smartphone in the coming days or weeks when a new version will be made available for download.
Image credits: KDE Project (edited by Marius Nestor)
Last updated 10 hours ago