Canonical and Qualcomm have announced a collaboration to bring Ubuntu and Ubuntu Core to Qualcomm devices, with the latter joining Canonical’s silicon partner program.

Canonical’s silicon partner program ensures maximum Ubuntu compatibility and long-term support with certified hardware. The company counts Intel, Nvidia, AMD, Ampere, Arm, MediaTek, SiFive, StarFive, and Allwinner among its silicon partners.

Qualcomm now joins the ranks of Canonical’s silicon partners, giving Qualcomm access to optimized versions of Ubuntu for its processors. Companies looking to use Ubuntu on Qualcomm chips will benefit from an OS that provides 10 years of support and security updates.

The collaboration is expected to be a boon for AI, edge computing, and IoT applications.

“The combination of Qualcomm Technologies’ processors with the popularity of Ubuntu among AI and IoT developers is a game changer for the industry,” commented Dev Singh, Vice President, Business Development and Head of Building, Enterprise & Industrial Automation, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “The collaboration was a natural fit, with Qualcomm Technologies’s Product Longevity program complementing the 10-year enterprise security and support commitments made by Canonical.”

Canonical says Qualcomm’s inclusion in the silicon partner program will help customers reduce development costs and shorten time to market.

“Canonical’s partner programs, in conjunction with Canonical’s expertise in guiding customers navigate their AI and IoT journey, help set the industry bar for performance with robustness, security and compliance. The work to integrate and optimise Qualcomm Technologies’ software with Ubuntu will enable channel partners and manufacturers to bring Ubuntu and Ubuntu Core platforms to a wide range of devices“, said Olivier Philippe, VP for Devices Engineering at Canonical.