Ubuntu 13.04, scheduled to be released April next year is in high pace of development currently. While a alpha release has been published for most other Ubuntu based distros, Ubuntu will only release a single beta before the final release.

This release is targeted to improve integration in various mobile devices and will also run on some tablets like Nexus 7. Also, for developers, this will be the first release that will be shipped with an Ubuntu SDK.

Among the visual changes, Unity will be given a priority and developers are planning to make it more responsive than the earlier versions. While I think that Unity in Precise is the best, one of the the apps that have always troubled me is Gwibber. This social client is feature rich and supports a hell lot of popular networks such as Facebook, Twitter etc, but lacks the polish and UI responsiveness.

Earlier we posted that Gwibber backend engine will be rewritten to enhance its performance. But it will probably be replaced by Friends, a whole new social client from Canonical. While this is a good news for many, it will take time to be implemented correctly and replace Gwibber. Ubuntu Gwibber lens will also be replaced by Ubuntu Friends lens.

Keep an eye in this space to learn more about Friends development.