In OS 8 we kept the Classic Session as default with the option to try a Secure Session. Since then we’ve released updates fixing issues, app developers have updated, and hardware makers have fixed issues in their drivers. The Secure Session now provides a better experience for most people and supports a broader range of modern hardware

In OS 8.1, the Secure Session is now the default session, with the option to fall back to the Classic Session if you still need it

#wayland #linux #elementaryOS

When we ran our desktop survey 75% of you told us that you expected to see background apps in the Dock, so we now have support for the Background Portal!

You can always manage app permissions in System Settings → Applications and choose which apps are allowed to run in the background

#flatpak #linux

In AppCenter we now show a simple percentage-based app rating when ratings are available from ODRS—the same ratings server used by apps like GNOME Software. When developers provide screenshots for multiple platforms, we now show you the ones intended for elementary OS. We’ve added support for app addons, and we now show when a game supports playing with controllers

#AppCenter #Flatpak

This year @zersiax joined us again for another round of accessibility testing. Installer views should all have much improved accessible labels. Thanks to this feedback, OS 8.1 can be installed and set up completely blind in most cases.

Thanks to feedback from @fireborn, Notifications and the Shortcut Overlay both added screen reader support. We’ve also improved screen reader labels in Calendar, In System Settings → Firmware updates, and in AppCenter to name a few cases.

#Accessibility #Linux

For the first time we now also offer ARM64 builds for devices that boot with UEFI. This means you'll be able to run OS 8.1 on M-series Apple Silicon and devices where you can load UEFI-supporting firmware like Raspberry Pi. This version of Linux also supports certain Qualcomm and Rockchip processors, for example

#linux #arm #elementaryOS #AppleSilicon #RaspberryPi

Many notebooks and tablets now ship with displays that aren’t quite HiDPI, but are more pixel dense than traditional displays. In OS 8.1, we now support fractional display scaling in the Secure Session

#HiDPI #linux #elementaryOS

We love hearing from you and take pride in a tight feedback loop where we push updates in weeks not years. Since the release of OS 8, we’ve been able to address over 1,100 of the reports you filed!

~72% of them were fixed bugs—unexpected or disruptive software behaviors

~18% were new features or enhancements that you requested

The last 10% were things like project management tasks, tech debt, and code cleanup

github.com/search?q=org%3Aelem…

#OpenSource #Linux #elementaryOS #BugFix

GitHub

GitHub is where people build software. More than 150 million people use GitHub to discover, fork, and contribute to over 420 million projects.

^GitHub

In OS 8.1, you can now directly deny access for apps to send notification bubbles in System Settings → Applications alongside other app permissions

#Flatpak #elementaryOS

A system monitor app has been one of the top requested default app additions for quite some time, and we now ship with one!

We’re also now shipping Maps, which currently covers the basics like Explore and Transit maps, showing your current location, searching for locations, and handling `geo://` uri links. Plus Application settings now has a setting to select your default Maps app.

elementary OS 8.1 is available as a pay-what-you-can purchase at elementary.io now! Localized direct downloads and a torrent magnet link are provided.

OS 8.1 will receive additional feature and bug fix updates on a monthly schedule that will be reported on here and on our blog, so stay tuned for even more updates in the future!