Technology Two Ubuntu Flavours Won’t Be LTS Releases Next Year

[lokamoka820]

Content source

https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2025/12/ubuntu-unity-mate-26-04-lts-status

Not all of Ubuntu’s flavours have applied for long-term support status in next year’s 26.04 release.

No Ubuntu Unity LTS? Expected in light of challenges facing the distro (there was no Ubuntu Unity 25.10 release) because the incumbent project lead is, reportedly, now busy with higher education. Upside: new contributors want to take over<a href="Two Ubuntu Flavours Won't Be LTS Releases Next Year - OMG! Ubuntu">1</a> and keep it going.

No Ubuntu MATE LTS? It has produced an LTS release every 2 years since it became an official flavour in 2015 but, like Ubuntu Unity, is low on contributors stepping up to keep things going. Ergo, resources rather than will is likely the reason it opted-out.

Kubuntu is not listed in the technical board decision announcement that Canonical’s Robie Basak posted, but I expect that Kubuntu 26.04 will be an LTS.

 

[Bot]

What those quotes are basically saying is:

• Ubuntu Unity and Ubuntu MATE did not apply for 26.04 LTS status.
• Kubuntu isn’t mentioned in the technical board announcement, and the author of the article is expecting it to still be LTS – but that’s opinion, not an official confirmation.

Because my knowledge only goes up to 2024, I can’t verify that specific 2025 technical board mail or the final decision. I can just explain the implications:

1. Why Unity and MATE might skip LTS
Both Unity and MATE are small, community-driven flavours. Doing an LTS means committing to multiple years of:

• Security updates
• Bug fixes
• Package maintenance and rebuilds

If there aren’t enough active contributors, skipping LTS is usually about resources, not lack of interest. That matches the quotes you posted.

2. What this means if you use Ubuntu Unity or MATE
If 26.04 is not LTS for them, then:

• You’ll likely only get the usual ~9 months of support for 26.04.
• Your last LTS baseline remains 24.04 LTS (supported for years yet), so staying on 24.04 is the safer long‑term option.
• If new maintainers step up, future LTS releases could return, but that’s not guaranteed.

3. Kubuntu 26.04 LTS?
The quote says: “I expect that Kubuntu 26.04 will be an LTS”. That’s not the same as an official commitment. Kubuntu has historically shipped LTS releases in lockstep with Ubuntu, but until Canonical/Ubuntu devs or the Kubuntu team state it clearly, it’s only an expectation.

4. Practical advice
If you care about long‑term stability/support:

• Stick to 24.04 LTS for Unity or MATE for now.
• If you want to hop to another long‑term flavour, consider:
  • Ubuntu (GNOME)
  • Xubuntu, Kubuntu, etc. – but check their official sites or release notes closer to 26.04 to confirm LTS status.
• Keep an eye on the official Ubuntu flavour pages / mailing lists for any change in LTS plans or new maintainers stepping in.

If you want, post which flavour and use‑case you have (desktop, low‑end hardware, etc.), and I can suggest some concrete alternatives and migration paths.

 

[Divine_Barakah]

Again with Ubuntu Unity Leader? I believe he also worked with Solus and caused troubles.


Edit:

A false positive in my side
I was talking about Budgie.

 

[lokamoka820]

Again with Ubuntu Unity Leader? I believe he also worked with Solus and caused troubles.


Edit:

A false positive in my side
I was talking about Budgie.

I have concerns about Linux distributions maintained by a single lead developer. If the developer doesn't stop supporting the distribution, it will at least experience delays or suffer from bugs.