GNOME 46 is the upcoming major release of the popular Linux desktop environment, scheduled for March 2024. Here are some of the exciting features and improvements you can expect from it.
GNOME is one of the most widely used desktop environments for Linux distributions, such as Ubuntu, Fedora, and CentOS. It is known for its elegant design, user-friendly interface, and innovative functionality. GNOME 45, released in September 2023, introduced a host of enhancements to core applications and system performance. But what about the next major release, GNOME 46?
GNOME 46 is slated for release on March 20th, 2024, and it promises to bring even more improvements and new features to the Linux desktop experience. In this article, we will take a look at some of the highlights of GNOME 46 that have been revealed so far.
New Workspace Indicator
One of the most noticeable changes in GNOME 46 is the new workspace indicator in the top-left corner of the screen. Instead of showing the word “Activities”, which was a clickable button that opened the workspace switcher, the new indicator displays the number of the current workspace as a white pill, and the number of other workspaces as gray dots. This makes it easier to see which workspace you are on, and how many you have available.
You can also scroll your mouse wheel or use touchpad gestures over the indicator to switch between workspaces quickly and smoothly. This feature was previously available through third-party extensions, but now it is integrated into the core GNOME Shell.
Faster File Manager
Another major improvement in GNOME 46 is the speed boost for the Nautilus file manager. Nautilus is the default file manager for GNOME, and it lets you browse, organize, and manage your files and folders. In GNOME 46, Nautilus has been optimized to perform faster searches, generate thumbnails quicker, and display results more efficiently.
One of the new features in Nautilus is the “Search Everywhere” button, which allows you to expand your search scope to include all locations on your system, instead of just the current folder and its subfolders. This can be useful if you are looking for a file that you don’t remember where you saved it.
New Core Applications
GNOME 46 also introduces two new core applications: Snapshot and Loupe. Snapshot is a camera application that works on both desktop and mobile versions of Linux. It replaces Cheese, which was the default camera application in previous versions of GNOME. Snapshot has a simple and intuitive interface that lets you take photos and videos with your webcam or phone camera.
Loupe is an image viewer that replaces Eye of GNOME. It has a modern and sleek design that integrates well with the GNOME desktop. It also supports touchpad gestures, such as pinch-to-zoom and swipe-to-navigate. Loupe can open and display various image formats, such as JPEG, PNG, GIF, SVG, and more.
System Enhancements
In addition to the application updates, GNOME 46 also brings some system enhancements that improve the overall performance and usability of the desktop environment. Some of these enhancements are:
- Better battery life during video playback. GNOME 46 uses hardware acceleration to reduce CPU usage and power consumption when playing videos on supported devices.
- Native support for fractional scaling under Wayland⁷. Wayland is a display server protocol that aims to replace X11 as the standard for Linux graphical user interfaces. Fractional scaling allows you to adjust the size of your screen elements (such as text, icons, windows) to match your display resolution and personal preference.
- Improved accessibility features. GNOME 46 includes several accessibility features that make it easier for people with disabilities or special needs to use the desktop environment. For example, it has a screen reader that reads out loud the text and elements on the screen; a magnifier that enlarges a portion of the screen; a keyboard that lets you type using only your mouse; and a high-contrast theme that enhances visibility.
Conclusion
GNOME 46 is shaping up to be an exciting release that will bring many new features and improvements to the Linux desktop experience. It will be available in March 2024 for various Linux distributions that use GNOME as their default desktop environment. If you want to try it out before then, you can download and install a development version from the official website. However, keep in mind that this version may be unstable and buggy, so use it at your own risk.
We hope you enjoyed this article about what’s new in GNOME 46. If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to leave a comment below. And don’t forget to share this article with your friends and colleagues who might be interested in the next-gen Linux desktop.