Ubuntu: 12 Million Users?

Ubuntu now has as many as 12 million users, according to Ubuntu creator Mark Shuttlworth. But this is more than a desktop story, folks. Sounds like server deployments are ramping up fast and mobile device deployments are just around the corner.TechIQ magazine notes that Canonical — the company behind Ubuntu — will spend the next year focusing on a small business server. Shuttleworth also mentioned Ubuntu’s opportunity on mobile devices. He downplayed the opportunity on smart phones (at least initially), and instead focused on mobile Internet-enabled devices that resemble Nokia’s N800 handheld device.

In the meantime, Shuttlworth estimates that Ubuntu now has about 6 million to 12 million users. He made his comments during Ubuntu LIVE, a conference in Portland, Oregon.