--- title: Talking about gestures to Fast Company description: Presenting Ubuntu on phones last month caused a bit of a stir in the tech press. One of the main takeaways has been its assertion on an interface that’s based on direct and instant access to common functions via the edges of the screen. Since this is quite a disruption from traditional hard-key or soft-button […] url: https://canonical.com/blog/talking-about-gestures-to-fast-company --- 1. [Blog](https://canonical.com/blog) 2. Article --- [Canonical](https://canonical.com/blog/author/canonical "More about Canonical") 7 February 2013 # Talking about gestures to Fast Company [Design](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/design) --- Share the article Presenting Ubuntu on phones last month caused a bit of a stir in the tech press. One of the main takeaways has been its assertion on an interface that’s based on direct and instant access to common functions via the edges of the screen. Since this is quite a disruption from traditional hard-key or soft-button based UIs, it’s only fair that Ubuntu’s gesture-based design has awakened some curiosity. Fast Company’s Co.Design called our approach “aggressively gestural“ and asked for more details on the thinking that has gone into the phone interaction design. Ivo Weevers and I responded, and the feature is [now online on their website](http://www.fastcodesign.com/1671742/the-inside-story-of-ubuntus-gesture-centric-smartphone#1). It’s always nice when we get to discuss our designs in wider circles. Being able to do so in a world class forum like Fast Company makes us very happy indeed! [Get in touch Interested in running Ubuntu in your organization?](https://ubuntu.com/about/contact-us/form) ## Sign up for our newsletter Get the latest Canonical news and updates in your inbox. Work email: \*I agree to receive information about Canonical's products and services. In submitting this form, I confirm that I have read and agree to [Canonical's Privacy Notice](https://canonical.com/legal/data-privacy/contact) and [Privacy Policy](https://canonical.com/legal/data-privacy). Sign up ## Share on --- ## Related posts [### What designers should know about semiotics](https://canonical.com/blog/what-designers-should-know-about-semiotics) What happens when you look at an apple? When you see it, you perceive the apple and assign meaning to it based on your language, experience, and personal preferences – such as... [Sophie Carroll](https://canonical.com/blog/author/sophiecarroll) 15 October 2026 [### Challenges designers face in open source (and how to fix them)](https://canonical.com/blog/challenges-designers-face-in-open-source-and-how-to-fix-them) Open source powers up to 90% of modern software, yet many projects lack usability. Canonical’s Design team surveyed 115 cross-functional professionals to uncover the 4 core... [Kola Ojoodide](https://canonical.com/blog/author/kola-ojoodide) 26 June 2026 [### Template: Streamlining open source design contributions](https://canonical.com/blog/template-streamlining-open-source-design-contributions) As designers working at Canonical, we’re always thinking about open source. We believe that encouraging more designers to contribute to open source benefits everyone, from the... [Nina Rojc](https://canonical.com/blog/author/ninarojc) 16 June 2026 [### Decoding design: How design and engineering thrive together in open source](https://canonical.com/blog/decoding-design-how-design-and-engineering-thrive-together-in-open-source) Open source thrives on engineering-driven processes. Fast feedback loops, terminal tools, Git workflows: they’re the lifeblood of how we build software in the open. But for... [Miguel Divo](https://canonical.com/blog/author/mdivo) 22 May 2026