The GNOME Project has announced the beta version of GNOME 49, coinciding with the 28th anniversary of the GNOME desktop environment. This version is now available for public testing and introduces several new features and improvements.
Key updates in GNOME 49 Beta include redesigned search capabilities in the Nautilus file manager and media controls on the lock screen. Additionally, users will see a new default wallpaper and a donation reminder notification aimed at encouraging donations to support the GNOME project.
The beta version enhances the experience in several ways: keyboard navigation in the Extensions app is improved, and dynamic user support is introduced for greeter sessions within the GNOME Display Manager (GDM). Other notable features include Webflow authentication support for Nextcloud accounts, the replacement of the Evince document viewer with the new Papers app, and the option to restart or shut down from the lock screen.
The Epiphany web browser now features a Shortcuts dialog, while GNOME Maps has added new icons for public phones and vegan-friendly restaurant searches. The GNOME Software tool has also been updated to support systemd-based startup, improving efficiency.
Further enhancements to GNOME Calculator include a new dialog for conversion rates, support for UN treasury currencies, and improved functionality for various mathematical operations. Notably, the GNOME session is now implemented in C instead of through a shell script, optimizing performance.
GNOME 49 Beta also introduces the new Snapshot webcam app with significant enhancements, including hardware video encoding support, gesture handling improvements, and default settings tailored for high-quality video recordings.
For a complete list of changes included in this beta release, refer to the release announcement page. The final release of GNOME 49 is anticipated on September 17th, 2025, with a Release Candidate expected for public testing in late August or early September.
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