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Esteban Knöbl
Asked: 2013-01-27 09:23:48 +0800 CST

Are there any plans to improve mtp support on future Ubuntu releases?

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Even when I did manage to connect my Google Nexus to Ubuntu, I think it would be great to have mtp support right from the start.

mtp

2 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    Yep, here's the fix you're looking for:

    This is fixed in 13.04.

    As of Jan 28th

    Upgrade Gvfs in Ubuntu 12.10 and 12.04 to get Android 4.0 support for devices which don't support USB Mass Storage interface

    1. Add the PPA to your system

      sudo ppa-purge ppa:webupd8team/gvfs-libmtp
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:langdalepl/gvfs-mtp
sudo apt-get update

    2. Then, launch Software Updater (previously known as Update Manager) and install the available updates.

    3. Once everything has been updated successfully, restart your computer, unlock your Android device, connect it via USB and it should show up in your file manager.

    Please refer to What are PPAs and how do I use them? if you have questions about anything related to a Personal Package Archives (PPA) and refer to the source on OMG Ubuntu (it has some comments worth reading).

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  2. What is perhaps needed to for someone to develop OpenMTP, initially for Ubuntu desktop, 'mobile' Ubuntu, and for Android.

    There are too many specials in the design, including Microsoft DRM, that are documented in the 'development kit' for devices. This needs to be re-thought as a simpler, fully extensible design - that does not have windows, or Windows Media Player, as a architectural element (or pre-requisite).

    It should also support a single, headless storage repository on the host (eg. Ubuntu), and/or to the cloud, that both devices (attached) and apps (local) can interact with. This should support: photos, audio/video media, e-books, etc.

    from wikipedia > Media Transfer Protocol

    The Media Transfer Protocol is described by Microsoft, who introduced it, as a protocol for intelligent storage devices based on and compatible with Picture Transfer Protocol (PTP). Whereas PTP was designed for downloading photographs from digital cameras, Media Transfer Protocol supports the transfer of music files on digital audio players and media files on portable media players, as well as personal information on personal digital assistants. MTP is a key part of WMDRM10-PD, a digital rights management (DRM) service for the Windows Media platform.

    Media Transfer Protocol (commonly referred to as MTP) is part of the "Windows Media" framework and thus closely related to Windows Media Player. Versions of the Microsoft Windows operating system from Windows XP SP2 support MTP. Windows XP requires Windows Media Player 10 or higher; later Windows versions have built-in support. Microsoft have also made available an MTP Porting Kit for older versions of Windows back to Windows 98. Apple Macintosh and Linux systems have software packages to support MTP.

    The USB Implementers Forum device working group standardized MTP as a fully fledged Universal Serial Bus (USB) device class in May 2008. Since then MTP is an official extension to PTP and shares the same class code.

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