Ubuntu Touch for phones and tablets looks great (hands-on pictures)

BARCELONA, Spain--Ubuntu Touch is a new operating system for mobile devices, challenging Android and Apple's iOS with a combination of native and HTML5 apps. Launched at Mobile World Congress here, CNET went hands-on.

Ubuntu Touch works the same on both phones and tablets. Here, we see it working on a Google Nexus 4 phone and Nexus 7 tablet.

Ubuntu takes a bow at phone industry shindig MWC.

Swipe in from the left to reveal a menu of your favorite apps.

Swipe down from the top to reveal your messages -- and reply instantly, without opening an app.

Swipe up from the bottom to reveal a menu of different options, depending on the app.

The home screens compile your music, video, and other stuff on separate screens, saving you from having to open an app to browse your music, for example.

Here's another home screen, showing your apps.

Ubuntu Touch is expected to launch in October, in phones and tablets built by as-yet-unspecified manufacturers.