With Linux 6.19 due for release later today it then opens up the next kernel merge window. It could be Linux 6.20 but more than likely the next kernel version will be called Linux 7.0 with Linus Torvalds’ past tradition of bumping the major version number after X.19. Whatever it ends up being called, here is a look at various “-next” changes that have been queuing up ahead of the merge window.
Among the changes and new features expected to be submitted during the Linux 6.20~7.0 merge window are noted below. They still need to be submitted and okay’ed by Linus Torvalds with merging the code, but the vast majority of the pull requests are honored without objection. In any event what’s on the table for this Linux 6.20/7.0 cycle include:
– New AMD graphics hardware support with different IP blocks being enabled, including GFX 12.1.
– Compiler-based context and locking analysis.
– Support for the Microsoft “Turn On Display” ACPI DSM for helping to address laptop issues.
– Enabling Intel TSX by default on capable CPUs for better performance and where not too impacted by security issues.
– Easily setting a custom boot logo in place of Tux during the Linux kernel boot process with the console.
– Retiring of HIPPI for that near-Gigabit standard for networking supercomputers in the 1990s.
– The time slice extension looks like it could be finally merged after a decade in development.
– Revocable Resource Management also looks like it will be merged for this next kernel cycle.
– OPEN_TREE_NAMESPACE for security and performance improvements for containers.
– CAKE_MQ for adapting SCH_CAKE for modern multi-core systems in the networking code.
– Replacing more Linux kernel caching code with Sheaves for “hopefully” better performance.
– Focusing just on full and lazy preemption models for modern CPU architectures.
– Apple DT updates for USB Type-C ports with recent Macs.
– Improvements for Rust and LTO kernel builds.
– Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 display support.
– Intel GPU firmware updates on non-x86 platforms.
– Expanded temperature reporting for Intel graphics cards.
– The Intel Xe driver no longer blocking D3cold for all Battlemage GPUs but just limiting the blocks to known problematic systems (currently just an ASUS NUC).
– Intel multi-device SVM code now appears in shape for the Linux 6.20~7.0 kernel.
– Multi-queue support for Intel Crescent Island.
– Intel Nova Lake display support.
– Non-root support for the intel-speed-select tool.
– The Nouveau DRM driver fixing large pages support for that feature that can help NVK provide better performance.
– cTGP support for the Uniwill driver for letting Uniwill/TUXEDO laptops configure the total graphics power for devices with dedicated GPUs.
– Sensor monitoring support for more ASUS desktop motherboards.
– Fan target and temperature thresholds for the Framework 13 laptop.
– RISC-V user-space control flow integrity / shadow stack support.
– Batch I/O dispatch for ublk to provide better performance.
– IO_uring IOPOLL polling improvements.
– LG Gram Style 14 laptop speaker support with the new kernel.
– Dropping the old mount API code for the Linux block code.
– Focusrite Forte USB audio interface support.
That is just what has been on my radar. Stay tuned for the Linux 6.20/7.0 merge window coverage over the next two weeks followed by the start of fresh kernel benchmarks. This next kernel version is what Canonical intends to use as the default kernel of Ubuntu 26.04 LTS.