The future of the Ubuntu Software Center is uncertain, even if some of the Ubuntu developers are thinking about an upgrade for the application or a replacement. The core problem seems to be related to the fact that Ubuntu uses DEB files and it's not longer considered a viable method of providing updates through the Ubuntu Software Center.

Canonical is not exactly forthcoming with its plans regarding the Ubuntu Software Center. They either don't know yet what they are going to do or they don't want to share that information. Either way, the community is getting the wrong idea of what's happening.

Projects like Ubuntu MATE have already dropped the Ubuntu Software Center, but the main Ubuntu flavor has no such plans for the moment. What they do know is that they don't want to support a DEB-based solution and they are pushing forward with their new Snappy packages (former Click).

Canonical is no longer accepting packages for new distros

One of the things that haven't been shared by Canonical is that developers who have applications in the Ubuntu Software Center can no longer provide updates for those apps, as far as newer Ubuntu versions like the latest 15.04 are concerned. For example, you won't be able to find dmmediaconverter in the Software Center if you have Ubuntu 15.04.

If you payed for an application in the past and it worked for you in another version of Ubuntu, you will get a message that says that your particular version of Ubuntu is not supported.

Some developers have raised this issue and it's not a pretty sight, if you want to get through this lengthy Google+ post. A particular bit of information has transpired, something that is not publicized by Canonical.

"Unfortunately, we haven't fixed your problem because as it stands we can't afford to. The deb-based store has continued to be a huge problem over time and in fact it has been increasingly expensive to keep running. As it stands today, we won't enable uploads to newer Ubuntu releases. It requires significant manual work that sometimes drags on for weeks. We all agree the current situation with the deb-based isn't one to be proud of, and I expect we'll announce a more definitive plan on its future soon," wrote Martin Albisetti.

From what it's been said until now, it looks like Canonical is no longer willing to put any kind of effort and resources in a DEB-powered software center and that it's betting everything on Snappy. Given that Canonical plans to keep the regular DEB-based Ubuntu alive, it remains a mystery what they are going to do with the third-party software that can't be updated in the official store.