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Fuchsia, a possible replacement for Google's Android mobile operating system, is designed to better take voice interactions and frequent security updates into account and to look and feel the same on different devices, computers portable to tiny sensors connected to the Internet. For more than two years, a small group of stealthy engineers within Google has been working on software that, hopefully, will eventually replace Android, the world 's largest mobile operating system. As the team grows, it will have to overcome a fierce internal debate about how the software works.
The project, known as Fuchsia, was created from scratch to overcome the limitations of Android. . It was designed to better take into account voice interactions and frequent security updates and to look the same on different devices, from laptops to tiny sensors connected to the Internet
Google quietly released the Fuschia code in line. Outdoor application developers tinker with pieces of open-source code. Google has also begun experimenting with applications for the system, such as interactive screens and voice commands for YouTube.
But members of the Fuchsia team have discussed a bigger plan: create a unique operating system that can handle all the home gadgets, like Pixel phones and built-in speakers. smart speakers, as well as third-party devices that now rely on Android and another system called Chrome OS, according to people familiar with the conversations.
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But Google executives have not yet signed a roadmap for Fuchsia, said these people. Leaders need to move cautiously on any Android overhaul plan because the software supports dozens of hardware partners, thousands of developers, and billions of dollars in mobile advertising.
Android is also subject to regulatory review and legal wrangling for the company, which means that any changes to the software will be closely monitored. Last week, European regulators imposed a $ 5 billion record antitrust fine on the company for using mobile software to expand its services. And within Google, Fuchsia is already facing internal quarrels over how it should be designed and deployed, especially in terms of privacy.
The initiative aims to better compete with Apple, the leading smartphone maker of Google. While the 85% Android market share crushes the 15% of Apple, Apple's operating system has a head start in areas such as performance, privacy and security, and integration on Apple devices. Another key benefit: Most iPhone users quickly update their phones when Apple releases a new version of the operating system, while less than 10% of Android users do it. This means that the latest Google services only reach a fraction of Android users.
"Quitting Android could give Google the opportunity to press the reset button for any mistakes they made ten years ago". Confier messaging application. "They could regain some of the power that they gave to the device manufacturers and the telecom operators."
Google is relying on phone manufacturers and wireless network operators to push regular updates of the operating system and security to Android devices. These partners do not have as much incentive as Google to distribute the latest software: phone manufacturers prefer to sell new hardware, and telecom companies have other priorities. Google has tried to solve this problem head on recently. In May, the company changed its agreement with handset manufacturers by requiring them to update devices with security patches several times a year.
There are signs that Fuchsia is incorporating even more stringent security measures. In the software code posted online, engineers have embedded encrypted user keys into the system, a privacy tool that ensures the protection of information at every software update.
At the present time, Android, which was developed when phones were just starting to use touch screens, is also not designed to handle the type of voice applications that Google considers as the future of computing. So Fuchsia is developed with voice interaction at the base. The design is also more flexible in that it adapts to several screen sizes – an attempt to meet new products, such as TVs, cars and refrigerators, where Google broadcasts its software.
Despite the pedigree of engineering and support for Fuchsia, Google has not yet unveiled a real use of the software. Some developers have played with the operating system, but none has defined it as the foundation of an application or service on a popular commercial device.
The company must also settle some internal quarrels. Some of the principles that Fuchsia's creators pursue have already come up against Google's business model. Google's advertising activities are based on the ability to target users based on their location and activity, and Fuchsia's emerging privacy features, if implemented, paralyze this important activity.
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