Google’s secret operating system in the works and a potential Android replacement will use the Android runtime to run Android apps. On 2nd January, an evidence for the same was spotted by 9to5Google, who found a new change in the Android Open Source Project that will use a special version of ART to run Android applications. This feature would enable devices with Fuchsia —i.e. smart devices including mobile phones, tablets, computers, wearables, and other gadgets— to take advantage of Android apps in the Google Play Store.
Last month, the same site had reported two new Fuchsia-related repositories that were added to the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) manifest: “platform/prebuilts/fuchsia_sdk” and “device/google/fuchsia”. In a new change posted to Android’s Gerrit source code management, Google has included a README file that indicates what the latter repository is intended for:
Source: 9to5Google
The above snippet from the README file means that Fuchsia will use a specially designed version of the Android Runtime to run Android applications and installable on any Fuchsia device using a .far file. Google has not listed the exact details on how Fuchsia will use the Android Runtime.
What we know about Project Fuchsia so far
According to a Bloomberg report, Google engineers have been working on this project for the past two years in the hope that project Fuchsia will replace the now dominant Android operating system. Google started posting the code for this project 2 years before, and have been working on the project ever since.
Fuchsia, is being designed to overcome the limitations of Android with better voice interactions and frequent security updates for devices. In the software code posted online, the engineers built encrypted user keys into the system to ensure information is protected every time the software is updated. Bloomberg stated the main aim of designing Fuchsia- according to people familiar with the project- as ‘creating a single operating system capable of running all the company’s in-house gadgets’. These include devices like Pixel phones and smart speakers, as well as third-party devices relying on Android and other systems like Chrome OS. Some engineers also told Bloomberg that engineers that they want to embed Fuchsia on connected home devices, like voice-controlled speakers, and then move on to larger machines such as laptops. Ultimately aspiring to swap in their system for Android.
You can head over to ZDNet for more insights to this news. Alternatively, check out 9to5Google for more information on this announcement.
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