According to an exclusive report by Bloomberg, Google is secretly working on a new mobile operating system that will eventually replace the current Android OS. Dubbed “Fuchsia”, the project is reportedly aimed at overcoming the limitations of Android and is being designed to better accommodate voice interactions and frequent security updates.
Here’s what’s already known about Fuchsia: Alphabet Inc.’s Google started quietly posting code online in 2016, and the company has let outside app developers tinker with bits of the open-source code. Google has also begun to experiment with applications for the system, such as interactive screen displays and voice commands for YouTube.
According to people familiar with the matter however, the company is now planning to create a single OS capable of running all of Google’s devices, such as Pixel phones and smart speakers, as well as third-party devices that currently run Android or Chrome OS.
One of the sources has also said that Google wants to embed Fuchsia on connected home devices within three years and then move on to larger machines such as notebooks. The ultimate goal is to swap in Fuchsia for Android, the software that powers over 75% of the world’s smartphones.
Google has yet to unveil a real-world use of the said software, since moving away from Android and Chrome could carry other risks for the search single giant.
