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Google's potential Android replacement, Fuchsia, now has a developer site

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By Alan Friedman

Published: Jun 29, 2019, 6:03 PM

Google

After having a hand in the disappearance of mobile operating systems like Symbian and BlackBerry, Google wants to insure that even if Android is someday way past its prime, it has another OS waiting in the wings. So Google has built up a team of more than 100 people to help develop Fuchsia OS, another open source platform. According to Android Police, yesterday Google launched a site for developers at Fuchsia.dev.

Fuchsia doesn't use the Linux kernel like the Android and Chrome operating systems. Instead it uses the Zircon microkernel; a microkernel is essentially the smallest amount of software needed to run an operating system. So as you might expect, Fuchsia runs differently than Android. The good news is that the cross-platform Flutter SDK will allow Android developers to quickly port over their apps to Fuchsia.

Last November, the Fuchsia OS added support for Huawei's Kirin 970 chipset and the operating system was successfully loaded on the Honor Play. As cool as this news was, there is still plenty of work that needs to be done and replacing an operating system used on 85% of phones worldwide is not a simple task. Back in 2017, a video surfaced of a phone running a very early build of Fuchsia using a UI designed for the platform called Armadillo. The UI scrolls vertically to reveal open apps. A profile picture, when tapped, gives the user access to "quick settings" like options.

Fuchsia OS doesn't use the Linux kernel

Launching the developers site should help Google spread the word about Fuchsia and allow developers to kick the tires and learn all about the nuts and bolts of the operating system. Whatever Google has in mind for Fuchsia, development continues to move forward. And if Fuchsia does replace Android, having a fully stocked app storefront is going to be important. Stay tuned.

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Alan, an ardent smartphone enthusiast and a veteran writer at PhoneArena since 2009, has witnessed and chronicled the transformative years of mobile technology. Owning iconic phones from the original iPhone to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, he has seen smartphones evolve into a global phenomenon. Beyond smartphones, Alan has covered the emergence of tablets, smartwatches, and smart speakers.

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