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While Google recently confirmed that it is ready to cooperate with CCI, it is also facing a lot of heat due to its monopoly in the smartphone OS segment, where, it pushes its own apps as default services in Android devices. Now, IIT-Madras has developed a new operating system called BharOS, which is said to benefit smartphone users in India by offering a more secure and indigenous private mobile operating system. But can BharOS compete against Google’s Android and how different is BharOS when compared to Google’s Android? We try to answer some important questions about BharOS.
BharOS is a Linux Kernel-based operating system with no Google apps or services. It is developed by JandK Operations Private Limited (JandKops), which is a non-profit organisation incubated at IIT Madras. The company has been incubated under IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation, which is a non-profit company established on the premier campus. The Foundation is funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, under its National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NMICPS), according to a press statement.
Technically, BharOS is not that different from Android’s Google OS. In fact, it is based on the same Linux Kernel using the Android Open Source Project. The major difference between BharOS and Google’s Android OS is the fact that BharOS does not ship with Google services. It will be an operating system, which will allow users to install apps of their own interest. BharOS comes with no default app (NDA), and thus this allows users to have more control over app permissions.
It also comes with a native over-the-air update (NOTA) feature that keeps the devices safe, which is automatically downloaded and installed on the device. With organisation-specific Private App Store Services (PASS), the device gives access to only those apps which have been thoroughly verified by the organisation.
BharOS will allow users to sideload an app of their choice. However, sideloading an APK always comes with risk. Does it require bootloader unlocking, which could further compromise the device’s security? On top of that, how long will the operating system receive software and security updates? These are the questions that the developer of the BharOS have not yet answered.
It is also interesting to see that the current build of BharOS has third-party apps like DuckDuckGo and Signal as default browsers and messaging apps.
As of now, there is no information on when the BharOS will be available for download and exactly how a user can even install. The team that has developed BharOS has not confirmed names of any original equipment manufacturer (OEM) that it plans to partner with to bring the OS to users. A single build of BharOS cannot be installed on all Android phones. It is likely that BharOS could only be available for select phones and chipsets.
Currently, there are no exact details on when BharOS will be released. It is said that a wider rollout might take some time.
In the video above, the company said wants to partner with some major Android OEMs to launch phones with BharOS in the coming days. While BharOS is said to be compatible with Google Pixel smartphones, developers have not confirmed the exact models that will support BharOS.
BharOS developers claim that BharOS is better than both Android and iOS in terms of features and security. On top of that, they also claim that BharOS could even improve the battery life of the device. It will also allow users to install apps of their interest and will ship with an India-based app store. Again, details on how this is better and more secure are still needed.
Since it is based on the Android kernel, it should be able to run most Android apps. But a few apps that require Google Play Services will not run on a phone with BharOS.
No, the primary reason for the development of BharOS is to offer an alternative smartphone OS without the Google Play store or Google Play services, and BharOS will not support Google Play Services.
