Software:BharOS
Developer | JandK Operations Private Limited, IIT Madras |
---|---|
OS family | Android (Linux) |
Working state | Current |
Source model | Open source |
Initial release | January 24, 2023 |
|Final release|Latest release}} | BharOS 1 |
Marketing target | Smartphones |
Available in | English, Hindi, Punjabi |
Platforms | ARM64 |
Default user interface | Graphical (multi-touch) |
Support status | |
Supported |
BharOS (formerly IndOS[1]) is a mobile operating system designed by IIT Madras.[2] It is an Indian government-funded project to develop a free and open-source operating system (OS) for use in government and public systems.[3]
History
Google is facing a crackdown from the Competition Commission of India (CCI) for its practices pertaining to Android.[4] There have been several demands for the need for an Indian app store that does not levy exorbitant fees for sales.[5] BharOS aims to reduce India's dependence on foreign-made operating systems in smartphones and promote the use of India-made technology.[6] It was developed by JandK Operations Private Limited (JandKops), which was incubated at IIT Madras.[7] The minister for telecommunications and information technology Ashwini Vaishnaw and education minister Dharmendra Pradhan launched the operating system in a public event.[8][9][10]
Features
BharOS targets security-conscious groups.[11] BharOS does not come with any preinstalled services or apps.[12] This approach gives the user more freedom and control over the permissions that are available to apps on their device. Users can choose to grant permissions only to apps that they require to access certain features or data on their device.[13] The software can be installed on commercially available handsets, providing users with a secure environment, the company stated in a statement.[14] The new operating system will provide access to trusted apps via organisation-specific Private App Store Services (PASS), which is a list of curated apps that meet security and privacy standards. Security updates and bug fixes will be automatically installed rather than users having to manually check for updates and install them.[13]
Criticism
Divya Bhati writing for India Today noted that instructions on downloading, installing BharOS on compatible devices, or plans for new devices, or its support for security and software updates were scant.[13] In September 2023, a fork of GrapheneOS containing references to BharOS was made public on GitHub.[15] Although the Github Profile of Sadhasiva, which hosted the code has since been deleted, it can be viewed through unofficial forks by archival websites.[16] Through a tweet, IITM Pravartak Technologies Foundation identified the code to have originated from Megam Solutions, a Chennai-based software company which was not connected with JandKops. In a subsequent tweet, the organization highlighted communications with the CEO of Megam Solutions, that the name BharOS was unintentionally used.[17]
External links
- https://jandkops.in/, JandKops website
References
- ↑ Sharwood, Simon (25 Jan 2023). "Well that escalated quickly: India demos homebrew mobile OS". The Register. https://www.theregister.com/2023/01/25/bharos_india_demo/.
- ↑ "Indian govt aims to build Aatmanirbhar chipset and BharOS to take on Google, Apple". https://www.indiatoday.in/technology/news/story/indian-govt-aims-to-build-aatmanirbhar-chipset-and-bharos-to-take-on-google-apple-2326104-2023-01-25.
- ↑ "'BharOS', Made-In-India Operating System, Tested. Check Out Its Features". https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/made-in-india-operating-system-bharos-tested-check-out-its-features-3719078.
- ↑ "ETtech Explained: what is government-backed BharOS and why is it important?". https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/technology/ettech-explained-what-is-the-government-backed-bharos-and-why-is-it-important/articleshow/97323076.cms.
- ↑ "'BharOS' vs Android: India Needs Not Just a Self-Reliant but Reliable Operating System". https://thewire.in/tech/india-bharos-mobile-operating-system.
- ↑ Aulakh, Gulveen (January 25, 2023). "BharOS ready for launch; govt, private firms do a reality check". https://www.livemint.com/technology/tech-news/bharos-ready-for-launch-govt-private-firms-do-a-reality-check-11674666012046.html.
- ↑ "IIT-Madras Incubated Firm Develops Indigenous Mobile Operating System". https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/iit-madras-incubated-firm-develops-indigenous-mobile-operating-system-3707736.
- ↑ @EduMinOfIndia. "Paving a way for Atmanirbhar Bharat!". https://twitter.com/EduMinOfIndia/status/1616085879684231171. Missing or empty |date= (help)
- ↑ "Can India's BharOS replace Android, iOS? Tough road ahead". January 25, 2023. https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-sci-tech/bharos-why-seeing-the-indian-operating-system-on-a-smartphone-wont-be-easy-8404494/.
- ↑ "BharOS: Vaishnaw, Pradhan test 'Made In India' mobile operating system developed by IIT Madras". https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/technology/bharos-vaishnaw-pradhan-test-made-in-india-mobile-operating-system-developed-by-iit-madras/videoshow/97271838.cms.
- ↑ "Open Sesame: BharOS makes it possible to break the stranglehold of Android. It requires support". January 26, 2023. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/toi-editorials/open-sesame-bharos-makes-it-possible-to-break-the-stranglehold-of-android-it-requires-support/.
- ↑ "What is BharOS, the new mobile operating system made in India that wants to take on Android?". January 25, 2023. https://www.firstpost.com/world/everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-bhar-os-or-bharat-os-the-made-in-india-operating-system-that-wants-to-take-on-android-12044232.html.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Bhati, Divya. "BharOS, a new rival to Android? Here are all your question answered". https://www.indiatoday.in/technology/features/story/bharos-to-give-stiff-competition-to-googles-android-here-are-all-your-questions-answered-2325271-2023-01-23.
- ↑ "IIT Madras-incubated firm develops BharOS, India's rival to android". https://newsonair.com/2023/01/24/iit-madras-incubated-firm-develops-bharos-indias-rival-to-android/.
- ↑ "Leaked GitHub repo raises questions on IITM’s BharOS: Story so far" (in en). 2023-10-03. https://www.techcircle.in/2023/10/03/leaked-github-repo-raises-questions-on-iitm-s-bharos-story-so-far.
- ↑ "Github Repo of sadhasiva1984". 28 September 2023. https://github.com/sadhasiva1984.
- ↑ "IITM Pravartak on X" (in en). https://twitter.com/IITMPravartak/status/1708139234106982668.
Original source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BharOS.
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