Google continues to work on its new operating system "microkernel": here's the latest news.
That Google is working on a new operating system, called Fuchsia, is known for about 4 years. After a period of development, Big G has finally started to unveil the first information, opening up to external contributors. But how will be the successor of Android and when will it be possible to fully exploit it?
Although it is not yet available to the public for installation on the different types of devices available on the market, we already know that Fuchsia is an open source project, described by Google as an operating system based on "security, upgradeability and performance". A definition, therefore, that opens on some points of particular importance, but still leaving around the new Mountain View product a thick halo of uncertainties on many aspects. In fact, it's still not known what will be its purpose, compatibility and features that will be enclosed in what has already been indicated by many as the future of Android.
How will Fuchsia, the successor to Android?
For Fuchsia, Google has released a roadmap covering several technical aspects, including updating the Zircon kernel, improving the performance of the file system and studying a "more inclusive management of user input events on workstations running Fuchsia". All this, according to Big G, aims to realize a more secure and performing operating system, easily upgradable over time.
Security should be guaranteed by the kernel behavior that would completely isolate processes, granting access to resources exclusively through handles. Since there is no global file system, components would be distributed via packages that include files for execution.
In addition, the Fuchsia operating system should have its own IDL, Interface Description Language, a language used to describe object interfaces. This, would allow for broadly coupled components, highly scalable by definition. In addition, Fuchsia can rely on a subset of POSIX APIs, relying on asynchronous communication, to reduce the possible presence of latency, and help with porting.
Fuchsia, when will the successor to Android be ready
As it is easy to deduce from the processing phase, the operating system is still far from being ready for release. The confirmation came from Google, which confirmed the information adding that currently "it supports a limited set of hardware based on x64 architecture and you can also test it with the Fuchsia emulator".
In the future, but they are still suppositions since nothing has been revealed yet by Big G, Fuchsia could run on IoT devices and hardware similar to desktop computers and laptops, as well as on these same devices. Instead, it is certain news, dated 2019, that it will be possible to use Android apps on the new operating system.