A made-in-China operating system rises to take on Android and iOS
COS, short for China Operating System, is government-backed and designed to appeal to the patriotic consumer
In an effort to compete with Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS, China has unveiled a mobile operating system of its own, simply dubbed COS – China Operating System.
Designed for use on mobile phones and tablets in the mainland, COS is a government-backed operating system based on Linux code that has been developed by technology company Shanghai Liantong and the Institute of Software at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Unveiled at a launch event on January 15, COS has been aggressively promoted as a homegrown product that can directly compete with the American-made operating systems currently used by the vast majority of Chinese smart phone and tablet consumers.
With its own version of an app store and cloud-based computing services, COS promises to do everything that Android and iOS already offer, but with a made-in-China edge. A promotional video for the new software plays up this patriotic angle, portraying it as the latest in a long list of domestic accomplishments, including the creation of Chinese characters and the invention of moveable type.
Video: The China Operating System
“2014 will be a transition year for Chinese smart devices,” a press release from the COS launch event reads. “COS will offer multiple advantages for local users by offering a more China-oriented operating experience, a secure environment and a means for technological collaborations with other Chinese companies.”