What is Fuchsia?
If you are a nature lover and hold the interest of keeping knowledge about the flora all across the world you might co-relate the word 'Fuschia' to the exotic flower that comprises of two striking colours but if you are a 'tech-geek', no wonder you would immediately come down to the newly Google Fuchsia Operating system that is still undergoing construction at the Google house. Yes, that is exactly what I am talking about!
With Google's two most important operating systems already running the world, first Android OS and second Chrome OS there has no such OS arrived in the market that could thwart any of these two operating systems. Only platforms like Symbian, Windows Mobile, and BlackBerry OS that earlier used to dominate the global market know the sorrow of getting completely extinct. However, Google has always been one of those smart organizations that weave the web of its success for the future. Showing its first appearance on Github in August 2016, Google kept this operating system at the bottom of the screen until this day when we actually get to see the demo of how this operating system would work.
What is the major difference?
Now that we know that Google soon would be launching a new operating system, let us give it a clear understanding of what this buzz is all about. Here are some major underlying factors that differ the other operating systems from fuchsia.
Android and Chrome OS are based on Linux however, Google Fuchsia is not. Then what is it based on? Google has tried to make Fuchsia an all-Google operator and therefore based it on its all-new microkernel called ‘Zircon’ (Earlier known as Magenta) which means ‘little kernel’. Being an embedded system, Zirkon performs a single job for a larger mechanism which implies that fuchsia is being designed for something big.
Beyond that, Fuchsia is all about Google. It is predicted to revolve around Google Assistant allowing the access to your apps in a detailed manner to facilitate the users with more actions and insights.
Fuchsia uses a phone-centric UI called ‘Armadillo’ and a traditional desktop UI known as ‘Capybara’.
How does it function?
As of for now, you would only be able to operate Fuchsia on a mobile device for it provides no usable functionality on a computer other than some click here and there. But luckily you have much choice to perform on a mobile device and here is what you will go through:
The Fuchsia home screen welcomes you to a platform where you first see a small user profile with a profile picture and displays other basic information. On logging in, you would see a screen that would comprise a vertical scrolling list of apps. Scrolling upwards would bring you the list of your applications arranged in the form of cards. Here you would come across the multitasking feature of the OS wherein you could drag one app to the other creating a card that would contain both and give you the option to select the split pattern that you would like to see your apps in. This split-screen mode also allows multiple apps to share the same screen.
It also contains a feature called ‘Ledger’ which will synchronize all your devices together, letting you start writing something on one machine and finish it on another. Apps for Fuchsia can be made using Flutter, a Google-made software development kit that is already in use for its existing operating systems.
On scrolling downwards, you would find options like search, settings and other such function to operate the mobile phone. At least you must have got an idea about how this OS would actually work.
What devices Google Fuchsia works on?
When Google is working on an operating system that is meant to revolutionize the era with the new technology then we know that Fuchsia won’t be confined solely to mobile devices. A developer build has already been released that can be installed on the Google Pixelbook.
But, so soon there is no need to fidget with your pixel books for a demo use, you can now play around Fuchsia through a website, both on your phone and desktop.
What does Fuchsia offer?
Fuchsia is a modular operating system, which implies that it could be operated on a low powered minimal resource at an efficient cost.
The Fuchsia kernel gives it the ability to scale to the embedded systems. As we all know that android has ventured into smart things, Fuchsia would be able to connect to these smart devices much easily and efficiently. If we talk about the IoT, Fuchsia OS may give devices a common operating system that could tie together all the devices including the head device that would be controlling all the others. Imagine your alarm clock waking you up and giving your coffee machine and oven in order to prepare your coffee and breakfast while you take a bath. Well, the new operating system would be helpful in bringing this fluency.
Moreover, it wouldn't be shackled by expensive patent authorizing bargains. It would be more secure, constructed, and streamlined for now. It could likewise be secluded and be really brought together, which means it would work crosswise over numerous gadgets. Be that as it may, here's the thing: Android is a standout amongst the most well-known working frameworks accessible.
With what intentions is Google building this new OS?
Well, we fear that we have no concrete answers to this one. Rumors are around that Fuchsia is being built with an intention to merge both Android and Chrome OS. Though this is true to some extent, we cannot completely rely on this fact.
Popular among users and developers, Android and Chrome OS are hard to replace. If I was a developer, I would have never risk upon moving the thousand android apps over a newly installed platform and Google might as well not intend to reinvent the field. But it might happen that Google has something great in mind that it does not wish to reveal yet. Well, these questions can only be contemplated over when a fully featured Fuchsia is ready to be installed on our devices, till then let it just be a mystery.
Will it replace the Android OS?
Feeling nostalgic about the Android OS already? Need not be, for there is still time for these operating systems to leave your hands. But that does not mean that it will not, someday it will but as far as Fuchsia is concerned, I personally think that it would step into the virtual and augmented reality rather than disrupting the current process. Well, it may not act as a replacement but would surely give way to new technologies.