Mashable: Google's Fuchsia OS to run virtually on Android devices, according to new report

Google's mysterious Fuchsia operating system may soon be integrated into Android devices, not as a complete replacement, but as a virtualized component. Fuchsia OS made its debut in 2016 and was featured on its first commercial device in 2021 with the release of the first-generation Nest Hub.

Google Bakal Jalankan OS Fuchsia secara Virtual di Android, Untuk Apa https://t.co/wayZqKurjP pic.twitter.com/LkS84aENPv — Nursani Ahmad (@noershani) July 8, 2024

Despite this, its presence has been limited to the Nest Hub thus far. However, a recent report indicates that Fuchsia OS could potentially operate as a virtual machine on Android devices.

Fuchsia offers a unique foundation in comparison to Android and ChromeOS, as it moves away from the modified Linux kernel approach and is constructed from scratch using a microkernel called Zircon. This microkernel design is expected to bring advantages in efficiency, flexibility, and security by reducing the amount of trusted code within the system.

A new development has emerged with the introduction of a project known as "microfuchsjia." The main goal of this project is to facilitate the running of Fuchsia on current devices by utilizing virtualization, reports GizmoChina.

Virtualization involves creating a software-based copy of a physical device, enabling it to function in a distinct computing environment. This segregation guarantees that applications running on the main operating system and within the virtual machine do not disrupt each other.

Information from the Fuchsia Gerrit code repository indicates that microfuchsia will utilize virtualization software such as QEMU and pKVM. The latter, created by Google, emphasizes layered security for executing isolated workloads. Interestingly, Google has also developed a streamlined version of Android called "microdroid" for this purpose.

Android'in yerini alması beklenen Fuchsia OS yeniden kendini gösterdi.

2016’da tanıtılan ve 2021’den beri adeta kayıplara karışan Fuchsia OS, Android cihazlarda bir sanal makine olarak çalışabilecek şekilde 2025'te gelebilir. pic.twitter.com/r398R2KmdO — ShiftDelete.Net (@shiftdeletenet) July 8, 2024

The potential capabilities of microfuchsia on Android devices are currently uncertain. Nevertheless, its resemblance to microdroid suggests that it could be utilized for tasks requiring enhanced security.