Android and iOS operating systems have dominated the mobile OS segment for quite some time now, but several new native operating systems have emerged in recent years that have the potential to challenge Android. One such native mobile operating system which is claimed to benefit the 100 crore mobile phone users in India has been developed by the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) incubated company.
This software, called ‘BharOS’, can be installed on commercially available handsets. It is said to provide a safe environment for users and make an important contribution to ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat.’ BharOS services are currently provided to organizations that have strict privacy and security requirements and whose users handle sensitive information that requires confidential communication on restricted mobile phone apps. Such users need access to private cloud services over private 5G networks.
The BharOS is developed by JandK Operations Private Limited (JandKops), which is incubated by IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation, a Section 8 (Not for Profit) Company founded by IIT Madras.
BharOS comes with no default apps (NDA). This means that users are not forced to use apps they may not be familiar with or trust. In addition, this approach gives users more control over the permissions that apps have on their device, as they can choose to allow only apps they trust to access certain features or data on their device.
BharOS provides access to trusted apps from organization-specific Private App Store Services (PASS). A PASS provides access to a curated list of apps that have been thoroughly vetted and meet certain organizational security and privacy standards. This means that users can rest assured that the apps they install are safe to use and have been checked for potential security vulnerabilities or privacy concerns.