Explained | What is BharOS software and how different is it from Google’s Android OS?

Story so far: While Android and iOS are two of the most well known mobile operating systems, a new Indian contender in the sector is BharOS. BharOS would offer Native Over The Air updates, meaning that security updates and bug fixes will be automatically installed rather than users having to check for updates and implementing them on their own, confirmed Karthik Ayyar, Director, JandK Operations Pvt Ltd. Are Google’s apps included? BharOS comes with the No Default Apps setting, meaning that users do not have to keep or use pre-installed apps in this mobile operating system, according to IIT Madras. Going with an NDA design for BharOS was intentional as it will let users have more control over the apps on their mobile phones based on the user’s trust in the app and the kind of data they store on their phone, IIT Madras explained. IIT Madras stated that BharOS was serving organisations that have “stringent privacy and security requirements” as their users handled sensitive information, meaning their mobile devices needed to be extra secure and vetted carefully for potentially malicious or unnecessary apps.