According to an article by Adam Jourdan from Reuters, China is stepping up to help its domestic software industry catch up with imported operating systems such as Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)‘s Windows and Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL)‘s mobile operating system Android.
An official OS development alliance has been established in March this year. Reuters cited a report by the People’s Post, according to which, Ni Guangnan, who is a head of the alliance, was quoting as saying:
“We hope to launch a Chinese-made desktop operating system by October supporting app stores.”
There already are some Chinese OS, but there is a large gap between China’s technology and that of developed countries, he noted. He hopes that domestically built software software can replace desktop operating systems within one to two years, and mobile operating systems within three to five years.
China banned government use of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)’s latest Windows 8 and opened investigation for anti-trust violations against it. Moreover, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is not the only U.S. firm facing problems in China. In March last year, Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) has been accused by China that it had too much control over its smartphone industry via its Android mobile operating system and that it discriminated against some local firms.
Computer technology caused tensions between China and the U.S. after recent run-ins over cyber security. Suspicions over hacking have escalated between two countries following revelations by Edward Snowden that the U.S. intelligence has planted backdoor surveillance tools on U.S.-made hardware. Later, the U.S. Justice Department indicted five Chinese military officers for extensive industrial espionage.
Ni Guangnan welcomed the Chinese government intervention, saying that the ban on Windows 8 was a big opportunity for the Chinese OS sector to develop its own systems.
“Creating an environment that allows us to contend with Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL), Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) – that is the key to success”.
He concluded by saying that the the industry still needed further development and investment.
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