OS will be assessed using a point system

Electronics manufacturers are discussing with the Ministry of Industry and Trade the idea of ​​​​awarding points to recognize smartphones and tablets as domestic for compatibility with the Russian mobile OS. Some mobile device vendors, such as Kernel and Aquarius, have already begun developing their own mobile OS. Experts note that manufacturers may have difficulty integrating systems if there is no documentation for the foreign processors used. A number of market participants consider the accrual of points for OS to be inconsistent with the original objectives of the relevant resolution.

Sources of Kommersant in the electronics market told that the Computer Science Association (ANO VT, includes Yadro, Aquarius, Bayterg, etc.) in early February proposed that the Ministry of Industry and Trade add clause 719 to government decree on the necessary compatibility of smartphones and tablets with a mobile operating system (OS) from the Ministry of Digital Development registry.

For proven compatibility, the device will receive an additional point to be recognized as domestic, says one of Kommersant’s interlocutors: “However, this is still not enough, since 140 points are needed to recognize a mobile device as Russian, and taking into account compatibility with the OS, a smartphone will score a maximum of 131 points “

At the same time, according to Kommersant’s source, it was precisely because of the possible addition of a clause to the resolution that Russian smartphone developers began to create their own OS. This is confirmed by another Kommersant interlocutor at a large electronics manufacturer. According to him, ANO VT discussed the idea at a meeting at the Ministry of Industry and Trade on February 2.

The ministry denies the fact of the meeting, but does not specify whether it received proposals from the ANO. ANO VT told Kommersant that “at the moment there are no agreed proposals for changes to Resolution 719.” The Ministry of Digital Development stated that no proposals were received from the ANO.

The head of the board of directors of Basalt SPO, Alexey Smirnov, considers adding points for using a domestic OS a reasonable initiative, since it encourages mobile device developers to provide the necessary drivers: “This gives an advantage to manufacturers who are deeply immersed in development, and do not simply assemble devices on a ready-made foreign platform or even re-glue the nameplates.”

Advisor to the Director of the Internet Initiatives Development Fund (IIDF) Dmitry Altukhov notes that drivers and technical documentation for processors are provided along with the installation of the chip, so large players, among them he named Qualcomm and Mediatek, have no problems with the availability of high-quality documentation. “But the documentation of other developers raises questions. Therefore, Russian manufacturers of smartphones and tablets, who make devices using high-quality solutions, will be able to integrate Russian OSes into their gadgets,” he emphasized, adding that porting an OS to a device takes from three months to six months.

According to Kommersant’s interlocutor in the industry, the initiative is being developed to “protect the investments of specific device manufacturers that are developing their own mobile OS,” among them he named “Kernel” and “Aquarius.” At the beginning of 2024, Kvadra OS (“Kernel”) based on the open source Android Open Source Project (AOSP) appeared in the Russian software registry of the Ministry of Digital Development. Aquarius also began developing its own OS. (see “Kommersant” dated February 12). Both companies declined to comment.

A Kommersant source in the market believes that the idea regarding the OS “does not serve the tasks that the point system should solve,” since the original resolution “was adopted to stimulate the development of the hardware of IT solutions.”

Timofey Kornev