Chinese e-commerce titan Alibaba's mobile operating system (OS) YunOS, which has been promoted as a product for the big data era, made its international debut at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) Shanghai, which took place from July 15 to 17, although it has already been installed in millions of smartphones, IT Time Weekly reported.
According to the magazine, it was the first time that the operating system is showcased at an international event, as YunOS's appearance at the MWC Shanghai has earlier been promoted by Alibaba.
The YunOS 3.1 version, codenamed "Hanghai" (meaning "sailing" in Chinese), was formally launched at the MWC Shanghai. It was described in the YunOS Sina Weibo page as the Chinese home-grown operating system for the age of data technology, the magazine said.
The magazine added that the new 3.1 version was first unveiled at an event in April, when Alibaba presented its new partners for the operating system.
Alibaba said that the YunOS 3.1 requires little memory space and provides high security and connectivity to multiple devices through cloud computing technology.
At present, Alibaba has formed partnership with over 40 companies for YunOS, including electronics manufacturers Haier and Newsmy, handset makers Meizu and Phillips, and chip companies Mediatek and Qualcomm. This enabled Alibaba to set up a solution package for mobile phone design.
Since Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi and Huawei are well positioned in the high-end market, Alibaba is trying to expand its market share through medium to low-end products.
The article said that shipments of smartphones running on YunOS totaled 15 million units in 2014, which were priced between 299 and 699 yuan ($48-$113). Many of the units carried the brand Tianyi Taobao.
Tianyi Taobao phones are sold in online outlets, such as Alibaba's Tmall site and through China Telecom's retail networks across the country.
By partnering with China Telecom, Alibaba was able to tap into the vast rural market and quickly expand its market share. The company is also planning to adopt YunOS in devices other than smartphones.
By expanding into wearable devices, cars and smart home, Alibaba will have greater access to user data, as the company migrates from e-commerce to the big data business.
The article said that YunOS also enjoys the support of the Chinese government, being the only mobile OS on the government procurement list published in July 2014. In April, Alibaba also worked with China's Ministry of Public Security in its PMOS, a system designed for the police force.
Alibaba's YunOS is expected to face stiff competition with Tencent's mobile OS, "TOS."