Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission. Learn more.
Google's Fuchsia OS is being tested on the HONOR Play
- A new commit shows that HUAWEI is testing Fuchsia OS on the HONOR Play.
- The commit also reveals the new platform is now compatible with the Kirin 970 chipset.
- This potentially opens the door for other Kirin 970 devices to run Fuchsia.
We’ve known for quite some time now that Google is working on a new platform called Fuchsia OS. Now, it turns out that Huawei is using the HONOR Play as a test device for the operating system.
9to5Google spotted a new commit to the project this week, made by a HUAWEI engineer. This isn’t unusual, because HUAWEI engineers have reportedly been making commits to the project in the past year.
Read: 6 reasons to buy the OnePlus 6T, and 6 reasons to pass
What sparks our interest, however, is that the latest commit specifically mentions support for the Kirin 970 chipset. Furthermore, the commit adds that Zircon (Fuchsia’s core platform) was tested on the HONOR Play.
This is a pretty big deal, the website notes, because it’s the first consumer device tested with Fuchsia. Additionally, it also marks the first significant contribution to the project from outside Google.
The HONOR Play might be the most affordable Kirin 970 device around, but the chipset also powers a slew of other handsets. These include the P20 series, the Mate 10 series, the HONOR 10, HONOR View 10, and the Nova 3.
This doesn’t necessarily mean you should rush out to get a Kirin 970 smartphone so you can unofficially run Fuchsia OS. After all, HUAWEI shut down its bootloader unlock service earlier this year. Still, history tells us that Fuchsia can be installed on consumer devices, so those with unlocked Kirin 970 phones might be able to install it down the line.
Nevertheless, it would be a fun move if HUAWEI offered an enthusiast program to try out the platform once it’s reached a more mature state. It wouldn’t be the first time we saw something like this either, as Xiaomi and Microsoft previously allowed Mi 4 owners to flash Windows 10 Mobile.