Shenzhen Xunlong, a Chinese company renowned for crafting single-board computers under the Orange Pi brand, has chosen to part ways with Microsoft and embark on the development of a unique operating system – Orange Pi OS.

The Orange Pi OS project itself has been in existence for quite some time. In a departure from the original version built on Android, the second iteration will take inspiration from the Chinese HarmonyOS, completely severing China’s ties with American software. Orange Pi OS could emerge as a robust alternative to Windows 11, as it will soon adapt to x86-compatible PCs, featuring processors from AMD and Intel.

The developers have asserted that their operating system will incorporate all the hallmark features one would expect from contemporary OS, including a taskbar, file manager, multitasking, and more. However, the release date of Orange Pi OS based on HarmonyOS remains uncertain.