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Baidu has given up on its homemade Android-based operating system

Baidu launched its own version of Android back in 2011 and, despite companies like Dell helping to give the mobile operating system a good boost in the beginning, Yun OS has failed to gain traction with many of China’s smartphone users. Admitting defeat, Baidu has confirmed that Yun OS, originally known as Baidu Yi, will no longer be receiving updates and that the entire project has now been suspend. 

No news means bad news when it comes to tech companies. If they’ve nothing to boast about, the ensuing silence looks suspicious. That’s been the case with Baidu’s version of Android (pictured above), which launched in late 2011. Despite a high-profile and promising start as Dell made use of Baidu’s Android-based Yun OS for a new China-only phone, the Chinese search giant’s OS thereafter didn’t show any signs of finding favor with the nation’s smartphone shoppers. Yesterday, Baidu confirmed in its Yun OS forums that the Android skin will not get any more updates. The project is now suspended. A Baidu spokesperson directed us to a statement on Baidu Yun OS’ official Weibo account. Baidu’s Yun OS started out called Baidu Yi. It swapped out Google’s apps for Baidu’s own suite of services, such as Baidu Maps, Baidu’s App Store, and Baidu’s own Android voice assistant app. Although it launched at the right time to capitalize on China’s smartphone boom, consumers instead chose Android-based phones from phone makers like Xiaomi, Huawei, Lenovo, and Samsung.

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Written by Connor Livingston

Connor Livingston is a tech blogger who will be launching his own site soon, Lythyum. He lives in Oceanside, California, and has never surfed in his life. Find him on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.

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