Global e-commerce giant Alibaba has just unveiled its new mobile device operating system – Aliyun OS. It has been developed by Alibaba Cloud Computing, a subsidiary of the Alibaba Group. It has been introduced as a cloud-based operating system, featuring cloud services including e-mail, Internet search, weather updates, mapping & GPS navigation tools.

The cloud OS provides support for web-based apps as well, offering users an Internet-like experience that do not require the user to download or install application software on their mobile devices. Cloud OS users will be able to synchronize, store and back-up data such as contact information, call logs, text messages, notes and photos to the cloud and also access & update this data across all their PC and mobile devices.

Wang Jian, president of Alibaba Cloud Computing, eloquently puts it, “mobile users want a more open and convenient mobile OS, one that allows them to truly enjoy all that the Internet has to offer right in the palm of their hand, and the cloud OS, with its use of cloud-based applications, will provide that. Introducing cloud apps to mobile devices not only brings a whole new user experience, but also greater ease for third-party mobile software developers who will be able to use Internet technology such as HTML5 and JavaScript to reduce the complexity in the app development process.”

The first installations of Aliyun will run on the K-Touch Cloud Smartphone, to be launched in China soon. A tablet PC running the Aliyun OS, which is based on a customised Android system, is also expected to be launched in China by the end of the year. Handset manufacturer Tianyu will manufacture the K-Touch as well as the tablet.

It is great to see Asian tech firms finally getting seriously into the mobile and cloud computing fray. Alibaba expects to have an English-language version of the Aliyun OS ready by the end of this year. I guess we’ll have to wait till then, unless you read Chinese!