Russia Upgrades Mobile OS with Camera and Geolocation Tools Free of Western Tech

Version 2.1 of the ROSA Mobile operating system now powers Russian smartphones and tablets with fully domestic solutions for video capture and mapping. The update marks a key step toward digital independence.

ROSA IT Research Center, a Russian operating systems developer, has released version 2.1 of its mobile OS—ROSA Mobile—for the R-FON smartphone and R-TAB tablet. The latest upgrade introduces native video recording capabilities and full integration with Yandex’s geolocation services, all built entirely on Russian technology.

Instead of relying on off-the-shelf drivers from Western vendors, ROSA engineers developed their own low-level software to enable direct interaction with camera sensors, video codecs, and memory systems. Geolocation now runs exclusively through Yandex APIs, improving app stability and reducing power consumption without depending on foreign infrastructure.

Other upgrades include QR code scanning with instant link redirection, the ability to remove both system and Android apps, and support for hot-swapping memory cards. The built-in Android emulator has also been improved to handle notifications, operate with apps that require root to be disabled, and sync screen rotation with the core system.

User interface refinements include an improved onboarding experience, better password input feedback, reworked low-battery alerts, and a new hotspot activity indicator. Developers say they’ve eliminated several critical bugs, significantly boosting system stability.