Google’s Removal of RISC-V Support from Android Kernel: A Potential Impact on Chinese Chip Vendors Targeting Android Systems and Devices

In recent news, Google has removed support for RISC-V from the Android kernel, which will impact chip vendors targeting Android systems and devices. While this change is not expected to have a significant global impact, it will require developers to put in extra effort to restore RISC-V support on their own. However, China is a major player in RISC-V development, with over 300 companies using the standard and major tech players supporting it.

RISC-V International, a non-profit group promoting RISC-V technology, has over half of its premier members from China, including companies like Alibaba Cloud, Huawei Technologies, and ZTE. Other premier members include Google, Intel, and Qualcomm. Alibaba, Huawei, and Tencent are actively developing chips based on RISC-V, with Alibaba’s Damo Academy expanding its XuanTie series of processors for various applications.

Baidu-backed chip maker StarFive Technology is also working on RISC-V-based CPUs, with plans to establish a semiconductor research-and-development lab in Hong Kong. Despite concerns in the US about Chinese involvement in RISC-V development, China continues to contribute significantly to its growth. Companies already invested in RISC-V support for Android are expected to continue their projects, although there is still a considerable amount of work ahead for developers looking to restore support on their own.