Aurora 5.2 Brings New APIs, Better Geolocation and User-Driven Upgrades
Open Mobile Platform, a subsidiary of Rostelecom, has unveiled Aurora 5.2, the latest version of its Russian mobile operating system for enterprise users. The release was shaped directly by feedback from beta testers and organizations already running the platform in production.
The updated platform gives organizations full control over how data is processed on their devices. The new release responds to requests from beta testers and lessons learned during real-world deployments. Aurora 5.2 adds support for external cameras and microphones, delivers more accurate geolocation, introduces new application programming interfaces (APIs) for developers, and includes a broad range of additional enhancements.
User Feedback Shapes the Platform
Today, Aurora is used by Russian government agencies and operators of critical infrastructure, where strong information security is essential. Last year, Open Mobile Platform, the company behind the operating system, received certification from FSTEK (Federal Service for Technical and Export Control). The certification confirms that the platform meets established security standards and regulatory requirements.
Aurora's beta testing program began five years ago, initially involving participants from Innopolis in Tatarstan, Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, and St. Petersburg. Later, in 2024, about 30 residents of Perm joined the initiative. Today, the operating system's beta testing community has grown to more than 700 participants, with one in every six members coming from the Ural region.
Three Thousand Improvements
According to Rostelecom representatives, one of the most valuable aspects of the program is that users in Perm are not simply using the product – they are helping build it. Their feedback and experience have contributed to making the operating system more capable and more secure. In Aurora 5.2, developers implemented more than 3,000 changes across three core areas: performance, security, and usability. The release introduces support for browser-based Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), deeper integration with mobile device management (MDM) systems and Aurora Tsentr (Aurora Center), expanded application programming interfaces (APIs), support for external cameras and microphones, and improvements to geolocation and navigation.
Strengthening Security and Digital Independence
The Aurora update could ultimately make a wide range of services in Russia – including government, transportation, banking, and enterprise systems – more secure by enabling organizations to move official mobile workplaces away from foreign devices and onto a centrally managed domestic platform.
At the national level, the continued development and deployment of operating systems such as Aurora represents another step toward technological sovereignty. Government agencies and strategically important enterprises gain access to a mobile platform whose updates and long-term operation do not depend on decisions made by foreign operating system vendors. Looking ahead, Aurora could see broad adoption across critical information infrastructure, government organizations, industry, transportation, financial services, and other sectors that require centralized device management and enhanced data protection.
In the future, the platform could also be exported to countries seeking secure mobile solutions for government agencies and state-owned enterprises. Potential export markets include CIS countries, as well as parts of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
