UBIOS: China’s Alternative to UEFI and the New Era of Firmware Standards
UBIOS: China’s Alternative to UEFI and the New Era of Firmware Standards
Understanding UBIOS: China’s New BIOS Standard and the Push for Technological Independence
What is UBIOS?
UBIOS (Unified Basic Input Output System) is a new firmware standard officially released by China’s Global Computing Consortium (GCC) on October 17, 2025, with the standard number T/GCC 3007—2025. This represents China’s first complete, standardized, and extensible indigenous firmware system standard.
UBIOS is defined as a unified basic input output system that supports distributed architecture and hardware-software-chip collaboration. It includes several key components: the UBIOS interface, Unified Virtual Bus (UVB), Function ID (FID), Information ID (IID), User ID, UB Processing Unit (UBPU), and Entity management.
The standard was jointly drafted by major Chinese technology companies including Huawei, UnionTech, and Soft Connect, among others. It provides a standardized framework for building basic input-output systems, aimed at improving system compatibility and stability.
What is the Difference Between UBIOS and Traditional BIOS/UEFI?
Traditional BIOS Architecture
Traditional BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is firmware stored on PC motherboards that initializes and tests system hardware components during power-on self-test (POST) and loads a boot loader from storage devices. Legacy BIOS code was written in 16-bit assembly and run in real mode, with each implementation being proprietary to specific Independent BIOS Vendors (IBVs) like AMI or Phoenix.
UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) emerged as the modern successor to BIOS. UEFI was originally developed by Intel during the mid-1990s as Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) to address BIOS limitations such as 16-bit real mode, 1MB addressable memory space, and PC AT hardware restrictions. UEFI provides advantages including support for larger storage devices (over 2TB), faster boot times through parallel hardware initialization, graphical interfaces with mouse support, and advanced security features like Secure Boot.
UBIOS’s Unique Approach
Unlike the widely-adopted UEFI standard, UBIOS has been redesigned from the ground up with a focus on future heterogeneous computing and Chiplet (芯粒) advanced chip technologies.
The core innovation of UBIOS lies in its Unified Virtual Bus (UVB) concept. Traditional firmware has complex and tightly coupled hardware module interactions, like each building having unique locks and keys, resulting in low communication efficiency and difficult expansion. UBIOS proposes a Unified Virtual Bus to simplify complex interactions between multiple firmware within BIOS and between BIOS and peripheral components, allowing all components to interact based on the same interface definition.
The specification standardizes interaction methods between BIOS and OS, between BIOS and peripherals, and among internal BIOS firmware components. It extends to other BIOS-related components such as BMC (Baseboard Management Controller) firmware and EC (Embedded Controller) firmware.
Key architectural differences include:
Designed for Modern Chip Architectures: UBIOS is specifically designed to adapt to chip heterogeneity, BIOS multi-firmware architecture, and intelligent peripherals. This makes it particularly suited for complex System-on-Chip (SoC) designs where multiple subsystems need coordinated initialization.
Unified Communication Layer: The UVB serves as a virtual bus that can be carried through different physical entities, allowing all subsystems within an SoC to connect to the bus, as well as external peripherals. This creates a standardized way for components to communicate regardless of their underlying hardware.
Distributed Architecture Support: Unlike traditional centralized BIOS designs, UBIOS embraces distributed firmware architectures where different processing units can have their own firmware components that communicate through the unified interface.
Why is China Insisting on Building UBIOS?
China’s development of UBIOS must be understood within the broader context of the country’s technological self-reliance strategy, driven by several critical factors:
1. Technological Independence and National Security
As the United States has cut China off from advanced semiconductor technology, tightened controls on Chinese investments in U.S. firms, and scrutinized the flow of Chinese students and scholars to American universities, Beijing has stressed the need for indigenous innovation and to seize control of core technologies.
Tech self-reliance in a geopolitically focused economy is the central goal that Xi Jinping has in his economic agenda. A whole-of-nation approach aims to close tech gaps and make China less dependent on foreign actors Xi believes aim to hold China back.
2. Reducing Dependence on Foreign Standards
Currently, the global computer industry relies heavily on UEFI specifications developed primarily by Western companies and the UEFI Forum. Major Independent BIOS Vendors (IBVs) include American companies like American Megatrends (AMI), Insyde Software, and Phoenix Technologies.
By developing UBIOS, China aims to:
- Control the fundamental firmware layer of its computing systems
- Reduce vulnerability to potential supply chain disruptions
- Ensure security at the most fundamental level of computing hardware
- Create standards that better align with Chinese technological priorities and chip architectures
3. Strategic Positioning for Future Technologies
UBIOS is positioned to address future trends in heterogeneous computing and Chiplet technologies, which represent the next generation of chip design. By establishing a standard now, China aims to:
- Position itself as a standard-setter rather than a standard-taker in emerging technologies
- Create an ecosystem around indigenous standards that Chinese manufacturers can adopt
- Develop technology that aligns with China’s domestic chip manufacturing capabilities
4. The “Dual Circulation” Strategy
China’s Fourteenth Five-Year Plan emphasizes achieving “self-reliance” in science and technology through the dual circulation strategy, which aims to reduce China’s vulnerability to external shocks by relying primarily on domestic production, distribution, and consumption.
Beijing will promote indigenous solutions where it can, even at the expense of efficiency, but will also welcome foreign investors in areas where China’s tech gap is largest—better to have secure, onshored foreign technology providers than rely on easily targeted imports.
Does China Plan to Replace BIOS/UEFI?
The release of UBIOS signals China’s clear intention to develop an alternative to UEFI, though complete replacement faces significant challenges:
Domestic Adoption Strategy
The UBIOS specification applies to the design, development, and evaluation of BIOS, operating systems, BMC, and peripherals. This suggests a comprehensive approach targeting the entire domestic computing ecosystem.
China is likely to pursue a phased adoption strategy:
- Government and critical infrastructure: Mandatory adoption in sensitive sectors
- State-owned enterprises: Encouraged or required implementation
- Domestic market: Gradual ecosystem development
- Export markets: Limited penetration due to established UEFI ecosystem
Challenges to Global Replacement
Several factors make worldwide replacement unlikely in the near term:
Ecosystem Lock-in: The UEFI ecosystem is deeply entrenched globally, with extensive hardware and software compatibility built over decades.
Technical Maturity: UEFI has evolved through multiple specification versions with extensive real-world testing and refinement. The UEFI Forum updated all three of its core specifications (ACPI, UEFI, and PI) as recently as December 2024.
Industry Adoption: Global hardware manufacturers, operating system vendors, and peripheral makers have significant investments in UEFI-compatible products.
Standards Development: Building a complete firmware ecosystem requires extensive collaboration with hardware vendors, software developers, and the broader technology industry.
The Realistic Outlook
Rather than complete global replacement, UBIOS is more likely to:
- Become the standard for Chinese domestic computing systems
- Create a parallel ecosystem within China’s borders
- Potentially influence standards for specific application domains (like heterogeneous computing) where China has strategic advantages
- Serve as a negotiating tool for China to have greater influence in international firmware standards development
Conclusion
UBIOS represents more than just a technical specification—it’s a strategic component of China’s broader technology independence agenda.
While it brings innovative approaches to handling modern heterogeneous computing architectures, its success will ultimately depend on:
- Technical quality and performance compared to UEFI
- Adoption rates within China’s domestic market
- The willingness of hardware and software vendors to support dual standards
- The broader trajectory of US-China technology competition
For the global technology industry, UBIOS signals a potentially fragmenting firmware ecosystem, with implications for hardware design, software compatibility, and international technology cooperation.
Whether UBIOS becomes a viable alternative or remains primarily a domestic Chinese standard will unfold over the coming years as the standard matures and the geopolitical technology landscape continues to evolve.
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