While Microsoft's foray into the smartphone operating system market ended in failure, Huawei's HarmonyOS has proven to be a huge success and a genuine rival to Android and iOS, at least in its home country.
The operating system is found on more than 900 million devices in China and its use is growing rapidly. It's currently based on Android, but Huawei has taken steps to change that.
At its HDC 2023, Huawei presented HarmonyOS Next, or Hongmeng as it is known in China, the latest version of its operating system. This new version marks a significant change from EMUI, a completely independent Android-based platform used around the world.
Now, at HDC 2024, Yu Chengdong, president of Huawei's consumer business group (encompassing smartphones, PCs and IoT devices), revealed that the “full-blooded” operating system is now in beta testing.
Harmony Intelligence
Up to 3,000 volunteers in China will test HarmonyOS Next on a range of Huawei smartphones, with the operating system expected to be officially rolled out to users towards the end of the year.
HarmonyOS Next replaces the Linux kernel and Android Open Source Project (AOSP) components with Huawei's own architecture. The Chinese firm claims that the system's performance is increased by 30% and power consumption is reduced by 20%.
By no longer relying on Android, HarmonyOS Next will not be able to run apps created for Google's operating system, and Huawei is working to fill any gaps in its ecosystem. Currently, there are 4,000 native apps available for HarmonyOS Next, developed by more than 200 industry partners.
While HarmonyOS Next will undoubtedly have a major impact on Android’s presence in China, it will also allow Huawei to steal more market share from Apple there. The new OS promises a number of innovations, including AI features in the form of Harmony Intelligence (sounds familiar), Star Shield Security for improved user privacy and data protection, and Full-Scenario, which allows users to launch an app on one Huawei device and continue it on another without interruption.
