Huawei launches HarmonyOS for its own smartphones
Huawei launched the HarmonyOS 2.0 Beta for its smartphones in Beijing on Wednesday, another step closer to phasing in an alternative to Google’s Android operating system, which is also deemed a hedge against the US government crackdown on the Chinese technology company.
It’s the first time for the HarmonyOS 2.0 to run on a smartphone. Huawei unveiled the system at the company’s Developer’s Conference 2020 in September.
Wang Chenglu, president of Huawei’s Consumer Business Software Department, said during the launch event on Wednesday that the HarmonyOS is “a key to opening the era of the Internet of Things ( IoT),” which is expected to bring “disruptive experiences” to consumers.
Wang said that the mobile operating system ( OS) can resolve the “pain point” in the nation’s internet development, facilitating smoother interaction among more devices – from smartphones and tablets to cars, home appliances, watches and even robots.
Huawei’s smart TV screen products and some home appliances that use the HarmonyOS are already available to Chinese consumers, and some Android apps are compatible with the HarmonyOS.
“Smartphones, as well as Huawei tablets, will be equipped with the HarmonyOS starting next year,” a Huawei employee told the Global Times.
Based on the progress so far, Huawei will upgrade the Harmony system to all Huawei’s self- developed electronic devices in 2021, and consumers do not need to purchase new models or hardware to experience the new OS, Yang Haisong, vice president of software for Huawei’s consumer business group, told a group of reporters on Wednesday.
Huawei will also release new smartphones that support HarmonyOS next year, Yang said.
The software rollout is now focused on the Chinese market, but analysts believe Huawei will push its proprietary mobile OS into overseas markets in the near future, to recapture its lost smartphone share abroad.
Nevertheless, as an OS that was born in response to a supply ban imposed by the Trump administration, many believe that Harmony is still in its infancy and has some loopholes that need to be fixed.