Huawei unveiled HarmonyOS NEXT, the first mobile operating system entirely developed in China and ultimately independent of Android. Officially launched this week at an event in Shenzhen, this OS marks Huawei’s entry into the restricted circle of major mobile OS designers, alongside Apple and Google.
An OS is good, but apps are better
With HarmonyOS NEXT, Huawei wants to free itself from its dependence on Android, knowing that previous versions of the OS were based on an Android base (the open source version, AOSP). The Chinese giant will be able to completely control its ecosystem, which still remains very thin.
Technological sovereignty is central for Huawei, because it allows it to do without AOSP elements. The new version of the OS allows partner companies to develop applications specific to the Chinese market without external constraints. Huawei also boasts improvements in terms of fluidity, security and performance, with speed increased by 30% and optimization of battery life.
Developing an operating system is a complex undertaking, but the real challenge lies in developing a rich and sustainable application ecosystem. It is indeed essential to attract developers to guarantee the quality of the applications available, without forgetting that we must meet as many user needs as possible.
For now, HarmonyOS NEXT offers a catalog of 15,000 applications covering several sectors, ranging from office tools to services dedicated to businesses, for a total of 38 million professional users in China.
For Huawei, the objective is to build a fully autonomous technological environment resistant to external pressures. With this in mind, the company has partnered with more than 300 universities in China to boost research and technological development.
« We have already reached the milestone of 6.75 million registered developers, and HarmonyOS is present on more than a billion devices said Richard Yu Chengdong, executive director of Huawei, during the conference. These figures illustrate a growing adoption, particularly in the Chinese market, where HarmonyOS reached a share of 17% in the first quarter of 2024, enjoying the luxury of overtaking iOS which held 16%, according to the Counterpoint institute.
Even if Huawei’s OS benefits from rapid adoption in China, its presence on the global market is still marginal because it is hampered by a limited application ecosystem compared to the millions available on iOS and Android. This initiative nevertheless marks a turning point because for many observers, HarmonyOS NEXT is not a simple alternative. The OS symbolizes China’s desire to master the technological tools that confer real power.
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