Chinese technology giant Huawei on Tuesday unveiled its first smartphone equipped with an operating system entirely developed in-house, a crucial step in its desire to counterbalance the dominance of foreign technology leaders.
Apple's iOS and Google's Android systems are used in the majority of mobile devices today.
But Huawei, targeted by American sanctions, is seeking to reverse the trend with a new series of “Mate 70” phones, equipped with its HarmonyOS Next operating system.
“Today, the highly anticipated Mate 70, the most powerful ever, is here,” Richard Yu, president of the company's consumer business, announced at a group conference from its headquarters in Shenzhen ( southern China).
This launch marks a major turning point for Huawei, which was once paralyzed by these American sanctions, but whose sales have rebounded for two years.
“This quest in China for a mobile operating system that is viable, scalable, and which largely escapes the control of Western companies, has been long-term,” Paul Triolo, head of policy, told AFP. technology and China at the consulting firm Albright Stonebridge Group.
Huawei's new phone, also equipped with a new generation processor designed and produced in China, demonstrates the perseverance of Chinese technology companies, he said.
More than three million devices have already been pre-ordered, according to Huawei's online sales platform, although this does not necessarily mean they have been purchased.
– Sino-American rivalry –
“HarmonyOS is the first in-house operating system” and represents “a historic milestone in China’s efforts to reduce its dependence on Western software,” Gary Ng, economist at Natixis, told AFP.
Unlike previous versions, designed with Android support, HarmonyOS Next requires the adaptation of applications to this new operating system.
“Chinese companies are ready to invest to contribute to this new Huawei ecosystem, but the ability of HarmonyOS to provide the same number of applications and features to consumers around the world remains a challenge,” judges Gary Ng.
Huawei is at the heart of technological rivalries between China and the United States, which claim, without proof, that Chinese equipment could be used for espionage purposes. These accusations are strongly denied by Beijing.
Since 2019, American sanctions have hit the production of Huawei phones hard, notably prohibiting the group from using American technologies and components.
This standoff is expected to intensify with Donald Trump's return to the White House. The Republican tycoon has promised to drastically increase customs duties on imported Chinese products, in response to trade practices he considers unfair.
“This trend towards self-sufficiency within the Chinese technology sector has made Huawei's progress possible,” Toby Zhu, analyst at market research firm Canalys, told AFP.
– “Considerable expectations” –
According to him, the success of this new product will be a key indicator of whether the group's efforts have paid off.
“This new generation of products cannot afford to miss the boat, because expectations are considerable,” adds the analyst.
Huawei was China's largest smartphone maker until the tech conflict between Beijing and Washington erupted.
In the third quarter of 2024, Huawei only represented 16% of sales in the Chinese market, for less than 11 million units sold, according to a Canalys report.
In September, the firm unveiled the world's first tri-folding phone, the Mate XT, sold for the equivalent of around 2,670 euros.
The new Mate 70 smartphone should be more affordable, like its predecessor sold for around 715 euros.
However, it is not certain that application designers will agree to invest to create new versions compatible with the new Huawei system, underlines to AFP Rich Bishop, director of AppInChina, which adapts foreign software for the market Chinese.
To convince them, “Huawei will have to continually improve its software, provide better support to developers and convince the developer community that it is determined to commit over the long term to develop the HarmonyOS ecosystem”, affirms the analyst Paul Triolo.
