Huawei has officially released HarmonyOS Next, its latest mobile operating system designed as a direct competitor to Android and iOS. This updated version marks a significant step for Huawei as it moves away from Android compatibility and establishes a fully independent ecosystem.
HarmonyOS Next is now available on several Huawei devices, including the Mate 60 series, the Mate X5 foldable phone, and the MatePad Pro 13.2 tablet. Notably, this version no longer supports Android applications, signaling Huawei’s commitment to fostering its own app ecosystem.
Despite the lack of Android app support, HarmonyOS Next boasts strong support from major Chinese app developers, including Baidu, JD.com, Meituan, and Tencent Holdings. With over 10,000 apps and native services already developed for the platform, Huawei aims to establish HarmonyOS Next as a dominant force in the Chinese market.
In the first quarter of 2024, HarmonyOS captured a 17% share of the Chinese smartphone market, surpassing Apple’s iOS and demonstrating significant growth compared to the previous year. Huawei’s chairman of the consumer business group, Richard Yu Chengdong, expressed confidence in the operating system’s rapid development, stating that the company achieved “over a decade of foreign operating system ecosystem development in just one year.”
Huawei’s upcoming flagship phone, the Mate 70, is expected to launch in Q4 2024 with HarmonyOS Next pre-installed. This will further solidify the operating system’s presence in the Chinese market and contribute to its continued growth.
The launch of HarmonyOS Next represents a bold move by Huawei to establish a fully independent mobile ecosystem. With strong support from Chinese developers and a growing user base, HarmonyOS Next is poised to become a major player in the global mobile landscape.
