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Jan 192 min read

Huawei Unveils Preview of Updated HarmonyOS Next as It Shifts Away from Android

Huawei has released a preview version of HarmonyOS Next, its home-grown mobile operating system. HarmonyOS Next will no longer support Android-based applications. Over 200 industry partners are developing native HarmonyOS apps, with a target of 5,000 partners by 2024.

Huawei

Huawei Technologies, the Chinese telecommunications giant, has announced the release of the latest version of its home-grown mobile operating system, HarmonyOS. This move comes as Huawei aims to challenge Google's Android and Apple's iOS in the Chinese market.


The developer preview version of HarmonyOS Next was made available to coders on Thursday, with the official launch for commercial use scheduled for the fourth quarter of this year. This major upgrade to Huawei's mobile platform will no longer support Android-based applications.


Huawei has already garnered the support of over 200 industry partners who are actively developing native HarmonyOS apps. The company has set an ambitious target of onboarding 5,000 partners by the end of 2024. Meituan, the delivery services giant, has already completed the first version of its HarmonyOS app, while other internet firms such as Xiaohongshu and Amap have also made progress.


To further strengthen the HarmonyOS ecosystem, Huawei plans to collaborate with more than 280 companies and over 300 educational institutions to cultivate developers for the operating system. Additionally, the company will invest 7 billion yuan (US$983 million) to support innovation in areas ranging from HarmonyOS native apps to Software Development Kit (SDK).


Since its launch in August 2019, HarmonyOS has gained significant traction and currently runs on over 800 million devices, according to Richard Yu Chengdong, CEO of Huawei's consumer business group. This growth can be attributed to Huawei's return to the 5G smartphone segment with its P60 Pro model.


HarmonyOS was introduced as an alternative to Android three months after Huawei was added to the US government's Entity List. This trade blacklist restricts the company from purchasing software, chips, and other US-origin technologies without Washington's approval.


TechInsights, in a recent report, projected that HarmonyOS is set to surpass Apple's iOS as the second-largest operating system in China this year, driven by Huawei's resurgence in the 5G smartphone market.

 

  • Huawei has released a preview version of HarmonyOS Next, its home-grown mobile operating system.

  • HarmonyOS Next will no longer support Android-based applications.

  • Over 200 industry partners are developing native HarmonyOS apps, with a target of 5,000 partners by 2024.


Source: SCMP

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