In 2019, when Huawei was sanctioned by the United States, it was no longer able to install its Google services on its devices. The manufacturer was therefore forced to market smartphones which, instead of using the official version of Android, used the open source version, without the Play Store, Gmail, and other Google apps. But subsequently, Huawei launched a new platform called HarmonyOS.
Although it’s a different operating system, HarmonyOS relies in part on Android’s code. As a result, it supports apps designed for Google’s operating system. But now, Huawei wants to stand on its own two feet. For a while, the Chinese manufacturer has been developing another operating system called HarmonyOS NEXT, which is no longer linked to Android, and which no longer supports Android applications.
In essence, if the development of HarmonyOS was a step towards autonomy, HarmonyOS NEXT allows Huawei to completely cut ties with Android. And this week, as reported by Reuters, Huawei finally made its first smartphones official under HarmonyOS NEXT. These are the models of the Huawei Mate 70 series, which succeed the Mate 60 launched in 2023.
Already 15,000 applications
Obviously, for a platform to appeal to the crowds, it must have applications available. And currently, there are already 15,000 applications designed for HarmonyOS NEXT. In addition, the manufacturer estimates that there will be 100,000 within a few months. Otherwise, Reuters explains that for the moment, Huawei offers its users a choice.
Indeed, Huawei Mate 70 series users would have the choice between using HarmonyOS NEXT and HarmonyOS 4.3, which is compatible with Android applications. In other words, if the user is not satisfied with the HarmonyOS NEXT catalog, he can choose another operating system which allows the installation of Android apps. This allows Huawei to advance its pawns, without taking the risk of losing users due to the lack of applications. Otherwise, according to a CNN article, Huawei will first focus on the HarmonyOS NEXT ecosystem in China, before tackling other markets.
The end of the Android-iOS duopoly?
In any case, the launch of HarmonyOS NEXT could mark the start of a new era for the smartphone industry, since this new platform could put an end to the duopoly of Android and iOS platforms. As a reminder, if Huawei was damaged by American sanctions, it was able to recover in 2023, by finally having of 5G chips for its products.
According to a report from IDC, in the third quarter, Huawei was the third largest smartphone manufacturer in China (behind Vivo and Apple), with a market share of 15.3% and a growth of 42% in its shipments in year-on-year. During this quarter, 68.8 million smartphones were shipped in China, an annual growth of 3.2%.
- After being sanctioned by the United States, Huawei launched a platform called HarmonyOS
- However, HarmonyOS still uses Android code and is compatible with Android apps
- HarmonyOS Next, for its part, cuts ties with Google’s operating system
- And the first smartphones using this new platform have just been unveiled in China
- Currently, HarmonyOS NEXT has a catalog of 15,000 applications, but the manufacturer plans to reach 100,000 in a few months
