On Wednesday, Huawei launched its self-developed operating system across a slew of devices, including smartphones. The moves come as the company looks to free itself from its reliance on U.S. technology and put against software from Google and Microsoft. In 2019, HarmonyOS launched after the U.S. blacklisted Huawei, cutting it off from access to Google’s Android operating system.
Since 2016, Huawei has been developing HarmonyOS and says that it is an operating system that can work across many internet-connected devices, from wearables to smartphones. As a result, it is easy for developers to create apps that can work across different products as per the company. The main purpose of HarmonyOS working across devices is one way the company is trying to differentiate its operating system from Apple iOS and Google Android.
“HarmonyOS is designed to provide the glue between a growing array of connected devices that Huawei is targeting,” Ben Wood, chief analyst at CCS Insight, said. “Huawei will be hoping that it can follow Apple’s lead by having a single software platform that extends in all directions, providing a seamless experience to customers that buy into its ecosystem of products.”
On TV made by Honor Huawei put HarmonyOS in 2019, a brand it had used to own. On a new version of the flagship Mate 40 smartphone and Mate X2 foldable phone Huawei on Wednesday launched HarmonyOS. Huawei’s MatePad Pro tablet and new Watch Series 3 smartwatch will also be equipped with HarmonyOS. Huawei cut from Google in 2019 meant users of the Chinese company’s smartphones did not receive Android updates. Many of the companies old phones will be upgraded to HarmonyOS. From Wednesday, these upgrades will begin and be slowly rolled out throughout next year.
A dramatic slowdown is caused by U.S. sanctions in Huawei revenue growth in 2020, hitting the company’s networking equipment and smartphone business. As per Washington, Huawei is a national security threat, claiming the company’s data could be shared with the Chinese government. Huawei has denied the fact of doing this.