Key Points:
- HarmonyOS overtook iOS in China’s market share in early 2024, indicating strong local support.
- Launches like the Mate 60 Pro and Pura 70 series demonstrate Huawei’s cutting-edge tech.
- A PC version of HarmonyOS is slated for 2025; the ecosystem includes over 460 products and 900 million devices.
Huawei Technologies has introduced a game-changing operating system, OpenHarmony, heralded as a ‘national operating system’ in China. This strategic move aims to curtail the country’s dependency on Microsoft’s Windows and Google’s Android. Therefore marking a significant shift in the technological landscape.
OpenHarmony Replaces Windows and Android in China
At the Harmony Ecosystem Innovation Centre in Shenzhen, OpenHarmony has begun to replace Windows and Android across various devices. This initiative is critical to China’s broader strategy to localise its technology infrastructure in response to U.S. sanctions. The OpenHarmony source code moved to the OpenAtom Foundation between 2020 and 2021. It shows Huawei‘s clear commitment to fostering a home-grown tech ecosystem. President Xi Jinping has underscored the urgency of this localisation, citing national security and technological sovereignty as primary motivators.
HarmonyOS Overtakes iOS in China, 900M Devices Running It
Huawei’s HarmonyOS has seen a remarkable adoption rate, surpassing Apple’s iOS market share within China during the first quarter of 2024. This milestone is a testament to the operating system’s growing popularity and effectiveness. August 2023 marked the launch of Huawei’s Mate 60 Pro, a 5G-capable smartphone powered by a 7-nanometer chip produced domestically, further emphasising China’s capabilities in high-tech manufacturing. Additionally, introducing the Pura 70 series in April, featuring the Kirin 9010 chip, showcases Huawei’s continued innovation in the smartphone sector.
HarmonyOS Ecosystem: 460 Products, PC Version by 2025
Huawei plans to introduce a PC version of HarmonyOS by 2025. The OpenHarmony ecosystem already encompasses over 460 hardware and software products, with contributions from more than 70 organisations. Over 900 million devices currently operating on HarmonyOS highlight the platform’s extensive reach. A community of 2.4 million developers supports this innovation.
Strategic Gains: HarmonyOS Reduces Dependence on Western OS
The deployment of HarmonyOS represents a strategic reduction in China’s reliance on Western operating systems. This shift strengthens the country’s technological self-sufficiency and attracts international interest. Furthermore, the Eclipse Foundation in Brussels is exploring the development of systems based on OpenHarmony, indicating the global potential of this Chinese innovation.
HarmonyOS and China’s Tech Independence
Huawei’s HarmonyOS is more than just a new operating system; it symbolises a broader movement towards technological independence and innovation in China. As the ecosystem expands and adoption rates increase, HarmonyOS is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of global operating systems. This development underscores the importance of localised technology in ensuring national security and economic resilience in an increasingly digital world.
