Huawei has officially launched HarmonyOS Next, marking a significant milestone in the company’s history. This is Huawei’s first operating system built independently of Android and the Linux kernel, signifying a major shift toward a fully self-developed platform.
Key Highlights of HarmonyOS Next
- Independent Development: HarmonyOS Next is a self-developed operating system built on the OpenHarmony open-source core with a microkernel architecture, aiming to power a wide range of Huawei devices.
- Device Compatibility: The new OS will initially be available in China, powering smartphones, wearables, smart home devices, and car infotainment systems. A global release has already been confirmed for future rollouts.
- Unified Ecosystem: HarmonyOS Next is designed to work seamlessly across various Huawei devices, supported by the Huawei Ark compiler and Huawei Mobile Services (HMS). The OS promises a unified architecture that integrates the cloud and device interconnectivity across multiple form factors.
Expanding Ecosystem
During the announcement, Richard Yu, Chairman of Huawei Consumer Business Group, revealed that 15,000 apps and services are already part of the HarmonyOS Next ecosystem, with more expected to join soon. Additionally, previous versions of HarmonyOS are running on over 1 billion devices globally, covering smartphones, tablets, wearables, and car infotainment systems.
Enhanced User Experience
HarmonyOS Next introduces several new features to enhance the user experience:
- Visual Refresh: The OS comes with a revamped lockscreen and home screen customization options, a redesigned control center, and faster animations.
- Performance Improvements: The system boasts a 30% increase in device fluency and 20% lower power consumption for communication between software modules.
- AI Integration: Impressive AI features are powered by Huawei’s Pangu large language model, offering system-level AI enhancements.
- Huawei Share 2.0: The file-sharing feature enables users to transfer a 1.2GB file between HarmonyOS Next devices in just 8 seconds.
Security Features
To enhance user protection, HarmonyOS Next introduces a Star Shield architecture, which provides system-level security for all supported devices.
Public Beta Release
A public beta version of HarmonyOS Next is now available to users in China. Supported devices for the beta include the Pura 70 series, Huawei Pocket 2, and the MatePad Pro 11 (2024).
Huawei’s move to HarmonyOS Next underscores its efforts to establish a fully independent ecosystem, competing directly with Android while offering a unified and secure experience across multiple devices.
