After facing significant challenges in the U.S. market, Huawei has been forging ahead with its own operating system, HarmonyOS. Initially deployed on smartphones and wearables, HarmonyOS may soon make its debut on PCs with the anticipated launch of HarmonyOS Next later this year.
The development of HarmonyOS stems from Huawei’s need to circumvent restrictions imposed by the U.S., which cut off access to Android and Windows operating systems. HarmonyOS was conceived with a focus on flexibility, aiming to enable developers to create applications once and deploy them seamlessly across various devices. While the current versions for smartphones and smart devices utilize the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) and Linux kernel, HarmonyOS Next for PCs takes a different approach.
HarmonyOS Next is rumored to be Android-free, utilizing its own microkernel instead of Linux or Unix. This design choice means it won’t support Android apps, relying solely on applications developed in its native format. Despite this departure, Huawei’s microkernel reportedly maintains Linux binary compatibility and reuses Linux drivers through driver containers, suggesting a foundational reliance on Linux architecture.
However, HarmonyOS Next is not open-source, raising questions about the extent of its Linux kernel integration and modifications made by Huawei. Typically, creating a new kernel from scratch requires extensive time and resources, suggesting Huawei has built upon existing technologies to expedite HarmonyOS’s development.
On a geopolitical front, China views HarmonyOS as a strategic asset, aiming to reduce dependency on U.S. technology by promoting it as a “national operating system.” Within China, HarmonyOS has gained significant traction, surpassing Apple’s iOS to become the second bestselling mobile OS in early 2024. Huawei has also launched OpenHarmony, an open-source variant managed by the OpenAtom Foundation, bolstering its domestic appeal.
Currently, HarmonyOS is primarily confined to the Chinese market, with no international distribution of smartphones or smart devices featuring the OS. However, Huawei executives have hinted at global expansion plans once HarmonyOS Next is deemed mature enough for broader deployment.
As HarmonyOS prepares to enter the PC market later this year, its success in China underscores Huawei’s ambitious strategy to carve out a niche in the global tech landscape, despite ongoing geopolitical challenges.
