HarmonyOS is the name of the new operating system from Huawei and Honor . After much speculation about whether or not it would be for mobile devices, it seems the doubts have now been cleared up. The manufacturer has officially presented it, and here's everything you should know about HarmonyOS.
HarmonyOS, Huawei's new operating system in six keys
HarmonyOS (HongMengOS in China) is the new operating system that Huawei and Honor have been working on for some time. After several rumors and with a bit more confirmed information, we now have details to explain what it is and what it isn't, among other things. These are the key points you should know.
A modularized #HarmonyOS can be nested to adapt flexibly to any device to create a seamless cross-device experience. Developed via the distributed capability kit, it builds the foundation of a shared developer ecosystem #HDC2019 pic.twitter.com/2TD9cgtdG8
— Huawei Mobile (@HuaweiMobile) August 9, 2019
What is HarmonyOS?
HarmonyOS is an operating system developed by Huawei and Honor as a future solution for managing a broad ecosystem of products. It is based on Linux and will be able to run on connected cars, smartwatches, speakers, televisions, and yes, also on mobile devices and computers.
Being based on Linux, among other things, will allow it to run Android applications , and they also want it to be able to run HTML5 applications. Thanks to this, its versatility increases, and along with good optimization, Huawei says it will offer superior performance to other options like Android or the future Fuchsia that Google is developing.
Is Huawei going to stop using Android in its phones?
In the short and medium term they will not. In the future, according to Huawei's words, we could intuit that it will happen. If, in addition, HarmonyOS has the capacity to run Google system applications even more. However, in the world of technology everything can change overnight.
For now, what we know is that Android will remain on the manufacturer's phones , and HarmonyOS is more of a backup plan in case things take another turn for the worse. Their CEO has explained that the system replacement on their phones could happen at any time, but for now they will stick with Google's platform.
What will be the first device with HarmonyOS?
According to the roadmap shown by the company, the first device will be an Honor-branded television, launching tomorrow in China: the Honor Vision TV . Regarding smartphones, there are rumors of a possible Huawei Mate 30 Lite, although this has not been confirmed.
We understand that there is a lot of interest in seeing whether or not it is a real solution for this type of product. But Huawei is an important player for Google and the use of Android, a lot will have to twist the relationship again for it to happen imminently.
Will I be able to install HarmonyOS on my Huawei phone?
If you've been wondering about this, the answer is no, not for now. As we mentioned before, their CEO has said that making the switch wouldn't be complicated, but they won't be doing it for the time being. So your device will continue running Android.
Why is HarmonyOS important?
It has already been commented, HarmonyOS has or can have a lot of weight in the company in order not to depend on others. Currently, their smartphones use Android and their computers use Windows. Without the support and collaboration of Google and Microsoft, the only thing they could sell is paperweights. Well, when it comes to computers, they could use Linux distributions.
Developing their own software would be a liberation and would give them greater autonomy as a manufacturer. Something similar to what Apple has, which manufactures its own devices and software. A competitive advantage in terms of integration and performance.
What are the current challenges of HarmonyOS?
The main challenge for HarmonyOS is to prove that it is indeed a capable operating system. Right now it is in an early development phase, but being open source and allowing anyone to collaborate on its evolution could speed up its implementation.
For now, the Honor TV will be the first to demonstrate its capabilities. In development since 2017 , the version we'll see this year is HarmonyOS 1.0. Version 2.0 will arrive in 2020, initially for computers and wearable devices. Version 3.0 will be released in 2021 and will allow its use on smart speakers and headphones. Then, in 2022, it's expected to be compatible with other products such as virtual reality headsets.
However, the biggest challenge will be convincing developers to create native apps. Because, depending on how they've addressed the issue now, if running Android apps requires emulation or conversions, the performance won't be as optimal as they intend. This is especially true if they want to differentiate themselves from other systems. But that's something we'll only see with time and the evolution of Huawei and Honor's significant and risky venture.