Huawei's "Songshan Lake Initiative," launched in late 2019 at its Dongguan facility, mobilized over 2,000 engineers globally over nine months to establish HarmonyOS for smartphones. This project marked a pivotal shift for Huawei, as covered by Yicai and The Paper.
This initiative aimed to optimize HarmonyOS and reduce Huawei's dependency on external operating systems, positioning the company toward greater self-reliance.
Huawei recently launched HarmonyOS NEXT, a fully independent operating system (OS) that no longer hinges on Android. This move positions HarmonyOS as a competitive alternative alongside Android and Apple's iOS, making it the third major mobile OS globally.
QQ News reports that HarmonyOS NEXT introduces substantial upgrades, including native aesthetics, advanced AI integration, stronger security, seamless connectivity, and enhanced fluidity, making it a competitive choice for global users.
Huawei's native HarmonyOS is not exclusive to China. While international expansion plans are slated for after 2025, the company has clear ambitions to enter overseas markets.
Per The Time Weekly, Huawei will commercialize HarmonyOS on smartphones and tablets in 2024, expand to smart displays and automotive systems by 2025, and enter international markets in 2026 to compete directly with Android.
Huawei's release of the native HarmonyOS NEXT was expected, yet the surrounding controversies remain unresolved even post-launch.
Building a mobile OS requires not only technical development but also a robust ecosystem. Without diverse, integrated applications, the platform risks limited traction. This ecosystem demands extensive collaboration—it requires veteran developers, committed partners, investments, and flexibility to handle setbacks. While Huawei has secured strong domestic support, attracting global partners remains a key hurdle.
A Chinese media report quotes an engineer working on HarmonyOS, noting that it differs fundamentally from Android, requiring developers to rebuild apps almost entirely. Although apps can be launched, some features need ongoing testing, and the user experience is not yet as seamless as on Android or iOS. Early-stage bugs are expected with this new framework.
For context, Apple's App Store launched with just 500 apps in 2008, and Android only began supporting third-party apps a year after its release.
The launch of HarmonyOS NEXT has spurred rapid adoption within China's tech industry, with major apps like WeChat, Alipay, Baidu, Meituan, Weibo, JD.com, Kuaishou, and Bilibili now optimized for the system.
Commercially, adapting the top 5,000 apps is just the start of building HarmonyOS's ecosystem; they represent only 0.2% of China's 2.5 million active apps, per the MIIT.
Huawei calls this a "collective push across Chinese industries," but access to essential niche apps, like employee check-in and community access, could be key to HarmonyOS adoption before it competes with Android internationally.
Counterpoint data shows that in the first quarter of 2024, HarmonyOS (Android-compatible) reached a 17% market share in China, surpassing iOS as the second-largest OS. Globally, Android dominates with 77%, iOS holds 19%, and HarmonyOS has 4%. Huawei's international expansion will begin with partners in Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.
