Huawei to launch first mobile devices powered by HarmonyOS 2.0 on June 2

[nanoguy]

In context: Huawei doesn't say how much of the $139 billion in revenue it made last year comes from software. However, the company is bullish on the idea that its future depends greatly on the ability to make Harmony OS a winning formula for phones, tablets, smartwatches, TVs, and all forms of smart home products. The company hopes that one day it will dominate the world with its software and reverse the current power dynamic in the trade war between China and the US.

Earlier this year, we learned that Huawei's homegrown HarmonyOS 2.0 amounted to little more than a poorly-disguised Android 10 clone, despite the company's insistence that it was a new and radically different operating system that would be able to fit a variety of computing scenarios.

For the past years, the Chinese company has been navigating the trade war between its home country and the US, and this has had a profound impact on its ability to develop new hardware. To mitigate the problem, the company has been pivoting towards cloud and software services, while also pooling more resources towards Harmony OS.

It's nearly time to find out more about #HarmonyOS#LiveSmartWithHuawei pic.twitter.com/pmsHFHpgFN

— Huawei Mobile (@HuaweiMobile) May 25, 2021

According to Huawei's Twitter, the company will host an event on June 2 where it will formally launch Harmony OS on smartphones. The first phone to launch with the new operating system is the Huawei Mate 40 Pro, and the company is expected to showcase two new MatePad tablets and two new smartwatches -- all running Harmony OS 2.0.

Huawei has big plans for the new OS as it remains optimistic about the future. In a recent memo sent to company staff, founder and CEO Ren Zhengfei encouraged employees to "dare to lead the world in software," as development in that area is "outside of US control and we will have greater independence and autonomy."

With Harmony OS 2.0, Huawei is supposedly making a huge investment in developing an entire ecosystem, and has already forged partnerships with 20 hardware vendors and 280 app developers. The company hopes to have 300 million devices running Harmony OS by the end of 2021, 100 million of which would come with the new OS out-of-the-box. It will be interesting to see if Huawei is capable of turning that vision into reality.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/89812-huawei-launch-first-mobile-devices-powered-harmonyos-20.html

 

[psycros]

China is a large enough market that they Huawei can do OK just from domestic business. Meanwhile, the rest of the world has woken up to the threat that PRC-controlled companies represent and their just starting to do the same with Google and Facebook. No private enterprise needs access to your personal information beyond what is strictly necessary to doing business with you. The same is true for repressive governments, which the current US regime seems a bit too keen on becoming. Their also far too cozy with Big Tech, as evidenced by the manipulation during the last election cycle.

 

[kiwigraeme]

I hope it succeeds just for the laughs -if they can capture China, India and Africa then it's a good game theory study

 

[p51d007]

Unless it has access to "google playstore/apps" outside of China, it won't be of much use to the rest of the world that is Apple/Android

 

[Archean]

Unless it has access to "google playstore/apps" outside of China, it won't be of much use to the rest of the world that is Apple/Android

Most people with IT know how in my circle, usually let only very basic Google stuff remain on their phones. Same goes for FB etc. So not sure that is a big deal anyway.

 

[whateversa]

How about they first sort out security updates for my Mate 10 Pro? I have only had it for 3 years... must I throw it in the trash now? I need to securely use Google Authenticator, banking app, crypto trading apps...

 

[Angga B]

Cheers for them. 1.4 billion market is huge enough to prosper. I used P30 Pro, their last google enabled phone, up to 3 months ago up until their software update require me t accept their new user term, mostly on privacy aspects. I said, wtf, wth, it's all on you, go away now!

 

[koblongata]

Every app is made by CCP in a sense. There will never be true innovation or creativity. Everything is just a copy of a copy with maximized capitalizing effort.

 

[Avro Arrow]

I'd be interested to see this OS. It doesn't matter what an OS is called, it just matters if it works and if there are good apps for it.

If it takes Google and Apple down a peg, I say "Good show!" because they sure do need it.

 

[p51d007]

Most people with IT know how in my circle, usually let only very basic Google stuff remain on their phones. Same goes for FB etc. So not sure that is a big deal anyway.

Yeah, I know how to bypass it as well, but, does the "general public"?

 

[CrisisDog]

If it allows sideloaded Android apps, I'm game.

"Good luck. We're all counting on you..."