Huawei held its Chinese conference to present its novelties. On the menu, Harmony OS, its new mobile and IoT operating system which aims to replace Android on the brand's products.
Huawei must do without Android. Since 2019, the Chinese firm has been under a US embargo, which forces it to no longer use the Google software suite. To work around this problem, she presented Harmony OS, her home operating system. Here we have a final product that looks a lot like Android, but wants to focus on convergence with a big lean for home automation.
At first glance, a smartphone or tablet running Harmony OS looks like an Android device with an overlay. We find the desktop applications, widgets and the famous control panel. There are a few things that change, like the ability to directly turn an icon into a Widget, giving insight into certain information, but overall, we've got an Android with a mustache here. The application drawer is absent, since Huawei is actually relying on folders to help you store your apps. Something we know there too.
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However, we note that Harmony OS is very focused on home automation products using a tile system. From the home screen, it is thus possible to control external objects that have the same OS or not. Turning on a speaker, your TV, transferring a file to your Windows PC, everything is done with the swipe of your fingers. It's good... but far from being new, since the competing OS, namely Android and iOS, already do it.
Harmony OS will launch with the MatePad Pro
But home automation is only one aspect of Harmony OS. The operating system also wants to appeal to consumers who are more accustomed to Android. On the interface side, we are on familiar ground… without the Google software suite, of course. Everything still works with App Gallery. Clearly, those who already use Android on a Huawei smartphone will not be out of place. The first terminal to adopt Harmony OS is the MatePad Pro, the manufacturer's new tablet. This, like all current models on the market, focuses on productivity with a magnetic keyboard provided.
In short, Harmony OS does not want to revolutionize anything, but actually seeks to replace what Android was already doing on its terminals. This is not really a surprise, since this new operating system was specially designed for that. It only remains to see how it will evolve in the future, and if Huawei will be able to seduce its audience.
Harmony OS will not be exclusive to the Chinese market, since it will be installed on all of the brand's products sold around the world. In Europe, the MatePad Pro will arrive from June 13 at a price of 800 euros, for example, and it's a safe bet that the P50 will also be equipped with this new operating system, as well as lifestyle or home automation products from the brand.
If you already have a Huawei smartphone in your possession with Android, nothing should change for you, since Harmony OS only concerns future products. Huawei thus leaves time to install its ecosystem. Its assumed goal is to create a real environment in a vacuum, with why not the possibility of putting its creation on competing terminals if they wish.
And what, do you want to try Harmony OS? Does this OS look interesting to you or do you just see a clunky copy of Android? Tell us in the comments !