Huawei has revealed the next major iteration of its homegrown operating system, called HarmonyOS NEXT, will be launching soon. Along with the announcement, Huawei made it clear that HarmonyOS is evolving to become a fully native OS, completely eliminating any remnants of Google’s Android OS code.
HarmonyOS NEXT will mark a significant milestone in Huawei’s journey to develop a robust proprietary ecosystem free of Android roots, new version will only support Hap format installation packages, meaning Android apps will no longer work on HarmonyOS devices.
Instead, Huawei is pushing for developers to create native HarmonyOS applications tailored specifically for its own kernels and frameworks. As HarmonyOS gains traction, major Chinese internet companies have started heavily recruiting talent for HarmonyOS development.
Several firms have posted job openings for software engineers, mobile developers, and testers skilled in HarmonyOS. Offered salaries are above average market rates, highlighting high demand. The rush for HarmonyOS talent spans internet, software, and telecom sectors.
In tandem with recruiting efforts, Chinese internet content platforms are prepping for the launch of their own native HarmonyOS apps, flurry of activity signals an inflection point as companies adapt products and services for the growing HarmonyOS ecosystem.
Unable to license Google’s Android OS and core services, Huawei invested heavily in creating the HarmonyOS alternative, initial iterations utilizing Android open-source code.
Huawei remains committed to making HarmonyOS a versatile cross-device OS capable of powering smartphones, wearables, autos, and Internet of Things gadgets. HarmonyOS NEXT onboards laptops and PCs as new form factors in its ecosystem.
Details emerged indicating HarmonyOS can run on legacy Huawei Matebook laptops and desktops using x86 processors. This is enabled by the new HarmonyOS NEXT core designed for PCs.
With HarmonyOS maturing into a robust platform, Huawei aims to replicate the app abundance that makes iOS and Android successful. The goal is an rich content ecosystem tailored for Chinese users but built on homegrown technologies. HarmonyOS NEXT marks a major evolutionary step in that vision.