Summary
Highlights
Huawei has launched new PCs featuring Harmony OS Next, an operating system built entirely in-house, signifying a complete departure from Microsoft Windows. This strategic decision is driven by years of US sanctions, highlighting China's push for technological independence. Harmony OS Next is already commercially available, posing a significant challenge to Microsoft's dominance in the Chinese PC market, where its market share has already declined.
Initially launched in 2019 as a contingency plan, Harmony OS has evolved into a comprehensive platform embedded in over 800 million devices by Q1 2025. Harmony OS Next, specifically for PCs, utilizes a proprietary microkernel architecture, free from Android or Linux dependencies, making it one of the few global operating systems built without US code. Huawei aims for a seamless inter-device ecosystem rather than imitation.
Harmony OS Next is a clean-slate platform optimized for Chinese hardware, AI, and distributed computing. It boasts faster boot times and lower memory usage compared to Windows 11. However, its ecosystem is in its infancy, with only 4,200 native apps compared to Microsoft's hundreds of thousands. While core Huawei apps function well, international app compatibility is a significant gap, limiting its appeal to global users.
Despite US restrictions, Huawei's HiSilicon division is producing domestic chips like the Kirin 9006C, powering Harmony OS PCs. Its Ascend 910B AI chips are used in over 1,300 data centers in China, demonstrating significant capabilities in training large language models. This underscores China's commitment to technological self-sufficiency, although scalability challenges for these chips remain.
Huawei's strategy hinges on control, with Harmony OS enabling real-time resource sharing across devices. This 'superdevice' interface allows seamless file transfers and interactions, but it primarily functions within Huawei's hardware ecosystem, creating a clear lock-in for users and institutions. This approach aims to build a new tech throne rooted in digital self-reliance rather than reclaiming global market share.
The industry, particularly Microsoft, views Harmony OS as a serious threat to its market share in Asia. While Western software vendors are privately assessing compatibility, Huawei is strengthening local partnerships and expanding its cloud services. Harmony OS is not just a product but a pillar in China's state-engineered ecosystem, designed to reduce reliance on foreign technology and potentially export this model to other nations, raising national security concerns in the US.