US sanctions have left Huawei's cell phone business struggling, and to keep that business going, Huawei has found its own way.
The tech giant officially launched HarmonyOS 2 on June 2, meaning it's finally becoming an official product for the mass market after a long period of testing.
The new operating system can be used on phones, computers, tablets, TVs, car devices, smart wearables, and even driverless devices.
Huawei's latest data shows that more than 300 partners have joined the HarmonyOS ecosystem, and more than 40 mainstream brands are expected to become the new portal for users to experience HarmonyOS in 2021.
Huawei said HarmonyOS can cover smart terminal devices with memory as small as 128K and as large as 4GB or more.
More than just a system
HarmonyOS uses distributed technology that allows users to freely combine hardware, allowing consumers to use multiple devices as easily as one.
Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei's consumer business, said, "What we offer is not just a product, but a new way of life."
HarmonyOS 2 features a cleaner interface, a smarter experience, and support for new universal cards that can be multi-sized, making it easy for users to create their own desktop style.
HarmonyOS 2 supports smart folders, users can directly touch the contents of the folders, and it can also be automatically classified and named automatically.
It supports senseless device switching for a seamless flow of experience, whether it's for office, gaming, or to start there and continue here.
The new HarmonyOS 2 Control Center makes it as easy for users to control multiple devices as it is to control a single device.
Huawei said HarmonyOS 2 can continue to run smoothly for at least 36 months, and its graphics stack technology allows for a better gaming experience.
Huawei has defined a standard and governance control framework for HarmonyOS 2 privacy and security, guaranteeing the connectivity and usage security of all end devices that join HarmonyOS 2.
Upgrade plan
Huawei Mate 9 series, nova 5 series, P10 series, Changxiang 10 onwards, and Huawei Tablet M5 will be able to upgrade HarmonyOS 2 next year.
From June 2, the first devices that can use the public beta version of HarmonyOS 2 include: Huawei Mate 40 series, Mate 30 series, P40 series, Mate X2, and MatePad Pro.
In the third quarter of 2021, Huawei Mate Xs, Mate 20 series, nova 8 series, nova 7 series, nova 6 series, and MatePad can start upgrading to the system.
In the fourth quarter, Huawei Smart Screen V Series 2021 models, Smart Screen S Series, Smart Screen X65, Mate 20 X, P30 Series, and Mate X can get the system upgrade.
In the first half of 2022, Huawei Mate 10 series, P20 series, Mate 9 series, and P10 series can get upgrades.
New devices with HarmonyOS 2
Huawei also announced several new products with HarmonyOS 2, including new versions of the Huawei Mate 40 series, new versions of the Mate X2, Huawei Watch 3 series, Huawei MatePad Pro phones, smartwatches, and tablet products.
Huawei also announced the P50 series, and Yu said that the launch of the P50 series has not yet been confirmed "because of well-known reasons".
The Huawei P50 features an oval-shaped dual-circle mirror set design, and it has four cameras on the rear.
Yu said that in the era of Internet of everything, no one will be an isolated island. "No matter how many difficulties we go through, Huawei's determination to provide better user experience and better products for consumers around the world will not change."
"We hope to build a prosperous HarmonyOS ecosystem with more partners and developers to provide better experiences, better products, and better services for consumers around the world," Yu said.
Huawei expects 100 million devices to have HarmonyOS installed this year
