Huawei has announced that it will release HarmonyOS Next, the latest version of its own operating system. Initially, there were rumors that the new operating system would not support applications made for Android. However, Huawei executives have since denied this claim.
The development of HarmonyOS was prompted by the ban on Huawei by the US in 2019, which meant the brand could no longer use Google services under Android. As a result, HarmonyOS was created as an alternative operating system that could be used on different devices. The original version of HarmonyOS was based on the open-source version of Android and fully supports applications made for Android.
HarmonyOS is designed for the Internet of Everything (IoE) era and provides a shared language for smart and connected features on different devices. The company has already installed HarmonyOS on more than 100 million devices in a short period of time. While there are currently no plans to distribute HarmonyOS outside of China, Huawei users outside China will continue to use Android-based applications with the EMUI operating system as usual.
Despite being announced at the Huawei Developers Conference 2023, HarmonyOS Next is currently only planned for release in 2024. There are also some false information circulating about the support of Android applications on Huawei devices. It’s important to note that Android applications will continue to be fully supported on devices sold outside China.