Huawei is finally bidding farewell to Google as it plans to break away from Android with its own devices starting next week. The company is working on custom software for its devices called HarmonyOS Next, which will be available on all compatible devices, including those already on the market. This means Huawei will permanently discontinue Android.
Huawei’s HarmonyOS Next is coming to all compatible devices next week
Huawei has been developing HarmonyOS Next for years, breaking away from Google’s Android platform and planning to launch it next week. Although there are benefits from updates, it cannot be denied that the apps are limited at this stage. The company promised that HarmonyOS supports all essential apps, supports over 10,000 apps, and covers “99.9% of consumers’ screen time needs.”
HarmonyOS was previously used as a skin for Android, but has now transitioned to a dedicated operating system available only on Huawei phones and tablets. The company aims to have as many apps on its platform as Android. According to South China Morning PostHarmonyOS Next will be available on compatible phones starting next week in an attempt to completely move away from Google’s Android operating system as the base for all tasks.
It was previously shown that HarmonyOS accounted for 17% of the Chinese market share in the first quarter of this year, which is a huge number, far ahead of Android and iOS. As previously mentioned, the update will begin rolling out to all compatible devices starting next week. One of the first devices to receive the update will be the Mate 60, Mate X5, and MatePad Pro, but it’s unclear whether the new tri-fold Mate XT will receive the update.
According to sources, based on recent leaks and rumors, Huawei is scheduled to launch the HarmonyOS Next update on October 15th, the same day Google releases Android 15 to the general public. It remains to be seen whether the company plans any exclusive features for its devices that competitors don’t offer. Additionally, the AI landscape is still unclear, and it’s unclear how the company will compete with the likes of Android and iOS. Please stay tuned and we will notify you when the update is available.