Huawei’s consumer business group President, Yu Chengdong, recently announced that the company’s future personal computers will no longer run on Windows. Instead, Huawei is gearing up to transition to its proprietary HarmonyOS operating system for its upcoming computer releases. This move is part of Huawei’s strategy to promote its operating system as a viable alternative to Windows.
Mr. Yu also revealed that the next version of HarmonyOS, known as HarmonyOS Next, features a completely new kernel, independent of Linux, and does not support Android applications. Huawei is touting this operating system for its improved performance and robust security features.
While Huawei’s decision to move away from Windows may not heavily impact Microsoft, it could potentially shake up the market share in China. According to analysts, Huawei currently holds approximately 10% of the Chinese computer market, with Lenovo leading the market with a 38% share, followed by HP.
One challenge for Huawei’s HarmonyOS is the lack of support from major software providers, particularly in the gaming industry. However, Huawei is actively investing in its HarmonyOS ecosystem, allocating $851 million annually to encourage developers to create applications for its platform. The company’s efforts have already resulted in over 6.75 million developers registering for Huawei Developer Programs, which is expected to contribute significantly to the growth of the HarmonyOS ecosystem.