Latest news with #RichardYu
Japan Times
20-05-2025
- Business
- Japan Times
Huawei unveils in-house operating system to replace Windows
Huawei Technologies debuted its first in-house operating system for personal computers, offering an alternative to Microsoft's Windows as China pushes to replace American technologies amid rising geopolitical tensions. The company's HarmonyOS is now ready to run on the MateBook Fold, its new foldable laptop, said the head of its consumer business, Richard Yu, on Monday. Huawei is working to make its operating system compatible with more than 2,000 apps, including the popular WeChat and QQ messaging platforms, he said. The laptop features an 18-inch organic light-emitting diode screen when opened flat. Along with the Huawei MateBook Pro and MateBook Fold Ultimate Design laptops, it will be available from June 6. The cheapest model costs 7,999 yuan ($1,100), while others go up to 26,999 yuan, according to Yu. The company also introduced a traditional HarmonyOS-powered laptop for government and enterprise clients. Yu said American tech giants from Microsoft to Apple had failed to support a broad range of devices while they enjoyed full control over the industry. "Windows and MacOS have been dominating the market for decades, leading to high concentration of mainstream app ecosystems and strong barriers,' he said during a live-streamed event. "We chose the difficult but correct path, despite China being a latecomer with a weak foundation.' The HarmonyOS has been Huawei's answer to Alphabet's Android operating system for smartphones, following the imposition of U.S. restrictions in 2019 that cut the Chinese company off from the latest version of the world's most-used mobile platform. An array of the latest Huawei phones, including the Mate 70 and Pura X, are installed with the self-developed software. The entry into the personal computer system underscores Huawei's ambitions to capitalize on the U.S.-China tech decoupling and position itself as a key software provider in the world's second-biggest economy. Huawei is phasing out Windows on its PC product line as China drifts away from American technologies that it can replace. Best known for its hardware — from 5G base stations to trifold smartphones — Huawei is rapidly expanding its software ecosystem through HarmonyOS as it aims to connect all devices via a unified platform. China's PC shipments are projected to grow 3% this year, driven by gaming and artificial intelligence demands, according to research firm Canalys. The government's information security requirement also created a favorable environment for domestic brands.
Business Times
20-05-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Huawei unveils in-house operating system to replace windows
HUAWEI Technologies debuted its first in-house operating system for personal computers, offering an alternative to Microsoft's Windows as China pushes to replace American technologies amid rising geopolitical tensions. The company's HarmonyOS is now ready to run on the MateBook Fold, its latest foldable laptop, consumer chief Richard Yu said on Monday (May 19). Huawei is working to make its operating system compatible with more than 2,000 apps, including the popular WeChat and QQ messaging platforms, he said. The laptop features an 18-inch organic light-emitting diode screen when opened flat. Along with the Huawei MateBook Pro and MateBook Fold Ultimate Design laptops, it will be available from Jun 6. The cheapest model costs 7,999 yuan (S$1,438), ranging up to 26,999 yuan, according to Yu. The company also introduced a traditional HarmonyOS-powered laptop for government and enterprise clients. Yu said American tech giants from Microsoft to Apple had failed to support a broad range of devices while they enjoyed full control over the industry. 'Windows and MacOS have been dominating the market for decades, leading to high concentration of mainstream app ecosystems and strong barriers,' Yu said during a live-streamed event. 'We chose the difficult but correct path, despite China being a latecomer with a weak foundation.' The HarmonyOS has been Huawei's answer to Alphabet's Android operating system for smartphones, following the imposition of US restrictions in 2019 that cut the Chinese company off from the latest version of the world's most-used mobile platform. An array of the latest Huawei phones, including the Mate 70 and Pura X, are installed with the home-made software. The entry into the personal computer (PC) system underscores Huawei's ambitions to capitalise on the US-China tech decoupling and position itself as a key software provider in the world's second-biggest economy. Huawei is phasing out Windows on its PC product line as China drifts away from American technologies that it can replace. Best known for its hardware – from 5G base stations to trifold smartphones – Huawei is rapidly expanding its software ecosystem through HarmonyOS as it aims to connect all devices via a unified platform. China's PC shipments are projected to grow 3 per cent this year, driven by gaming and artificial intelligence demands, according to research firm Canalys. The government's information security requirement also created a favourable environment for domestic brands. BLOOMBERG
Bloomberg
19-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Huawei Unveils in-House Operating System to Replace Windows
Huawei Technologies Co. debuted its first in-house operating system for personal computers, offering an alternative to Microsoft Corp 's Windows as China pushes to replace American technologies amid rising geopolitical tensions. The company's HarmonyOS is now ready to run on the MateBook Fold, its latest foldable laptop, consumer chief Richard Yu said Monday. Huawei is working to make its operating system compatible with more than 2,000 apps, including the popular WeChat and QQ messaging platforms, he said.
South China Morning Post
19-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Huawei launches US$3,300 foldable tablet running HarmonyOS, flexing its hardware muscle
Huawei Technologies on Monday launched two new laptops, including a model with a foldable screen, that run its self-developed HarmonyOS operating system, which the company is pushing across devices after its Microsoft Windows license expired in March. Advertisement The Huawei MateBook Fold Ultimate Design takes the form of an 18-inch tablet, with a thickness of just 7.3 millimetres when unfolded. Weighing 1.16kg, the device folds down to 13 inches, according to Richard Yu Chengdong, chairman of Huawei's consumer business group, who announced the launch on Monday in Shenzhen. The touch-screen device also comes with a separate keyboard, which attaches to the laptop via magnets, adding 290 grams to the device and an extra 5mm to the thickness. The product, with an 'ultimate-high' cost, as Yu put it, is priced at 23,999 yuan (US$3,328) with 1 terabyte of storage and 26,999 yuan for 2TB of storage. Presales started on Monday, with shipments set to begin on June 6. Alongside the foldable device, the company launched a new MateBook Pro with a more traditional laptop form factor. It has a 14.2-inch screen, weighs 970 grams, and is priced between 7,999 yuan and 10,999 yuan. The company teased the device earlier this month, but did not unveil the price or specifications at the time. Advertisement Both computers run a version of HarmonyOS 5, also referred to as HarmonyOS Next , which is meant to offer a single integrated ecosystem across a variety of gadgets, including smartphones and Internet-of-Things devices.
Digital Trends
06-05-2025
- Digital Trends
I tried HarmonyOS. Can it compete with iOS and Android?
Table of Contents Table of Contents A brief history of HarmonyOS HarmonyOS and HarmonyOS Next are different. Yes, there's an app gap, but it's surprising Beyond apps, this is mostly familiar and fast. In the seven years since CEO Richard Yu's infamous heartfelt keynote speech at CES 2018, Huawei has faced a rollercoaster that would shake any brand. At the height of its global popularity, Huawei was added to the US Entities list, which hampered its ability to access the best processors and technology on the market. The restrictions forced Huawei to find alternative solutions quickly. The answer to many lies in HarmonyOS, an operating system that Huawei has been developing for years and that powers many of its wearables, tablets, and IoT products. Recommended Videos Despite the restrictions against it, Huawei continues to innovate and push the boundaries of smartphones. Devices like the world's first tri-fold smartphone, the Huawei Mate XT Ultimate, and the tablet-size flip phone, the Huawei Pura X, run on HarmonyOS. After spending some time with the Mate XT and the Pura X, could HarmonyOS be a viable competitor platform to iOS and Android? Like all things Huawei, the answer is complicated, made more so by the two generations of HarmonyOS. A brief history of HarmonyOS In the eighteen months following the CES keynote, Huawei accelerated plans to launch a homegrown platform and, in June 2019, it announced HarmonyOS. The platform is for far more than just smartphones; it's designed to be a unified platform that can power all devices in the Huawei ecosystem. Counterpoint Research shows that HarmonyOS is already the third-largest smartphone platform, with approximately 4% of global market share. More importantly, at least for the short term, is the company's market share in China, which continues to grow and recently surpassed iOS to become the number two platform in the world's biggest smartphone market. Key to this growth is a focus on innovative hardware paired with HarmonyOS. It's still incredibly capable for smartphones but can support a wide range of devices, and the unified platform approach ensures cross-compatibility. It even runs in Huawei's first co-developed car, the AITO M5. HarmonyOS and HarmonyOS Next are different. The Huawei Pura X marks an interesting moment for Huawei. Previous generations of HarmonyOS came with Android libraries pre-installed on the device, making it easy for third-party developers like MicroG to help you quickly install and enable all Google services on your phone. This means the tri-fold Mate XT Ultimate has access to the full suite of Play Store apps, including easy sign-on. It's not as flawless as if it had been preinstalled, but it works nonetheless, and it means the experience is largely the same with some quirks. As the name suggests, HarmonyOS Next is the next generation of HarmonyOS. One huge difference: this version was developed to support native HarmonyOS apps and ships without preinstalled Android kernels. The result? You need to use third-party app stores to be able to install and run some of the most popular apps. This is where things are familiar, but still challenging. Yes, there's an app gap, but it's surprising To understand the viability of HarmonyOS Next right now, I installed the EasyAbroad app by following this video. Once done, it offered a selection of Western apps that it thought I might want to install. There are mentions of MicroG services, so this is an evolution of MicroG for HarmonyOS Next devices. However, does it have all the key apps? Here's the quick summary: common apps like Google Maps, Chrome, Uber, Starbucks, and YouTube are available, as are Airbnb, Gmail, Pinterest, ChatGPT, and Amazon. There are others, but many aren't available. Some examples include banking apps, most streaming services, and alternative mapping solutions like Waze. There's no Google Assistant or Gemini app, but this is to be expected. Other available apps include Google Docs and Sheets, Google Drive, Dropbox, and Steam. Then there are the really important apps. Social networks like Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and X (aka Twitter) are all available. Although TikTok is also available, it's listed in Mandarin, so it may not be the global version. Messaging apps like WhatsApp, WA Business, Telegram, and Signal are also available. Looking for food delivery apps? You can easily install Uber Eats (and Uber), Doordash, Just Eat, Deliveroo, and many more. The previous version of HarmonyOS offered a much wider selection, yet the apps run smoothly, and the Pura X is particularly rapid at running any task. Huawei has reinforced the lesson that Apple taught the industry: if you control the hardware and the software, you can offer a highly optimized experience. Beyond apps, this is mostly familiar and fast. What if the app gap didn't exist? HarmonyOS Next is still fairly new and features a substantial architecture change, so there likely hasn't been enough time to port more apps. Assuming the company or third-party developers can bridge the app gap, what about the rest of the platform and interface? If this were to happen, HarmonyOS Next could be a viable challenger to Android. It has many similarities with other Android interfaces, like Honor and Oppo. There's a split control center reminiscent of Oppo, and a settings menu that reminds me of the iPhone. Huawei has been inspired by the best parts of many other interfaces, and the result is a great interface to use. If you invest in the Huawei ecosystem, HarmonyOS will serve your needs as well as Android or iOS, if not better in some ways. Huawei's native App Gallery has every popular local app, and the third-party app stores have even more you may want to install. HarmonyOS Next runs on over 1 billion devices across various form factors, and with over 2 million developers reportedly onboard, it's likely that many of the missing apps will eventually become available. HarmonyOS is already the second-largest platform in the world's biggest market, but Android has a 64% market share in China, meaning HarmonyOS won't surpass it anytime soon. HarmonyOS is fairly impressive, but there is a much larger learning curve than switching from iOS to Android or vice versa. Still, Huawei has developed many processes to replace core services offered as part of GMS, and the result is a smooth platform that's very pleasant to use. Devices like the Mate 60, Pura X, and Mate XT Ultimate will continue to ensure that the number of users continues to grow.
